NIU showed the part of the world that watches ESPN2 last Friday that they can dominate a MAC rival even without their starting quarterback in the lineup.

NIU’s football team exhibited the characteristics of its mascot, showing much endurance in the 34 -17 victory over Bowling Green.

This is a new week, however, and the husky will have to face off with the Akron University Zips. Wait …. what the heck is a zip?

Zippers were originally a pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich company. The nickname was shortened to the Zips in the 1950s, and the kangaroo was chosen as the mascot.

The image of a kangaroo is normally that of it standing with a small joey (a baby kangaroo, not a popular sitcom character) in its front pouch.

However, the husky cannot let itself be taken in by a fun and non-threatening image. The kangaroo can actually pose a dangerous threat.

Freshman computer science major Jarred Trost was extremely nervous about being Catch of the Day. However, after realizing that this was not Catch of the Day, he managed to settle down and weigh in on how the husky would fare in a fight.

“I heard that if a kangaroo punches you in the stomach, it could kill you,” said Trost.

Freshman undecided major Joe Horejs showed love to the husky.

“The kangaroo can punch, but I don’t know if they have the reach. The husky has this won,” Horejs said.

So how can the Husky stop this surprising threat from down under?

According to nationalparks.nsw.- gov.au, the kangaroo uses its long muscular tail for balance and are most active at night, dusk and dawn.

The battle plan, then, is to have the husky focus the attack on the muscular tail, and the battle is just aboutr as good as won.

It wouldn’t hurt to have NIU schedule the fight at noon when the kangaroo is less active. Unfortunately, kick-off is scheduled for 3:05 p.m.

Final verdict: The husky wins this week, beating the hopping-go-lucky kangaroo by focusing the attack on the kangaroo’s balance.

Editor’s Note: No animals or zippers were harmed in the writing of this article.