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2011 MAC Football Championship Preview

Ohio Bobcats (9-3, 6-2 MAC) vs. Northern Illinois Huskies (9-3, 7-1 MAC)

Friday, December 2, 2011 • 7:00 pm ET • Detroit, Mich. • Ford Field (65,000)

ESPN2 • Announcers: Joe Tessitore (play-by-play), Rodney Gilmore (analyst), Jeannine Edwards (sideline reporter)

Nick’s Pick: Ohio 27 – NIU 23

Notes:

• Ohio makes its third trip to Mid-American Conference Championship game in the last six years.

• Ohio has won three out of the last six MAC East titles.

• The Bobcats are in search of their first MAC Championship game title.

• Ohio has racked up over 500 yards-or-more of total offense in three of its last five weeks.

• Bobcats Set Nine Team Records in 2011 which includes Ohio scored 383 points surpassing the previous mark of 376 set back in 1968; 5,524 yards of total offense smashed the previous school record of 4,599 set back in 2000; averaged 460.3 yards per game which surpassed the previous school standard of 418.7 set in 2000.

• Ohio ’s 17 seniors were honored prior to the Bobcats’ final home game of the season against Miami. This year’s class has been responsible for one of the best periods in Ohio football history. Since 2007, the Bobcats have posted a 36-27 record, have made two bowl appearances and have won a pair of MAC East titles.

• NIU is one of only SEVEN teams from “non-AQ” BCS leagues to win six or more games in each of the last four seasons (since 2008). The others with that distinction are Air Force, TCU, BYU, Southern Miss, Hawaii and Boise State.

• Dave Doeren has led Northern Illinois to a 9-3 record to become the winningest first-year head coach in school history.

• NIU brings a seven-game winning streak into Friday’s MAC Championship game, the fourth time since 2002 that NIU has won as many as seven straight. Last year, NIU’s loss in the MAC title game snapped a nine-game winning streak.

• NIU senior class is currently tied for the fourth winningest in school history 33 victories.

• Half (6) of Northern Illinois’ games in 2011 have been decided by seven points or less, and the Huskies have come out ahead four times winning each of its last four.

• Quarterback Chandler Harnish ranks 15th in the country in rushing yards per game AND in passing efficiency. He leads all FBS quarterbacks with 1,351 rushing yards on 172 carries and is averaging 112.6 yards per game to rank third in the MAC.

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