Updated: 6:55 p.m. Saturday

KALAMAZOO, Mich. | One way or another, Western Michigan’s football team said NIU running back Garrett Wolfe’s presence would land them on ESPN’s Sportscenter.

But it wasn’t Wolfe providing highlights as WMU held the nation’s leading runner to 25 yards on 18 carries Sunday in a 16-14 win over the Huskies (4-3 overall, 3-2 MAC).

“Obviously, we got whipped,” said coach Joe Novak. “Offensively, that’s the poorest we’ve played and coached in a long time.”

On the sixth play of the game, NIU linebacker Tim McCarthy intercepted a pass tipped by fellow linebacker Keenan Blalark. The sophomore returned it 44 yards to WMU’s 33-yard line.

However, it only took one play for NIU quarterback Phil Horvath to return the favor as the senior threw his first of three interceptions on the day.

Fortunately for the Huskies, their defense held WMU (4-2, 2-1) on three plays and NIU’s sophomore receiver Greg Turner blocked WMU’s punt on fourth down.

Wide receiver Jarrett Carter pounced on the ball in the end zone for a touchdown with 10:24 remaining in the first quarter. It was the first of the 6-foot-3, 210-pound fifth-year senior’s career, and gave the Huskies a 7-0 lead.

But that would be the end of NIU’s scoring until 1:19 in the fourth quarter, as WMU reeled off 16 straight points.

With a 10-7 lead at halftime, WMU’s defense held NIU’s offense in check by allowing six yards on 14 plays. Former NIU defensive coordinator Scott Shafer was the brain trust of a WMU defense that held NIU to 157 yards of total offense.

“My mom didn’t raise an idiot,” WMU’s coach Bill Cubit said in response to hiring Shafer. “I played golf with him one day, and when I got the job here, he was the first guy I called.”

The lack of offensive opportunities for the Huskies came courtesy of its counterpart holding the ball for 22:36 in the first half.

WMU quarterback Ryan Cubit, son of WMU’s head coach, led the Broncos to 260 yards on 51 plays and their lone touchdown in the first half.

On second-and-goal with 3:34 left in the first half, Cubit hit tight end Matt Stevens on a play-action pass that caught NIU safety Dustin Utschig out of position. Utschig and NIU’s defense were also taken for 21 first downs by the game’s end.

“Our offense was struggling today,” said NIU defensive lineman Craig Rusch. “We knew we had to bail them out because they’ve bailed us out a lot this year.”

But as hard as the Huskies’ defense tried to match the performance of the MAC’s No. 1 defense in WMU, it wasn’t enough.

The third of WMU kicker Nate Meyer’s three field goals came from 40-yards out with 3:25 remaining in the game to put the Broncos on top for good.

NIU wide receiver Britt Davis scored the Huskies’ only offensive touchdown on a 31-yard pass he snatched in the back left corner of the endzone with 1:19 left in the game.

The Huskies’ ensuing onside kick was engulfed by WMU sophomore cornerback E.J Biggers.

Broncos running back Mark Bonds then went on to record the last six yards of his 98 rushing yards to end the game.

“It was nothing in particular,” Wolfe said in response to why NIU failed to produce a win Saturday. “They just executed better than other teams we’ve played against. I pride myself on being a playmaker, and I didn’t make plays. I felt like I let the team down.”

The game was the first time in 11 straight outings that Wolfe didn’t top 150 yards. Meanwhile, Oklahoma running back and Heisman candidate Adrian Peterson was lost for the rest of the season after suffering a broken collarbone against Iowa State. Peterson was injured on a 53-yard touchdown run with about 6:40 remaining in Oklahoma’s 34-9 win.

Sean Connor is an NIU football beat reporter for the Northern Star.