Who’s Playing
Northern Illinois @ Kent State
Current Records: Northern Illinois 6-2; Kent State 4-4
What to Know
The Kent State Golden Flashes will be returning home after a two-game road trip. Kent State and the Northern Illinois Huskies will face off in a Mid-American battle at 7 p.m. ET next Wednesday at Dix Stadium. Both teams might be coming in a bit winded after having run the length of the field multiple times in their most recent games.
After constant struggles on the road, the Golden Flashes have finally found some success away from home. They were able to grind out a solid win over the Ohio Bobcats last week, winning 34-27. It was another big night for Kent State’s QB Dustin Crum, who passed for one TD and 257 yards on 31 attempts in addition to rushing for one TD and 93 yards.
Meanwhile, the Central Michigan Chippewas typically have all the answers at home, but last week NIU proved too difficult a challenge. It was a tight matchup that could have gone either way, but NIU made off with a 39-38 victory over CMU. The Huskies’ success was spearheaded by the efforts of WR Trayvon Rudolph, who caught six passes for two TDs and 160 yards, and QB Rocky Lombardi, who passed for three TDs and 320 yards on 26 attempts. One of the most thrilling moments was Rudolph’s 75-yard TD reception in the third quarter.
Special teams collected 11 points for NIU. K Kanon Woodill delivered a perfect 3-for-3 game.
The wins brought the Golden Flashes up to 4-4 and NIU to 6-2. Two defensive stats to keep an eye on: Kent State is 240th worst in the nation in rushing touchdowns allowed, with 18 on the season. NIU is completely their equal: they are stumbling into the contest with the 240th most rushing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 18 on the season. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Dix Stadium — Kent, Ohio
- TV: ESPN2
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
Series History
Northern Illinois have won both of the games they’ve played against Kent State in the last seven years.
- Oct 07, 2017 – Northern Illinois 24 vs. Kent State 3
- Nov 25, 2016 – Northern Illinois 31 vs. Kent State 21
