NIU junior quarterback Phil Horvath will miss the remainder of the 2005 football season with a broken left arm sustained Saturday in NIU’s 31-28 win over Central Michigan.

With about two minutes remaining in the first quarter, Horvath threw an incomplete pass across the middle to senior wide receiver Sam Hurd and immediately was hit by CMU linebacker Isaac Brown. Horvath remained kneeling on the turf for several minutes before being helped off the field back to the trainer’s room.

Back-up quarterback Dan Nicholson finished the game with 320 yards passing and three touchdowns, including a rushing touchdown. The Huskies won the game 31-28.

Horvath stepped in last season for senior quarterback Josh Haldi after Haldi sustained a stress fracture in his right foot.

“It’s upsetting,” Horvath said. “But that happens in football. The same thing happened to Josh last year. [Nicholson] prepared great. Coach told him all year, you never know when your shot is going to be. We went in there and played a great game and I’m really proud of him.”

Horvath had completed 12 of his 16 passes for 115 yards and one touchdown before the injury. He ends his season with 2,001 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

His 70.6 percent completion percentage currently leads NCAA Division I-A passers.