Sports Editor Andrew Stover breaks down CMU’s game against Northern Illinois at 1 p.m. Friday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Quarterback

The return of Chandler Harnish to NIU’s offense gives the Huskies the ability to throw the ball. If DeMarcus Grady ever gets into the game, CMU can load the box. The athletic Grady is used for his legs, rarely his arm.

For CMU, senior quarterback Dan LeFevour has thrown for 341 yards against Toledo and 344 yards against Ball State the past two weeks. Earlier in the season, he proved to be CMU’s most dangerous rushing threat.

Advantage: CMU. At least when LeFevour’s in the game, CMU will have an advantage. The hope has to be to get a big enough lead to pull LeFevour to avoid injury for the MAC Championship the following week and allow redshirt freshman Ryan Radcliff to get extensive playing time.

Running back
NIU is so heavily dependent on its running attack that junior Chad Spann and sophomore Me’co Brown will factor into the gameplan every week. Span, fourth in the Football Bowl Subdivision with 18 rushing touchdowns, averages more than 78 rushing yards per game. Brown started has taken more of a complimentary role than at first expected.

For CMU, sophomore Bryan Schroeder has retaken the starting role and most of the carries from junior Carl Volny. Schroeder’s hard, inside running has made him more attractive than the other options.

Advantage: NIU. Spann or Brown could carry the load in another offense. But in the same system, the two form a formidable running back-by-committee tandem.

NIU offensive line vs. CMU defensive front seven
CMU has given up just 119.7 rushing yards per game to opponents, good for third in the MAC. NIU, on the other hand, has a road-grading offensive line that has produced 210.4 rushing yards per game. The Huskies have given up 12 sacks, tied for the league low with CMU.

Advantage: Even. NIU showed its running game can be slowed when it was held to 114 rushing yards against Ohio. That is nearly 100 yards less than its season average. CMU presents a formidable front feature two of the MAC’s best linebackers — juniors Nick Bellore and Matt Berning — and a veteran defensive line. CMU’s secondary will get involved in the run defense more this week as well, but it will have to be leery of NIU’s play-actino game.

CMU offensive line vs. NIU defensive front seven

It is likely redshirt freshman left tackle Jake Olson will get some reps before the MAC Championship game, and that will be a huge boost to the offense. However, in Olson’s absence, freshman Eric Fisher performed admirably protecting LeFevour’s blind side and helping him pass for 344 yards against Ball State. NIU is third in the conference with 27 sacks and second in the conference in rushing defense (108.2 yards per game).

Advantage: Even. Like the other line battle, CMU will have success moving the ball, but NIU matches up better than most teams would and will present problems for the offensive line.

NIU wide receivers vs. CMU secondary
Junior Landon Cox had 11 receptions for 132 yards Saturday against Ohio. Both represented season-highs for any NIU receiver. Although Harnish gives NIU wide receivers a better opportunity to be utilized, they still are not much of a threat.

Advantage: CMU. CMU will have a big advantage if senior Josh Gordy plays. Even if he does not suit up, the secondary will be more useful in run support. Expect Gordy to go this week, though.

CMU wide receivers vs. NIU secondary
Despite giving up just 200 passing yards per game, the NIU secondary will face one of the hottest quarterbacks in the country. LeFevour has totaled 11 touchdowns — six passing and five rushing — in his last two games. A lot of that has to do with the weapons LeFevour has to use. Junior wide receiver Antonio Brown has made a case as one of the nation’s most explosive players, and junior Kito Poblah and senior Bryan Anderson give LeFevour two more steady options on the perimeter.

Advantage: CMU. Week after week, Brown proves to be the biggest playmaker on the field. He gives CMU a distinct advantage against NIU’s secondary.

Prediction
If this game had meaning, CMU would maintain control of this game through its entirety. But, with more to worry about than a do-what-it-takes-to-win mentality, Friday’s post-Thanksgiving game should stay close.

CMU 28, NIU 21

E-mail the author: Andrew Stover