For the second consecutive week the football team had a chance
to erase a halftime deficit and win a close game at home.

Last week it was successful, beating Toledo 21-17 and taking
over first place in the Mid-American Conference West Division.
But today it failed to capitalize on numerous opportunities,
losing 31-28 to Northern Illinois at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

“The game shouldn’t have come down to three points,” said CMU
coach Brian Kelly. “We had the football plenty of times and we
had plenty of chances to score on offense. It was a tough loss.”

CMU had a chance to tie the game with 1:18 remaining but true
freshman kicker Rick Albreski missed a 40-yard field goal wide
left.

From there the Huskies ran out the clock.

“We were in a good position to kick; we were in Rick’s comfort
zone,” Kelly said.

CMU (5-4, 4-2 MAC) led in nearly every statistical category,
out gaining NIU in total offense 588 to 441 yards and running
32 more offensive plays.

The Chippewas were 11-of-19 on third down conversions and won
the time of possession battle 34:33 to 25:27.

Still, the Huskies (5-4, 4-2 MAC) made plays at critical times
fueled by senior wide receiver Sam Hurd, who caught 12 balls
for 266 yards and three touchdowns.

“It was a great victory,” said NIU coach Joe Novak. “Sam Hurd
was excellent, and the team did enough to get the job done.”
Hurd opened the scoring on NIU’s opening drive, hauling in a
27-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Phil Horvath.

CMU answered on its second drive when senior quarterback Kent
Smith threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver
Damien Linson, tying the score at seven.

Junior linebacker Isaac Brown drilled Horvath on NIU’s ensuing
possession, knocking him out of the game with a broken arm.

“It was upsetting and frustrating, but that’s football,”
Horvath, who likely is done for the season, said. “But I just
tried to fire the guys up because I knew we were going to win.”

Freshman quarterback Dan Nicholson entered the game and threw
a 5-yard touchdown pass to Hurd, putting the Huskies ahead
14-7. Nicholson finished 19-of-27 for 320 yards, two
touchdowns and one interception. He also added a rushing score.

“They made the plays, and Sam Hurd was a difference-maker,”
Kelly said. “He went up and made plays — we did everything we
could do to stop him.”

CMU tied the game at 14 when Smith found senior tight end
Jacob Brown for a two-yard touchdown.

From there NIU reeled off 17 straight points to go up 31-14
after Nicholson’s 3-yard rushing touchdown, a Chris Nendick
40-yard field goal and a 79-yard touchdown catch by Hurd.

“We just wanted to out-physical them, and (Nicholson) took it
upon himself to make plays,” Hurd said. “When Phil went down I
knew we couldn’t fade away, and we didn’t.”

CMU scored on its next possession on a 16-yard touchdown catch
by junior wide receiver Obed Cetoute, making it 31-21.

Smith then found Linson for a 37-yard touchdown on the fourth
quarter’s first play. Linson caught nine balls for 146 yards
and two touchdowns on the afternoon.

From there CMU had two promising drives, but they stalled, and
on its last drive Albreski missed the game-tying kick.

“We were very fortunate to win (after Horvath left the game),”
Novak said. “Our kids went out and played hard. It’s really a
tribute to them.”

Smith finished the afternoon 33-of-51 for 382 yards and four
touchdowns. His 33 completes set a school record.

CMU junior defensive end Dan Bazuin set a single-season school
sack record in the first quarter when he sacked Horvath for
his tenth sack this season.

He added another sack and a forced fumble in the second half
and finished with nine total tackles.

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