PLEASANT, Mich. – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.
The quote from Charles Dickens’ classic “A Tale of Two Cities” describes a tale of two halves of Northern Illinois University’s 31-24 loss to Central Michigan at Kelly/Shorts Stadium Friday. The Huskies’ defense dominated the first half en route to a 17-0 NIU halftime lead, before the Chippewas scored 24 unanswered points in the second half and then went on to claim the win.
NIU and CMU both finished the regular season 8-4 overall, 6-2 in the MAC and will await their bowl destinations.
“I think the start to the second half was the key to the game,” said NIU head coach Rod Carey. “We came out with a short run and two drops to go out and that gave them life. Then defensively we had some mental errors. That sequence set the tone for the second half.”
The first half belonged to the NIU defense, beginning on the very first series when linebacker Jawuan Johnson intercepted Shane Morris’ third-down pass attempt and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Huskie lead less than one minute into the game.
It was the Huskie linebacker’s team-leading fifth interception of the season and his second return for a touchdown this season, as well as the NIU defense’s fifth score in 2017
On nine possessions in the first half, NIU forced five three-and-outs, eight punts, scored on Johnson’s interception return and allowed just four CMU first downs. Central Michigan totaled only 35 yards on 32 plays in the first half, thanks in large part to a 31-yard loss on a sack and fumble at the end of the first quarter that at one point saw the Chippewas facing a fourth and 38. CMU did not convert any of its nine third downs in the half and picked up just one first down in the first quarter.
“The first half was a good job by the defense,” Carey said. “The offense didn’t capitalize as well as we should have. The 17 points should have been 24 or 28. Our run game was OK at best today.”
On its third possession of the game, the offense doubled NIU’s lead to 14-0 with a nine-play, 41-yard drive. NIU quarterback Marcus Childers, who finished the game completing 20-of-36 passes for 128 yards, hit D.J. Brown in the back of the end zone for the four-yard score with 1:59 to play in the first quarter.
Going against the wind in the second quarter, NIU twice drove inside the CMU 15-yard line. But Childers was called for intentional grounding at the CMU 12 and, kicking into the wind, NIU punted from its 26-yard line. After a three-and-out by the Huskie defense, NIU started its next drive on its 32 and advanced to the CMU six on a combination of Childers’ completions and Jordan Huff runs. Christian Hagan made a 23-yard field goal with 7:07 left in the half to push NIU’s lead to 17-0.
Central Michigan was able to capitalize on a series of big plays to tie the game in the third quarter. After NIU went three and out to start the half, CMU quarterback Shane Morris hit Mark Chapman on a slant across the middle and he avoided tacklers for a 56-yard score.
After another three-and-out, Jonathan Ward escaped for a 52-yard run to the NIU five-yard-line, where the Huskie defense held to force a 23-yard field goal by Michael Armstrong, closing the Huskie lead to 17-10 at the 9:52 mark of the third quarter.
Childers was intercepted for the first time in three games to halt NIU’s next possession and CMU embarked on a 15-play, 69-yard drive that lasted 6:14. Morris hit Ward on a four-yard completion for the game-tying score as all the momentum was with the Chippewas in the third quarter.
In the third quarter, it was NIU that was held to just one first down and 32 yards of offense, including no passing yards.
CMU carried the momentum into the fourth quarter, taking a 24-17 lead on its next possession with Ward scoring on a 54-yard run.
“That second half was not us,” said NIU defensive end Sutton Smith. “We had a lack of execution, people weren’t making plays. We have to see the film, get it fixed and bounce back for the bowl game.”
The Huskies came back to tie the game at 24 with 3:03 to play on a drive jumpstarted by a 15-yard penalty against the Chippewas that moved the ball to the CMU 48-yard line. From there, Childers and freshman running back Tre Harbison carried the load with Harbison getting the final 12 yards for the touchdown.
On CMU’s next drive, NIU appeared to have the Chippewas’ backs to the wall as they faced fourth and four from the NIU 29-yard line with 1:32 to play. However, Morris dropped a pass into the hands of Corey Willis, who ran the final yards for the game-winner.
NIU’s attempt to send the game to overtime reached the CMU 24-yard line after Childers hit a diving Chad Beebe for 26-yards. Two plays later, Childers was hit as he threw and his final pass was intercepted at the goal line, sealing the CMU victory.
The teams finished with 10 punts and three sacks apiece and were nearly equal (137 for NIU, 139 for CMU) in rushing yards and third down conversions (5 of 17 by NIU, 4 of 17 by CMU).
CMU has now defeated the Huskies four straight times and five times in the last seven years.
