This Saturday is the NIU football team’s bye week, and according to NIU cornerback Randee Drew, it couldn’t have been better placed.

“I think a lot of people are nicked up and banged up,” Drew said. It’s good for us to get freshened up and get an extra week to gain our composure and just to get healthy and get better as a team.”

Drew is one of the Huskies who is banged up. During Saturday’s win against Tennessee Tech, Drew thinks he hit his right thigh against an opponent on one of his six tackles.

“I’m practicing this week,” Drew said. “On one of my hits, I must’ve got hit in the thigh. I was worried about it because I thought it was going to stiffen up during the week, but it’s felt a lot better than what I thought it was going to be.”

Junior tight end Aaron Anderson incurred a left shoulder sprain during the game and is listed as out by head athletics trainer Phil Voorhis.

Senior offensive tackle Joel Ellis had arthroscopic surgery last week and is likely gone for the season. Junior defensive end Curtis Crossley had surgery on his right shoulder before the season and is expected to have his career cut short because of it, although he still helps the team.

No. 31 and 28 in polls

Last week, NIU stood at No. 33 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches’ poll. After Virginia, Auburn, Purdue and Penn State fell out of the rankings with losses, NIU still was unable to crack the top 25, but now is at No. 31.

The Huskies are No. 28 in The Associated Press poll.

Bowling Green, even after upsetting Purdue (now No. 33) on Saturday, is ranked No. 35 in the coaches’ poll.

NIU and Bowling Green, both 2-0, are the only undefeated MAC teams.

MAC showdown

MAC powers will collide when Toledo (1-1) visits Marshall (1-1) for a nationally televised (ESPN) game at 7 p.m. Friday.

Four times in the last six years, the Rockets and Thundering Herd have faced off in the MAC title game.

Marshall lost on Saturday to No. 13 Tennessee, 34-24. In the first week of the season, Toledo fell on the road against UNLV, 28-18.

Nabbing 9-out-of-12

Senior cornerback Randee Drew intercepted his second pass of the season on Saturday. This brings his total to nine interceptions in the last 12 games.

Last year, Drew used his 4.42 (40-yard dash) speed to help him earn a No. 7 ranking nationally with 0.58 picks per game. He had seven on the year.

Drew, a Wisconsin native, now has 10 interceptions in his NIU career.

MAC topping ranked teams

After sweeping the MAC West Player of the Week awards, NIU was shut out this week thanks in large part to Bowling Green.

Bowling Green’s defeat of then-No. 16-ranked Purdue on Saturday, coupled with NIU’s win against No. 14 Maryland in the first week, made for the first time MAC schools defeated ranked teams in back-to-back weeks.

Bowling Green quarterback Josh Harris won the MAC West Offensive Player of the Week, while Falcons cornerback Keon Newson won the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week.

Toledo’s Lance Moore won the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week for a 54-yard punt return that scored a touchdown.