Every week before NIU football games, Sweeps will bring you the real matchups that matter, like which team mascot would win in a street fight.

NIU will travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., this weekend to face off against Western Michigan University looking to destroy two teams from Michigan in consecutive weeks. The bout is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday.

WMU’s mascot, a bronco, was adopted in 1939, replacing the former nickname of the “Hilltoppers” because it was often confused with similar nicknames being used by other universities.

The bronco is definitely the largest and strongest mascot the husky has had to face this season, but is there a way for victory?

Several students, including senior journalism major Jenniffer Downing, were not convinced that the husky could compete against a bronco.

“The bronco would kick the husky in the head and that would be that end of that,” Downing said.

Sweeps turned to experienced horseback rider and freshman undecided major Ellen Warpinski for her take on this potentially dangerous battle for the beloved husky.

Warpinski seemed to think the husky would fare better calling upon fellow huskies to attack in a pack, like wolves would.

“One would go for the jugular, another would go for the hindquarters, and the others would dart in when they get a chance,” she said.

However, Warpinski was quick to point out that the bronco would have the ability to end the fight with a good kick.

“Most horses have a good chance of crushing a skull or two with a few well-placed kicks,” she said.

So who would win in this week’s street fight of mascots: the husky pack or the strong-kicking bronco?

Our horseback-riding expert said she would have to put money on the bronco, saying the husky just can’t counter the bronco’s hooves.

Wait a minute, isn’t there a horsemeat factory being rebuilt in DeKalb?

“NIU huskies could definitely lure some Western Michigan bronco into a slaughterhouse, and for them the slaughter needn’t be humane,” Warpinski said

Warpinski then noted that the bronco has an obvious size, strength and speed advantage over the husky, so it is highly unlikely that the husky would be successful in luring the bronco into a trap.

Final verdict: Unfortunately, the bronco is good enough, smart enough, strong enough and gosh darn it, people like him. Experts and students agree that the bronco would gallop (kick in skulls) to victory.

Reporter’s note: No animals were physically harmed in the writing of this article.