DeKALB | Ohio 35, NIU 23 sums up the game.

“We got whipped. We got whipped good,” said NIU coach Joe Novak. “I thought we got out-coached. We didn’t tackle well enough, we didn’t cover well enough, didn’t protect well enough, didn’t catch well enough. They executed better and we didn’t tackle worth a darn.”

NIU running back Garrett Wolfe ran for 90 yards and two touchdowns in the first quarter Saturday in the Huskies loss to Ohio.

But when Wolfe juked his way for a 46-yard touchdown run with 3:07 left in the opening quarter, some members of the media in the box smiled as if they knew the game was well in hand.

Despite NIU (0-2 overall, 0-1 MAC) allowing a big play — passing a touchdown for the second week in a row — Wolfe’s second score reversed the momentum.

The Huskies extended their lead to 17-7 after NIU kicker Chris Nendick’s 36-yard field goal.

In the ensuing possession, Ohio (2-0 overall, 1-0 MAC) punted away, but forced NIU to punt it back, regaining possession with 4:54 to go in the first half.

Then it happened. An Ohio 12-play, 69-yard drive ending with its running back Kalvin McRae scoring from two yards out with 20.5 seconds to go in the half.

McRae’s touchdown led to 21 unanswered points by the Bobcats while NIU punted on its next three possessions.

“We did a good job after the first drive of sticking with our game plan,” said Ohio quarterback Austen Everson. “We want to be balanced on offense, and finally we were able to maintain that goal.”

Saturday, Everson became Ohio’s first quarterback since 1986 to throw for over 300 yards in a game. The senior completed 23 of 31 passes for 322 yards and three touchdowns.

“We didn’t fly to the ball,” said NIU safety Dustin Utschig. “We didn’t execute Huskie defense. It’s disappointing to see our defense have a great week of practice and lay an egg like that.”

With NIU on a downward spiral and losing 28-17 to start the fourth quarter, Utschig made the big hit. On an Everson pitch to Ohio running back Chris Garrett, Utschig forced a fumble recovered by NIU’s Ken West.

A 41-yard pass from Horvath to Perez, who dropped a potential touchdown in the second quarter, put the Huskies in Ohio territory. Two plays later, Perez snagged a 14-yard touchdown pass to bring NIU within five.

However, the Huskie defense couldn’t hold as Ohio ate 6:42 off the clock on its next drive and let its defense knock off Horvath’s helmet twice before McRae ran in from 24 yards out to end all scoring.

When all was said and done, Ohio’s offense racked up 509 yards against NIU’s defense after putting up 144 yards in a 29-3 win over Division I-AA Tennessee-Martin last week.

“Against Ball State last year I had an awful feeling all week,” Novak said. “This week I felt we practiced well and learned from Ohio State. But with all due respect, Ohio could put more into this game than we did because we were really getting ready to play Ohio State last week.”

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