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DeKALB – The NIU football team overcame a lot of rain and a blocked punt returned for a touchdown for a 29-16 win against Akron on Wednesday.
The win makes the Huskies (6-4, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) bowl eligible for the second straight year. Akron fell to 2-8 and 1-5 in the MAC with the loss.
Here are five key takeaways from the victory.
Gavin Williams breaks through, gives NIU key cushion late
After a rough third quarter in which neither team could move the ball, Gavin Williams took matters into his own hands.
Williams went 71 yards around the left side for the Huskies’s first touchdown since the second quarter and pushed the NIU lead to 29-16 with 7:56 left. NIU punted on its first four possessions of the second half, managing just 55 yards before Williams’ run.
Playing without Antario Brown after he was injured last week against Western Michigan, both Williams and Telly Johnson rushed for over 100 yards in the win.
Ugly, ugly third quarter for both teams
NIU had a 23-16 lead at the break and had 274 yards of total offense in the first half. The Huskies were also getting the ball to start the second half.
But the third quarter was less than ideal for the NIU offense. The Huskies managed just 36 yards of total offense, were 0 for 3 on third down and only had two first downs.
After going 5-for-12 passing in the first half, Ethan Hampton was 2 for 2, but only for two yards.
Fortunately for the Huskies, the Akron offense didn’t do much better despite NIU committing three pass-interference penalties in the quarter. The score was still 23-16 after three.
Akron’s punt block changes momentum, Barnes changes it back
NIU led by as much as 17-6, but the Zips tacked on a field goal then forced a Huskies three-and-out.
But the punt from the 28 was blocked by Noel Roach and recovered by Terence Thomas in the end zone for a touchdown as the Zips were within one after the extra point, 17-16.
NIU answered, converting a third down for the first time in the game on a 35-yard pass to Williams on third-and-4. On fourth-and-1 on the next series, Hampton found Grayson Barnes for a 32-yard touchdown catch and run as the Huskies went back up 23-16 with 5:32 left in the half.
Run, run Rudolph
Down 6-3 early in the first quarter, NIU was driving looking for its first touchdown. Trayvon Rudolph accelerated the process.
The receiver and former high school quarterback lined up at quarterback on first-and-10 from the NIU 42. He ran up the right side of the line and came through the other side untouched for a 58-yard touchdown run.
The score put the Huskies ahead 10-6 with 8:20 left in the first quarter.
Throw, throw Rudolph
After Rudolph’s run, the Huskies forced an Akron three-and-out and took over at their own 45. They got into Akron territory, and it was Rudolph’s time again.
Not as a runner. Not as the target. But as the quarterback. Rudolph took a sweep then pulled up to pass the ball to an insanely wide-open Dane Pardridge. Pardridge had to come back a step to get the ball in the driving rain, but caught it and continued on his way unbothered for six after the 39-yard catch and run.
The Huskies went up 17-6 with 3:50 left in the first quarter.