This game was supposed to mean everything.

Two Mid-American Conference West Division teams playing in a winner-advances, loser-stays-home atmosphere. A trip Dec. 4 to Detroit on the line. Only two MAC teams get to play in December. Friday’s CMU-Northern Illinois game was supposed to decide one of them.

But at 5:27 p.m. last Saturday, this epic collision between two MAC heavyweights was rendered meaningless.

Thank you, Ohio.

Thank you for ruining everything good — everything important — about Friday’s “big” game in the West.

NIU, with one loss to its credit entering the weekend, needed a win to stay within grasp of CMU (7-0 MAC).

The Huskies lost just one conference game to this point. And with less than six minutes remaining in their game against Ohio, it looked as if their loss column would stay the same.

But with 5:38 remaining, Ohio took the lead and never relinquished control.

Northern Illinois (5-2 MAC) is now eliminated from championship contention.

Stats lie

Statistics say this game should be one of the best all season in the MAC.

The Chippewas and Huskies have the conference’s best two scoring defenses. CMU is giving up just 16.6 points per game and NIU is closely behind, giving up 19 points per game.

And offensively, the story is the same. The two teams had the conference’s top two scoring offenses until Saturday, when Temple steamrolled Kent State 47-13. Now, CMU ranks at the top, scoring 33.3 points per game, while NIU still ranks third, scoring more than 30 per game.

But there is a reason the Huskies’ MAC hopes were dashed this weekend. A team that rushes for 210.4 rushing yards per game was held to 114. And the same team — a team led by two workhorse running backs which rank fourth (Chad Spann, 78.4 yards per game) and seventh in the conference (Me’co Brown, 58.6), respectively, in rushing yards per game — was led by its quarterback with 42 rushing yards.

NIU’s biggest passing day prior to Saturday was in its loss to Idaho, where sophomore quarterback Chandler Harnish threw for 184 yards. Against Ohio, he dropped back a season-high 35 times and threw for a season-high 307 yards. In the season’s biggest game to date, it seems odd to abandon your gameplan in its entirety regardless of what the defense is giving you.

And yes, Chandler Harnish is NIU’s starting quarterback. But fellow sophomore DeMarcus Grady gave the Huskie offense more athleticism when Harnish was gone for three games with injury.

The team used both quarterbacks last week against Ball State. This week, it was not the case. Especially when the team was struggling to find its running game, its offensive focal point, spelling Harnish with Grady could have thrown off Ohio’s defense.

Friday at Kelly/Shorts

On Thanksgiving, the student body has to make a decision: support its team or stay home with mom and dad during the holiday.

And as much as the team has put up a united front to highlight the importance of this game, it simply is not the case.

Finishing the home schedule and the conference undefeated are nice side notes to a successful season, but it is not the most important aspect of Friday’s game.

Heading to Detroit the following week with a healthy roster is what is important. Injury prevention has to be a critical aspect of the gameplan. Winning is important, and keeping a rhythm helps, but does it matter if a piece of your core is missing for the season’s most important game on Dec. 4?

This is a game where depth players and future starters can get experience against a team still fighting for a bowl berth.

And for the student body, it has to decide if it is worth driving from home to see that.

Because regardless of what happens Friday, the season will be on the line the following week.
Unfortunately, the season’s would-be game of the year has lost its appeal.

E-mail the author: Andrew Stover