DeKALB | Back-to-back home victories have the NIU football team hopeful that success will follow it on the road.

The Huskies (2-2 overall, 1-1 MAC ) will travel to Muncie, Ind., to play Ball State University (1-3 overall, 1-0 MAC ), beginning their first of three straight MAC road games at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

“Obviously, having already lost one [conference] game, it’s really important. It’s a big one,” NIU coach Joe Novak said. “It’s hard to have a successful three-game trip if you don’t get the first one.”

The game will be televised live only in DeKalb and Rochelle on Comcast Sports.

A live radio broadcast will also be available on WSCR AM 670 and WLBK AM 1360.

Play-by-play announcers will stay busy throughout the game tracking the nation’s leading rusher, Garrett Wolfe. The senior is averaging 207 yards per game and more than eight yards per carry.

“I think we’re a more intelligent team than last year,” Wolfe said. “But I don’t think we’re scoring enough points.”

While Wolfe is worried about scoring, he also must be concerned about staying healthy.

The Huskies lost their No. 2 running back when Montell Clanton suffered a season-ending knee injury.

The Huskies will also be missing two defensive linemen. Both Adam Schroeder and Brandon Bice will be unavailable this weekend.

One bit of positive news is the return of linebacker Tim McCarthy . McCarthy missed last week with a sprained right shoulder.

Despite missing one game, the sophomore is second on the team with 32 tackles — three behind leader Keenan Blalark.

NIU’s defense will be the key, though. The Cardinals racked up 382 yards of offense in a surprise 31-17 victory over the Huskies last season.

Offensive lineman Doug Free isn’t bitter after last season’s loss, but knows his team can no longer take the Cardinals lightly.

“[After last year,] we’ve got something to prove,” Free said. “This year we’re going to have to come out and be better prepared than we were last year.”

Ben Gross is a NIU football beat reporter for the Northern Star.