Northern Illinois’ 35-17 upset over Toledo Wednesday night was definitely a game of firsts.
It undoubtedly will rank No. 1 with Huskies coach Joe Novak, who has said throughout his 10 years at Northern that his top goal is to win the Mid-American Conference title.
That he can do if NIU (6-4, 5-2) beats Western Michigan (7-3, 5-2) at home next Wednesday for the Western Division title and the right to meet the East champ in the MAC title game Dec. 1.
Northern beat Toledo (7-3, 5-2) for the first time in 12 games and won in Toledo for the first time since 1972.
“This is the sweetest one,” Novak said. “After we went so long without winning here.”
Garrett Wolfe, out three games with a sprained knee, rushed for 179 yards on 30 carries and scored Northern’s last two touchdowns on runs of 3 and 64 yards.
Wolfe said he wasn’t in any pain.
“It was pretty much a mental thing,” he said. “I was about 100 percent by the end of the game.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Dan Nicholson made the first start of his college career and completed 20 of 30 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He also scored on sneak.
“I was real proud of Danny, and as coaches we learned we are a lot better when Garrett plays,” Novak said.
And NIU’s gritty defense, led by safeties Dustin Utschig, who had two interceptions, and Ray Smith, who recovered two fumbles, played a first-rate game in limiting the Rockets to three points after the first quarter.
“We came out in the second half more aggressive,” Smith said. “We were flying around the field playing Huskie football.”
Toledo led 14-7 after a first half that featured a scoreless second quarter and vast improvement from the first to the second by the Rockets’ pass defense.
Nicholson cut up Toledo in the first quarter, complete all 10 of his passes for 97 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown strike to tight end Jake Nordin.
In the second quarter, however, Keon Jackson intercepted one of Nicholson’s passes and made one of three sacks against the quarterback from Brother Rice. Nicholson completed only 3 of 10 passes for a net 5 yards in the second quarter.
Toledo scored first when quarterback Bruce Gradkowski sneaked 1 yard after the Huskies made three stops inside the 4-yard line. Late in the first period he hit Trinity Dawson with a 38-yard touchdown pass.
Wolfe, Nicholson and the inspired Huskies defense rallied for a 21-14 lead in the third quarter. Wolfe cashed in the biggest play on a 61-yard march to the tying score–a 35-yard scamper with Nicholson’s screen pass. Nicholson’s 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Pat Raleigh tied it 14-14.
Nicholson called the pass to Wolfe on a play after he had been sacked for a 14-yard loss pivotal.
“I was still feeling a little dizzy on that third-and-19 screen,” he said. “Garrett got it with a little space around him. That was a great confidence boost.”
Utschig later intercepted a Gradkowski pass and sprinted 50 yards to the Toledo 30 to set up the go-ahead score. Wolfe made four carries on the short drive, the last one a 3-yard burst into the end zone aided by Doug Free’s block.
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wjauss@tribune.com
