by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Aug 30, 2022
Game time: 8 p.m. ET
Venue: Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, IL
Where to watch: ESPN+
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
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2021 season record
Eastern Illinois: 1-10 (1-5 Ohio Valley)
Northern Illinois: 9-5 (6-2 MAC), won MAC Championship, lost Cure Bowl vs. Coastal Carolina
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Eastern Illinois - Northern Illinois preview, analysis and prediction
If you're a fan of the Mid-American Conference, you might have been disappointed with the overall end result of the conference. But if you like conference season like we all do, of course it's still MACtion, then it was one hell of a year for everyone involved.
It was as competitive as a conference slate as one could've imagined. Five teams with at least five conference victories, three of them from the West Division, and the entire division had at least four conference wins. It was wild.
At the end of it all, somehow, the Northern Illinois Huskies were the last team standing in that crowded division and the prospects of them doing it again seem very likely. They'll look to get off on a strong foot heading into that potential repeat campaign when they open the season this week against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.
The Huskies are returning most of the important playmakers that got them to a conference title and a bowl game against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, but eventually lost that matchup.
Quarterback Rocky Lombardi comes back for his senior year -- even though at times it seems like he's been playing for eight years, but it's actually his sixth -- to lead this NIU offense. He'll have his leading receiver, Trayvon Rudolph, back after reeling in 892 yards and seven touchdowns on just 51 receptions a year ago. If he can take that next leap and open things up more for senior Cole Tucker (575 yards, 3 TDs last season), that will help the offense.
“We had a great year last year, but there’s still a lot of things we could have done better,” Lombardi said during the MAC’s media day. “I don’t like to look too much at outside noise, good or bad. For us, it’s just about going out and handling what we do.”
It was as competitive as a conference slate as one could've imagined. Five teams with at least five conference victories, three of them from the West Division, and the entire division had at least four conference wins. It was wild.
At the end of it all, somehow, the Northern Illinois Huskies were the last team standing in that crowded division and the prospects of them doing it again seem very likely. They'll look to get off on a strong foot heading into that potential repeat campaign when they open the season this week against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.
The Huskies are returning most of the important playmakers that got them to a conference title and a bowl game against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, but eventually lost that matchup.
Quarterback Rocky Lombardi comes back for his senior year -- even though at times it seems like he's been playing for eight years, but it's actually his sixth -- to lead this NIU offense. He'll have his leading receiver, Trayvon Rudolph, back after reeling in 892 yards and seven touchdowns on just 51 receptions a year ago. If he can take that next leap and open things up more for senior Cole Tucker (575 yards, 3 TDs last season), that will help the offense.
“We had a great year last year, but there’s still a lot of things we could have done better,” Lombardi said during the MAC’s media day. “I don’t like to look too much at outside noise, good or bad. For us, it’s just about going out and handling what we do.”
But as NIU has always been, it's about the running game. Leading rusher Jeyvon Ducker transferred to Memphis after a 1,184-yard season a year ago. The good news is there's not expected to be a dropoff in production in the Huskie backfield. The carries will likely be split between sophomores Harrison Waylee and Antario Brown. The two combined for 1,112 yards on just 182 carries for an NIU running game that averaged 5.2 yards per carry and ran for 36 touchdowns last season.
Defensively, it's a veteran group that features nine returning starters, eight of them coming on the secondary and front four. Safety CJ Brown enters his sophomore season after 107 tackles a year ago, a team-high. The hope for that group is they can do a much better job at getting to the quarterback. Sophomore defensive tackle Devonte O'Malley returns after leading the team with four sacks last year.
NIU didn't do a great job getting to the quarterback, but they have a number of guys who can hit, like linebackers Jaden Dolphin and Daveren Rayner.
Simply put, this should be a cupcake for NIU in Week 1. The Panthers are coming off a 1-10 season and have lost a lot of notable players from last year's squad. Leading quarterback Otto Kuhns transferred to Norfolk State, and right now it looks like freshman Zach Weir will be getting the start. EIU quarterbacks combined for eight touchdowns and 17 interceptions last year, meaning Tony Romo isn't walking through that door.
Leading running back Harrison Bey-Buie is also gone after transferring to Northern Iowa, which means it might be a committee for the Panthers in the backfield. It's a group that appears heading for another lowly season with a big unknown on the defensive side of things.
Prediction
Not expecting much in this one. The Huskies need a good tune-up with non-conference games Tulsa, Vanderbilt and Kentucky coming up. NIU going to 3-0 heading into the road matchup against UK might be one hell of a matchup. Northern Illinois by 28
Betting trends
Trends not yet available. Check back later.
2021 statistical leaders
Eastern Illinois:
Passing: Otto Kuhns -- 1,170 yards, 6 TD, 10 INT
Rushing: Harrison Bey-Buie -- 489 yards, 4 TD
Receiving: Isaiah Hill -- 493 yards, 2 TD
Northern Illinois:
Passing: Rocky Lombardi -- 2,597 yards, 15 TD, 8 INT
Rushing: Jeyvon Ducker -- 1,184 yards, 3 TD
Receiving: Trayvon Rudolph -- 892 yards, 7 TD
Defense: CJ Brown -- 107 tackles
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
