One of the hardest things for mid-major football teams to achieve is a spot in the top 25 national rankings. No matter how well a little giant such as NIU plays, the respect of the pollsters just can’t be found.

So it goes without saying, after NIU started the season losing two of its first three games, a visit to the top 25 seemed out of the question. Right?

Apparently not. After NIU fell way off the ranking radar screen, something strange happened. Maybe both the coaches and press got together for a little powwow.

The result of which was that both polls would elect new voters with a new staff without major conference biases? Probably not.

So in the same polls that will drop a mid-major off their list without blinking, the 6-2 Huskies are climbing.

These are the same Huskies who fell 12 spots in the rankings last year after losing to Bowling Green and then fell one more after beating Ball State a week later.

Ranked No. 26 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll and No. 29 in The Associated Press poll, NIU has silenced its critics. Perhaps the return of Josh Haldi or the emergence of Garrett Wolfe is the reason for this change of heart. Or maybe the voters are all Red Sox fans.

Regardless, don’t be surprised to see NIU as one of the nation’s 25 best teams come Sunday night.

NIU has blown out four of its last five opponents by an average of 25 points a game. The Huskies proved they could win with their backs against the wall. The comeback with 46 seconds left against the worst team in Division IA, Central Florida, reiterates the old cliche.

Good teams always find a way to win.

All NIU has to do is play its game – a dominating performance – against Ball State. That alone should be enough for the Huskies to leap frog, disappointing Iowa and Minnesota teams.

The Huskies bid for the top 25 also comes with a little help from two teams in the top 10 as well.

Maybe it’s coincidence, but with No. 2 Oklahoma playing No. 20 Oklahoma State and No. 8 California crashing helmets with No. 21 Arizona State, the football gods are putting the puzzle pieces in place for the Huskies.

With the season winding down, both Oklahoma and California are in must-win situations. A loss for either of those teams could throw their Bowl Championship Series hopes out the window.

Oklahoma needs the victory over Oklahoma State to keep its national championship hopes alive. Cal has to stop ASU in order to fill in for USC as the Pac-10 Rose Bowl team.

So root for the Huskies at Ball State on Saturday. But it’s OK to be a Sooner and a Cal fan this weekend as well.