NIU leads the statistical categories eleven to six, and they have done it against better competition than UB has faced.
The Huskies stated the season as a team favored to win the MAC, as a program they were flirting with the top 25. Then the Huskies did something unexpected. They fell flat on their face. First dropping a game to Kansas, then getting completely flattened by Wisconsin. The real Coup de grâce seemed to be a conference loss to Central Michigan.
Northern Illinois bounced back, and the bounced back with a vengeance. First the destroyed Kent but then, more impressively, they discarded Western Michigan. All that stands between them and Toledo is a trip to Amherst.
Chandler Harnish is their offense. He is the third leading rusher in the conference and he is second in passing efficiency. As you might be able to guess those two things make him the leading offensive threat in the Mid American Conference (Harnish checks in at 10th nationally).
Statistically the Bulls have a slightly better defense than Northern Illinois but the majority of damage to NIU's numbers came at the hands of fifth ranked Wisconsin. Where as UB's toughest tests were Temple and Tennessee.
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| Category | Actual | Conf | National | Actual | Conf | National |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing Offense | 140.14 | 8 | 69 | 253.71 | 2 | 9 |
| Passing Offense | 195 | 9 | 93 | 229 | 7 | 62 |
| Total Offense | 335.14 | 9 | 95 | 482.71 | 1 | 17 |
| Scoring Offense | 18.14 | 10 | 108 | 39.57 | 1 | 15 |
| Rushing Defense | 214.57 | 11 | 107 | 198.14 | 9 | 101 |
| Pass Efficiency Defense | 140.07 | 10 | 94 | 142.52 | 11 | 100 |
| Total Defense | 406 | 9 | 80 | 412.43 | 11 | 89 |
| Scoring Defense | 28.43 | 8 | 76 | 32.86 | 11 | 101 |
| Net Punting | 34.89 | 9 | 98 | 35 | 8 | 95 |
| Punt Returns | 7.07 | 9 | 73 | 9 | 7 | 48 |
| Kickoff Returns | 19 | 11 | 108 | 17.68 | 13 | 113 |
| Turnover Margin | 0.29 | 3 | T-51 | -0.14 | 5 | T-64 |
| Pass Defense | 191.43 | 5 | 25 | 214.29 | 9 | 51 |
| Passing Efficiency | 109.91 | 10 | 105 | 147.4 | 3 | 34 |
| Sacks | 1.86 | 5 | T-61 | 2.57 | 2 | 24 |
| Tackles For Loss | 5.71 | 7 | T-63 | 7.14 | 2 | 32 |
| Sacks Allowed | 2 | 7 | T-59 | 0.71 | 1 | 12 |