Northern Illinois extended its home winning streak to 28 games Saturday, but the 17-14 victory over winless Kent State was less than impressive. Central Michigan visits Huskie Stadium on Saturday for the second of three straight home games against Mid-American Conference opponents.
Offense: C-
Drew Hare struggled to move the offense, completing 8 of 15 passes for 93 yards. Anthony Maddie provided a spark, completing 7 of 10 for 105 yards, but he threw a late interception. Juwan Brescacin caught three passes for 116 yards.
Defense: A-
Northern Illinois held an opponent under 100 yards rushing for the third time this season when Kent State ran for just 83. Linebacker Rasheen Lemon recorded his third sack of the season and tied his career high with nine tackles.
Special teams: B+
Tyler Wedel connected on a 40-yard field goal but missed a 39-yarder. Wedel punted five times for a 43.2-yard average and landed all five inside the 20. Hare dropped back on fourth down and shanked a 7-yard punt. Freshman Jordan Huff returned a kickoff 66 yards. Josh Orne boomed 2 touchbacks.
Coaching: C+
The offense looked disjointed at times as coach Rod Carey tries to find the best rhythm for the unit. Settling on a starting quarterback might help.
