Huskies start out with a tough loss

Players deserved to play in front of packed house in home opener

DEKALB – A crisp wind whipped around “The Yard” as Northern Illinois’ band played on a stage and cheerleaders shook red and black pompoms in front of a field of tailgaters.

A perfect Saturday night for football.

The Huskies’ game against Utah offered the one chance this season for their fans to cheer at home against a Power Five program in a murderous schedule filled with hard-hitters on the road. Perhaps it was the best chance for NIU to add another upset in its “bone yard,” what it calls its impressive collection of knocked off upper-tier programs.

Instead few fans remained as NIU’s gas-less offense kept it from starting off the home season with a head-turning victory after its 17-6 loss to Utah.

“We take it one game at a time,” said defensive end Sutton Smith, who finished with two sacks and 4 ½ tackles for loss. “I believe this team can hang with anyone in the country. I believe that wholeheartedly. I wouldn’t trade these guys for anybody. Whoever is in front of us, we’re going to prepare our hearts out and play fast.”

The Huskies still have games this season against heavy-hitters Florida State (Sept. 22) and BYU (Oct. 27) on the road as well as its full Mid-American Conference schedule.

The loss comes on the heels of a 33-7 loss at Iowa. While not the same type of blowout, there were similar trends for the Huskies with a struggling offense and a defense asked to do too much.

Quarterback Marcus Childers completed just 18 of 33 passes for 111 yards . With 2 minutes, 45 seconds left, trailing 10-6 with a game-winning touchdown only 63 yards away, Childers threw away the game with a costly interception. Utah’s Chase Hansen said he anticipated by reading Childers’ tendencies before returning the 40-yard pick for a game-clinching touchdown.

NIU’s defense finished with six sacks and forced two fumbles but wouldn’t lay blame at the offense’s feet.

“If we were focused on our offense, we wouldn’t be doing our job,” Smith said.

Year after year, Northern Illinois plays an admirable schedule and consistently succeeds, which is more than some other programs in the state can say. Yet, the Huskies’ success isn’t always rewarded with moving the needle.

The 16,762 fans at Huskie Stadium were enthusiastic. The student section was nearly full. But there were more empty seats in the 23,000-seat stadium than there should have been for what was being offered: a good Pac-12 opponent, a home opener, a clear night.

The Huskies upped their game to attract fans this season with a new “rally zone” and an improved “end zone club” as well as a new drawing designed to lure students by giving away $100. For every 1,000 students in the stands by the 10-minute mark of the first quarter, 10 students would be selected to win the money.

Anyone who surveyed NIU’s schedule in the preseason both groaned with empathy and applauded the guts to take on so many Power Five opponents.

No, Utah isn’t Alabama. But it’s an opponent that isn’t Western Illinois — Illinois’ Week 2 opponent — or Arkansas State — the opponent that offered itself up as roadkill to Alabama on Saturday.

But as a MAC team in Big Ten country — as unfair as it is — the Huskies need to make upsets routine. They’re in an almost impossible position. To earn relevance, they have to play the big boys. But to earn recognition and widen their fan base, they have to keep recording highlight victories over Power Five teams.