The Chicago Sun-Times: Christensen keeps Huskies at bay - Lockport product seals it with late touchdown pass

When the final ''why'' is entered into the ledger of NIU football 2006, the tale of the vulnerable big one that got away will be accented in Hawkeyes black and gold. Despite a first half rendered futile by offensive meekness, NIU (5-4) hung around long enough to benefit from Iowa miscues and make a match of it deep into the fourth quarter.

In the end, with a crowd announced as a sellout of 70,585 at Kinnick Stadium hunched to the beaks on their Herky the Hawkeye seat cushions, it took a masterful touchdown pass from Iowa redshirt freshman Jake Christensen to John Deere tight end Scott Chandler on a fourth-and-four from the Huskies' 10-yard line to seal the victory. The capper came with 3:56 left and pushed the Iowa lead to 24-14.

The Courier News: Huskies' hex against Big Ten Conference teams continues

"The first half wasn't very good," said Novak. "We didn't do much on either side of the ball. I'm certainly proud of the way we came back in the second half. We had a chance to make a few plays but couldn't quite get it done."Senior tailback Garrett Wolfe again was held in check, rushing nine times for 10 yards in the first half before getting some momentum in the second half and finishing with 66 yards on 22 carries. His long gain for the day was 11 yards, however, and he hasn't had a run for more than 14 yards in three weeks. His per-game average has dropped to 164.3 yards.

The Chicago Sun-Times: Huskies won't see Iowa QB Tate

"I'm doing good," Wolfe said. "Of course I wish the running game were going better, but the [statistics] don't necessarily reflect what happened in the game. My play graded out at 96 against Western Michigan and at 98 vs. Temple and we beat Temple, so that was very good."

The Daily Herald: Wolfe’s Heisman hopes dashed by forces beyond his control

Lastly, senior left tackle Doug Free, a preseason All-America candidate, hasn’t lived up to his going-to-be-an-NFL-regular-for-years potential.

“He has, to this point, not had quite the senior year we expected,” Novak said.

And why not? It turns out Free suffered a stress fracture in his foot during the opener at Ohio State but never quit practicing and playing on it.

The Northern Star: Horvath talks with Star about Halloween and controversies


The Grand Rapids Press: DeMarcus Grady verbally commits to N. Illinois

Check out this Hawkeye fan site: HawkeyeReport.com - There's some funny stuff here showing NIU players and their "separated at birth" celebrity match.

The DesMoines Register: Iowa QB Tate not on depth chart; Two listed as co-starters

Quarterback Drew Tate was not listed on the Iowa football team’s two-deep roster, which was released today.

Tate, a three-year starter, injured his non-throwing hand Saturday at Michigan while trying to brace himself as he was sacked.

The Northern Star: Wolfe out of rhythm in last two games - Huskie Briefs | Wolfe hitting the wall

Wolfe rushed for 45 yards against Temple's No. 117 defense, and to make matters worse, two weeks ago he rushed for 27 yards against Western Michigan.

Wolfe is the same player who broke the all-time NCAA rushing record with 1,181 yards in less than six games.

Despite his uncharacteristic numbers, Wolfe still leads the nation in rushing by 232 yards with 1,413.

Temple pictures are posted

Temple Pictures

IOWA - OCT 28 AT 11:00 on ESPNU

This week the Huskies (5-3, 3-2 MAC) take on the University of Iowa Hawkeyes (5-3, 2-3 BIG 10). The Hawkeyes were ranked in the top 25 all season until this week when they lost to #2 Michigan. NIU and Iowa have one common opponent, #1 Ohio State. NIU lost to OSU 35-12 and Iowa lost to them 38-17.

The game starts at 11:00 and the Fatty's Tailgate will start at 8:00...I assume. We need to make a decision on when we're going to leave. I know some of the guys (Har, Joe and Ham) are staying at the hotel listed below. If we leave Saturday morning, it's about a 2-1/2 hour drive so we'll need to leave DeKalb around 5:00. It looks like Wiggy is out so he's trying to find someone to buy his ticket. Mark's not sure if he's going. It depends on when Diane has the baby...it's not looking like he'll make it.

HOTEL: Iowa City Travelodge
DIRECTIONS: Mapquest to Kinnick Stadium
WEATHER: Iowa City Weather
BARS: Sports Column - at this point, this looks like the bar where NIU fans will be on Friday night.
Brothers Bar & Grill
Third Base
The Airliner - bar and pizza
College Street Billiards
TAILGATING: Fatty's Ultimate Huskie Tailgate
GAMEDAY: Parking
GAMEDAY: Stadium Info
GAMEDAY: Seating Chart
GAMEDAY: NIU Game Preview and Depth Chart
GAMEDAY: Iowa Game Notes and Depth Chart

IOWA FACTS:

Location: Iowa City, IA

Founded: 1847

Stadium: Kinnick (1929)

Current Capacity: 70,397

First Year of Football: 1889

All Time Football Record: 552-493-39

All Time vs NIU: 5-0

Last meeting (at Iowa in 1999): Iowa over NIU 24-0

IOWA LINKS:

Football Website

Roster

Schedule/Results

Season Statistics

Iowa Preview 2006 (CFN)

IOWA GAME RECAPS:

WEEK 1: No. 16 Hawkeyes Dominate Grizzlies In Opener

WEEK 2: Hawkeye Defense Holds Syracuse In Second OT

WEEK 3: Tate Leads Hawkeyes Past Cyclones

WEEK 4: Hawkeyes Hurdle Illini, 24-7

WEEK 5: Top-Ranked Bucks Are Too Much For Hawkeyes

WEEK 6: Iowa Handles Purdue, 47-17

WEEK 7: Iowa Falters at Indiana

WEEK 8: Hawkeyes Fall on the Road to Wolverines

The Daily Chronicle: Northern Illinois returns to winning form

In the 100th Homecoming game, the Huskies had a dominating effort, hammering Temple 43-21 before 27,039 fans at Huskie Stadium.

On a day when past alumni, such as New Orleans Saints nose guard and former Huskie Hollis Thomas in attendance, the Huskies provided ample highlights to fill this week's Inside Huskie Sports television show.

The Daily Chronicle: English pounds Owls

The Daily Chronicle: Huskie Notes

The Chicago Sun-Times: NIU trounces Temple but slips in MAC West

Technically, the Mid-American Conference horizontal remained on hold as NIU rolled out to a 40-0 lead against winless Temple that carried to a 43-21 victory in front of 27,039 at Huskie Stadium. Wolfe was limited to 45 rushing yards in a blowout-shortened afternoon. The victory didn't count in the MAC standings because the Owls (0-8) are an ''affiliate'' member that won't play a full-fledged conference schedule until next season.

The Philadelphia Enquirer: Owls dig hole that's too deep to overcome

"Obviously, I'm disappointed with the outcome today, but the kids are starting to develop the will to compete under any circumstances," Temple coach Al Golden said. "They were a little tougher than us, a little deeper than us, and a better football team than us today. But we're going to come up from here two years from now with the same team."

"Our defense came out physical today and ready to play, and we did a good job on Garrett Wolfe," Golden said. "But too many of their drives started at our end of the field."

The Daily Herald: With no room to run, NIU takes to the air

Temple’s defense made sure to have extra defenders shadow Garrett Wolfe’s every move Saturday.

The Owls’ offense needed a similar strategy against Northern Illinois defensive end Larry English.

The sophomore from Aurora set a Huskies school record for sacks while also forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble — all in the first 21 minutes.

The Beacon News: Huskies' offense takes flight - Wolfe held down again: NIU passes for 377 yards as running game stopped

The Huskies passed for a season-high 377 yards and four touchdowns to celebrate the school's 100th homecoming with a 43-21 victory in front of 27,039 fans at Huskie Stadium. NIU climbs to 5-3 while Temple falls to 0-8 with its 20th straight loss in the non-conference game.

The Chicago Sun-Times: Golden doom Temple coach is trying to bring respectability to Bill Cosby's school, but 0-7 Owls are still college football's joke team

They take a 19-game losing streak -- the longest in Division I-A -- to DeKalb on Saturday as homecoming prey for Northern Illinois (4-3). Temple is 0-7 under new coach Al Golden and hasn't won since November 2004. The program has won only 10 games since October 2001. In last week's Sagarin computer rankings, the Owls were 198th in the country -- meaning last in Division I-A and also behind 79 Division I-AA teams.

The Beacon News: Easy marks?

Temple, which will become a fully accredited member of the Mid-American Conference next season, enters the 2 p.m. contest (ComCast SportsNet and WSCR 670-AM) riding a 19-game losing streak. The Owls, just 3-38 since 2003, are 0-7 this season under first-year coach Al Golden and have given up 60-plus points three times and 40 or more twice.

The Chicago Sun-Times: Novak: No QB change 'right now'

With his team trying to right itself after a 16-14 defeat at Western Michigan, Northern Illinois coach Joe Novak admitted Tuesday that the thought of replacing senior quarterback Phil Horvath with sophomore Dan Nicholson crossed his mind during the disappointing loss.

"Yes, it did, but not very long," Novak said. "The reason being, until the last three minutes, we were always within a touchdown. It was a close game.

The Rockford Register Star: The year the MAC turned upside down

“A lot of coaches took jobs two or three years ago,” Kent State’s Martin said in Monday’s weekly MAC teleconference. “It takes two or three years to turn a program around. That’s what you are seeing, right on down the line.

“Everybody has improved their program. That’s upsetting the balance. Look at all the facilities being built around the conference.”

The Northern Star: WMU shows changes need to be made on 'O'

You knew this was coming, and deservedly so.

NIU quarterback Phil Horvath and the Huskies' passing game has looked worse than actress Kirstie Alley in a two-piece bathing suit.

How can you be that bad when even your opponent's band's tuba player's grandmother knows NIU running back Garrett Wolfe is getting the ball?

The Daily Chronicle: Novak: Race for MAC West title is not over yet

The Northern Illinois football team has followed three major trends this year.

Garrett Wolfe produces an electric performance, the defense can't stop the passing game (Sorry, the Indiana State game doesn't count), and the Huskies can‘t beat a team with a winning record.

TEMPLE - OCT. 21 AT 2:05

Homecoming week has finally arrived and the Huskies get what should be an easy win. This week NIU (4-3, 3-2 MAC) takes on the Temple Owls (0-7). The Owls have been outscored 308 to 50 this season and they have not won a game since November 13, 2004 (over Syracuse).

The game is at 2:05 so the tailgate lot will open at 9:00. The general parking lots will open at 10:30. At this point the weather looks like it will be "perfect" football weather so I hope that means we have a big crowd. Be at Fatty’s by 8:45 if you're parking in the tailgate area. Otherwise, park in the general lots after 10:30 and find us in the Cardinal lot. Post a comment to let everyone know if you'll be at Fatty's.

Vals sent me an email to remind me of the “Celebrating Community” parade on Saturday morning. He thought everyone should be aware of the potential traffic issues.

WEATHER: DeKalb Weather

TAILGATING: Meet at Fatty's by 8:45. Fatty's will have breakfast starting at 8:00. Otherwise, see the Football Parking Map to find the Cardinal Lot.

POST GAME: Fatty's will have three bands playing after the game in their outdoor heated tent. The headline band, Trippin Billies, plays at 9:30. They are a Dave Mathews tribute band.

GAMEDAY: NIU Game Preview and Depth Chart
GAMEDAY: Temple Game Preview and Depth Chart

TEMPLE FACTS:

Location: Philadelphia, PA

Founded: 1884

First Year of Football: 1894

All Time Football Record: 387-512-52

All Time vs NIU: 0-1

Last meeting (1976 at Temple): NIU 20-17

TEMPLE LINKS:

Football Website

Roster

Schedule/Results

Season Statistics

WEEK 1: BUFFALO EDGES TEMPLE IN OVERTIME, 9-3

WEEK 2: Temple Falls To No. 13 Louisville, 62-0

WEEK 3: Minnesota Runs Past Temple, 62-0

WEEK 4: Temple Falls To Western Michigan, 41-7

WEEK 5: Brown's Career Day Spoiled in 43-14 Loss to Vandy

WEEK 6: Return Home Spoiled As Golden Flashes Drop Owls, 28-17

WEEK 7: #12 Clemson Powers Way to 63-9 Win Over Temple

The Daily Herald: Broncos smother Wolfe, Huskies

To properly prepare for the nation’s leading rusher coming to town, Western Michigan’s athletic Web site asked fans to vote on the key to stopping Garrett Wolfe.

Give the Broncos fans their due.

“WMU controlling the clock” led the five choices, then the Broncos did just that to a staggering degree

The Chicago Sun-Times: Wolfe shut down in NIU loss-Broncos hold Heisman hopeful to 25 yards

Maybe ''Kalamazoo'' is a Potawatomi phrase meaning, ''Stop the Wolfe, stuff the Huskies.''

And maybe not. But in any tongue, Western Michigan did both Saturday, limiting Garrett Wolfe to 25 rushing yards -- read it again; no missing zero -- in a 16-14 ambushing of Northern Illinois at Waldo Stadium.

The Chicago Tribune: Hold the Heisman: Wolfe held to 25 yards-Wolfe manages only 25 yards rushing on 18 carries in loss

"I told the guys that you were going to be on 'SportsCenter' one way or another," said Western Michigan coach Bill Cubit, whose team improved to 4-2, 2-1. "And our kids met the challenge."

ESPN.com: Wolfe may be small, but his Heisman hopes are big

Wolfe doesn't even know how many rushing yards he has this season. "More than a thousand," he says. Lots more: 1,343. But he does know how many touchdowns (14) he has "because yards don't win football games, points do."

CollegeFootballNews.com: Midseason Awards

Best Story: Garrett Wolfe, RB Northern Illinois. Your sister is bigger than the Huskie star, but Wolfe is as tough as they come and a load around the goal line. Barry Sanders' NCAA rushing record is there for the taking if Wolfe can hold up, and 3,000 yards is possible if NIU goes to the MAC title game and a bowl. He's made the NIU games must-see TV every week.

Player of the Midseason - Garrett Wolfe. 353 reasons and then some to say so.

WWMT.com (Western Michigan): SPORTS: Broncos brace for Huskies

Northern Illinois will be led by the nation's leading rusher, Garrett Wolfe. The senior tailback is creating Heisman buzz averaging nearly 230 yards per game. Wolfe leads the nation in rushing yards and is tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns with 13.

WESTERN MICHIGAN - OCT. 14 AT 1:00 CT

This week the Huskies (4-2, 3-1 MAC) take on the Western Michigan Broncos (3-2, 1-1 MAC) in Kalamazoo. The game is at 1:00 CT on CSN. Western Michigan beat Temple, Virginia and Toledo and lost to Ohio University last week and Indiana to open the season. Western Michigan's rushing defense was ranked 6th last week but dropped to 23rd (98 yards per game) after giving up 257 rushing yards to Ohio University. NIU is ranked 4th in rushing offense (253 yards per game).

Are any of you going to the game? I'll be on my way home from my sales meeting in Minnesota so I won't be able to go. If you make the trip, wear red. The Western Michigan Athletic Department is pushing for a "Blackout" and encouraging Bronco's fans to wear black.

GAMEDAY: Waldo Stadium Information and Directions
GAMEDAY: Bronco Game Day Information, Tickets & Parking
GAMEDAY: NIU Game Preview and Depth Chart
GAMEDAY: Game Preview and Depth Chart not available yet

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY FACTS:

Location: Kalamazoo, MI

Founded: 1903

First Year of Football: 1905

All Time Football Record: 487-378-24

All Time vs NIU: 20-11

Last meeting (2005 at NIU): NIU 42-7

WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY LINKS:

Football Website

Roster

Schedule/Results

Season Statistics

WESTERN MICHIGAN GAME RECAPS:

WEEK 1: WMU Football Falls to Hoosier, 39-20

WEEK 2: Broncos Ground Rockets in Home Opener, 31-10

WEEK 3: Bronco Football Does It Again; Beats Virginia, 17-10

WEEK 4: Bronco Football Explodes for a 41-7 Win Over Temple

WEEK 5: Bronco Football Bounced by Bobcats, 27-20

NIUHuskies.com: NIU's Garrett Wolfe Collects Fourth MAC Player of the Week Honor of Season - Huskie tailback receives accolade after 162-yard, two touchdown performance at Miami

For the second consecutive week and the fourth time in six weeks, Northern Illinois tailback Garrett Wolfe earned the Mid-American Conference West Division Offensive Player of the Week Award. The honor is a league-record 11th for Wolfe during his career.

The Chicago Sun-Times: NIU holds off Miami upset bid - Huskies' Wolfe gains 162 yards on 29 carries

The harvest moon over Miami of Ohio became a hunter's moon Sunday night. And the hunted became Garrett Wolfe and the Northern Illinois Huskies.

In front of a grand Sunday night audience on ESPN, Wolfe and Co. struggled against the winless RedHawks before pulling out a 28-25 victory.

The Chicago Tribune: NIU, Wolfe bring it home - Heisman candidate rushes for 162 yards, 2 TDs in narrow win

"The bottom line is we came back, on the road, for the second time in a row and we won," said Northern coach Joe Novak, a Miami graduate who was steamed that Miami students harassed personnel on NIU's bench. "That's all that matters

The Daily Chronicle: Wolfe continues to pile up big numbers

“Coach Novak probably will be upset about this, but I happened to look up at the Jumbotron,” Wolfe said, causing a huge round of laughs. “I saw him (Wilson) in the Jumbotron. He was running very fast. When I glanced up at the Jumbotron, I kind of slowed down and he made a great tackle.”

Novak quickly chimed in with a matter-of-fact answer.

“Do whatever you want Garrett,” Novak said.

The Daily Chronicle: Huskie notebook: Novak shows displeasure over MU students

Following a question to Garrett Wolfe about the crowd, Novak banged his fist on the table and angrily complained about Miami's students.

“They are not supposed to be behind our bench,” Novak said. “The league has a rule. It really pisses me off. That's wrong. Last year, we flipped sides, but obviously that doesn't work here. It's a bunch of crap. It's bush league. It's supposed to be done. The rule was passed because of the place here, but they just ignored it this year.”

The Daily Chronicle: Close encounter: Huskies survive scare

Before a nationally-televised audience on the first-ever ESPN Sunday night game, the Huskies stared with disbelief as their Mid-American Conference title hopes were being challenged.

But an odd thing happened in the final few minutes. The Northern Illinois defense, vilified all season by erratic play, rose out of the ashes and stopped Miami-Ohio on its last two drives to secure a 28-25 victory at Yager Stadium.

The Oxford Press: Special teams problems cost RedHawks again - Botched punt return helps Northern Illinois slip past Miami, 28-25, in ESPN game

It was Miami's best offensive performance since its 38-31 overtime loss to Purdue. Quarterback Mike Kokal completed 21-of-29 passes for 324 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and redshirt freshman Dustin Woods had eight catches for 178 yards and a touchdown.

The Daily Southtown: Huskies prevail in prime time

"I think it's great for the university, but it's not something I'm really focused on," Wolfe said when asked about winning the Heisman Trophy. "That's not a concern of mine. The concern of mine is winning football games and winning the MAC championship."

The Chicago Sun-Times: Wolfe gets night in spotlight

Wolfe, the astral tynamo who remains in Heisman orbit for Northern Illinois, will lead the Huskies (3-2, 2-1) into their first Sunday night game against the winless RedHawks (0-5, 0-1). Miami is one of nine Division I-A teams that has yet to win this season.

The Northwest Herald: NIU, Wolfe have nation watching

So the undefeated Bears play the Bills today at Soldier Field and there’s still a chance the game won’t be the best one to involve a Chicago-area football team.

Who knew?

The honor could very well fall to Northern Illinois, which plays at Miami of Ohio at 7 p.m. today on ESPN. That’s four quarters of Garrett Wolfe slinging himself across the screen in high definition, arguably better than listening to John Madden blubber his way through another “Football Night in America” on NBC.

The Daily Herald: NIU freshman Onyebuagu makes quick impression

But in less time than it takes to learn to pronounce his last name, Jason Onyebuagu has become an indispensable part of the offensive line for Northern Illinois. The true freshman from Indianapolis’ Warren Central High School — who answers to “OH-knee-boo-ah-goo” — made his first start last week during Garrett Wolfe’s record-setting 353-yard night at Ball State.

The Enquirer (Cincinnati): Wolfe alert issued for tonight - RedHawks 'D' braces for nation's rushing leader

Like football coaches nationwide, Miami's Shane Montgomery is looking for ways to slow down Northern Illinois senior Garrett Wolfe.

"How much can Garrett Wolfe be shut down?" Montgomery asked rhetorically. "I don't know. He's going to get some yards. They're going to get him the ball enough in that offense to make sure he gets his yards."

The Rockford Register Star: NIU, Wolfe not overlooking RedHawks

“There’s only one thought in our minds — what can we do to win? Garrett will tell you the same thing,” Novak said. “I’d love to see Garrett with the Heisman Trophy, that would be awesome. But the only thing we’re worried about is what can we do to win the football game. We want to stay in the championship hunt.”

The Chicago Tribune: Wolfe, Huskies draw ESPN's cameras

The rare Sunday night game will have only the NFL's Pittsburgh at San Diego game on network television to battle for football fans' attention. Wolfe, the nation's leading rusher, will get a chance again to validate his candidacy for the Heisman Trophy before a national audience.

The Beacon News: Huskies primed for big exposure in Sunday game

Famous alums of both schools -- Pittsburgh Steeler Ben Roethlisberger of Miami and San Diego Charger Michael Turner of NIU -- will be going head-to-head with them on NBC. But when it comes to the college game, the Huskies and RedHawks will be the only show.

The Hartford Courant: Northern Illinois' Wolfe Makes A Case For Heisman

The only thing more enjoyable than watching Garrett Wolfe rack up some incredible numbers out of the backfield for Northern Illinois is listening to him talk about why he deserves to be a part of the Heisman Trophy conversation.

The Chicago Tribune: Trophy Case - NIU's Garrett Wolfe in midst of what could be a historic Heisman run, writes Teddy Greenstein

That said, ranking third means Wolfe leads Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn, a Heisman darling from the moment he finished fourth last year. And Wolfe has a nice lead on fellow tailbacks Steve Slaton (West Virginia), Marshawn Lynch (Cal), Kenny Irons (Auburn) and Mike Hart (Michigan).

The Beacon News: Wolfe 'buzz' gets louder, but Heisman climb uphill

And I'm sure a big-city guy and fast-growing urban legend like Garrett Wolfe will love the Big Apple, too. Come Dec. 9, that's where the Chicago native might be, in the Nokia Theater in Times Square as one of the three finalists for the presentation of a very special award that will be televised on ESPN.

Five weeks ago, I described the Heisman Trophy candidacy of the little running back that could from Northern Illinois University as Libertarian Party-like. His chances of winning? Slim and none, or so I thought. I could be proved wrong.

The Daily Southtown: NIU's Wolfe no longer a secret

Garrett Wolfe's secret is out.

The nation's most elusive running back revealed it this week, almost off-handed, during a telephone chat with reporters. Now we know how the Northern Illinois senior tailback finds holes where there are none and escapes the clutches of those who wish to do him harm.

He sees the game evolve in slow motion.

The MAC Report Online: Making The Case For Wolfe

Prior to Saturday, there was a slow groundswell of support but after Wolfe's spectacular 353-yard, three touchdown performance against Ball State in Northern Illinois' 40-28 victory, that groundswell was starting to become a tsunami. Wolfe had given notice and notice was being taken.

Wolfe Polls

Vote for Garrett Wolfe in various polls:

ESPN Heisman Fan Vote

ESPN SportsNation Heisman Ranking

MSNBC-Who's your pick...

USAToday Player of the Week - Already over, see results

CBSSportsline.com: Huskies report: Inside slant

The second week of a three-week road swing brings an element of excitement. The national attention from tailback Garrett Wolfe's school-record 353 yards rushing last week provides the perfect segue into Sunday night's ESPN game at Miami (Ohio).

CBSSportsline.com: Huskies report: Notes, quotes

CBSSportsline.com: Huskies report: Strategy and personnel

A national television audience on ESPN will get a chance to see the nation's leading rusher, Garrett Wolfe. Expect the Huskies to give Wolfe plenty of carries to increase their chances for a victory and spur Wolfe's Heisman Trophy campaign.

USAToday: Can N. Illinois' Wolfe win the Heisman?

Every so often a player from outside the power conferences puts up such eye-popping statistics that his name starts being kicked around in Heisman Trophy discussions. Actually winning college football's most prestigious individual award is usually another matter.

But Northern Illinois coach Joe Novak has one request of Heisman voters before they dismiss star running back Garrett Wolfe: Just watch him.

USAToday: Heisman buzz from USA TODAY voters

Kelly Whiteside:"If the season ended this very minute, my Heisman Trophy ballot would read: 1) Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois, 2) Troy Smith, Ohio State 3) Who knows? Wolfe will remain on my ballot if his fabulous performances continue; however, if one of the big-name stars from one of the top-ranked programs has a signature moment in a critical game, that running back or quarterback will be at the top of most voters' lists. Fair or not, that's the way Heisman voters lean.

USAToday: Heisman Trophy contenders

Rockford Register Star: Wolfe is the college football buzz word

USAToday.com - Wolfe Draft Status

USAToday.com: Hungry like the Wolfe

Heisman hopes aside, Wolfe must prove his game can translate to the NFL before scouts stop comparing him to Sproles and start putting his name next to guys like Warrick Dunn, Brian Westbrook and Maurice Jones-Drew. Wolfe's receiving skills have shown improvement, but his blocking assignments and return skills during his postseason appearances will determine his final draft grade.

Jake Nordin is mentioned toward the bottom of the page.

The Daily Herald - Wolfe

The Daily Herald: Wolfe can't win the Heisman Trophy? Just watch him play

Opposing defenses are going to load as many as nine players - everybody except the cornerbacks _ into the box. Then it becomes a numbers game.

“There are two guys up there you can’t block,” Novak said. “I would be amazed if we didn’t see nine guys on the line of scrimmage. They’re going to try to make us do something other than run Garrett.”

Of course, Wolfe, who owns a Jordanesque competitive gene, sees a nine-man front as a positive.

“When you walk eight or nine guys up there,” he said, “if they’re not in the right spot, it’s going to be a home run.”

MIAMI UNIVERSITY - OCT 8, 7:OO on ESPN

This week the Huskies (3-2, 2-1 MAC) take on the Miami University RedHawks (0-5, 0-1 MAC). They've lost to Northwestern, Purdue (OT), Syracuse and Kent State (1st in MAC-East). The game is at 7:00 CT on ESPN. The Huskie Athletic Scholorship Fund (Huskie Club) has set up four Huskie Watch Parties throughout the area.

Fox and Hound English Pub & Grille
Yorkshire Shopping Center
4320 E. New York Ave
Aurora, IL 60504
Free admission

Fox and Hound Smokehouse & Tavern
1416 N. Roselle Road
Units 30-32
Schaumburg, IL 60195
Free admission

Goose Island Brew Pub
3535 North Clark Street (Wrigleyville)
Chicago, IL
Free admission

Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center
231 N. Annie Glidden Rd.
DeKalb, IL 60115
Admission: $15
Includes halftime buffet, snacks, cash bar, children entertainment
Sign Up

So, let's start early, where are we going to watch the game...one of the watch parties, a bar or at someone's house?

GAMEDAY: NIU Game Preview and Depth Chart
GAMEDAY: Miami (OH) Game Preview and Depth Chart

MIAMI UNIVERSITY FACTS:

Location: Oxford, OH

Founded: 1809

First Year of Football: 1888

All Time Football Record: 640-348-32

All Time vs NIU: 7-4

Last meeting (2005 at NIU): NIU 38-27

MIAMI UNIVERSITY LINKS:

Football Website

Roster

Schedule/Results

Season Statistics

Week 1: Miami Drops Season Opener To Northwestern 21-3

Week 2: Miami Drops Heartbreaker at Purdue, 38-31, in Overtime

Week 3: Comeback Falls Just Short In 16-14 Loss To Kent State

Week 4: Miami Falls At Syracuse

Week 5: RedHawks Lose Victory Bell to Bearcats, 24-10

SportsIllustrated.com On Campus

SportsIllustrated.com On Campus: Who's Your Heisman Winner?

When the college football season began, the Heisman race was expected to be a three-man battle between Notre Dame's Brady Quinn, Ohio State's Troy Smith and Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson. We are now five weeks in and those three remain the frontrunners, but SIOC has a different choice and his name is Garrett Wolfe.

SportIllustrated.com

SportIllustrated.com: A Cut Above

It wasn't as if every marquee program in the country took a pass on Garrett Wolfe, the Northern Illinois senior tailback who leads the nation in rushing. It was every marquee program but one.

Florida offered him a scholarship in 2002. Considering, however, that it still makes Wolfe profoundly homesick to drive the 60-odd miles from his native Chicago to DeKalb, Ill., going to Gainesville was out of the question. "I wouldn't have been comfortable in Florida," he says. "I need to feel comfortable."

Having rushed for an outrageous 236.2 yards per game this season -- the country's second-leading ground-gainer, Ray Rice of Rutgers, is 75 yards a game back -- Wolfe, it is fair to say, has found his comfort zone. He certainly seemed right at home in a 40-28 win at Ball State last Saturday, when he carried 31 times for a school-record 353 yards and scored on runs of 51, 48 and 53 yards.

Before you chalk up his garish output to lightweight opponents, recall that in the Huskies' opener Wolfe ran amok against top-ranked Ohio State, piling up 171 yards rushing and another 114 receiving in a 35-12 loss. Last season he gashed Michigan for 148 yards on 17 carries. As Ohio University coach Frank Solich puts it, "He isn't just running up and down the field against air."

Wolfe had a couple of strikes against him as a senior at Chicago's Holy Cross High: He was an indifferent student, and he stood 5'7". After spending his first season in DeKalb red shirting and getting his act together in the classroom, he had to sit out a second season because, as coach Joe Novak says, "we misadvised him," and he ended up an hour short of being eligible.

By the time the 2004 season rolled around, Wolfe had shown so much in practice that, Novak says, "I told anyone who would listen, 'We've got to get this kid the ball 10 or 12 touches a game.'" You think?

Wolfe, then the second-string tailback, filleted Bowling Green for 204 yards rushing in the second half of NIU's fourth game of the season. Seven games later he carried 43 times for 325 yards against Eastern Michigan. While 43 carries was high, even for the workaholic Wolfe, he has averaged 26.4 rushes per game over the last two seasons. How does the 177-pounder absorb that many hits and show up for meetings on Sunday in one piece?

While Novak reports that Wolfe is spinning out of more tackles this season, it's not as if the senior is auditioning for Dancing With the Stars. "You don't see him hopping around, trying to juke people," says senior left tackle Doug Free. That said, "He's got a knack for avoiding big collisions. Nobody ever gets a square shot at him." Well, not usually. Last year Wolfe averaged 175.6 yards on the ground, second-best in the country, but missed three games with a knee injury.

Wolfe combines great instincts and vision -- "the best I've seen in 38 years of coaching," says Novak -- with the focus and discipline he has acquired since arriving in DeKalb. Over the summer he asked running backs coach Thomas Hammock for, among other footage, tape of the Kansas City Chiefs. He wanted to see how 6'1", 230-pound Larry Johnson hit the holes in K.C.'s zone-blocking scheme, which is similar to the Huskies'.

Wolfe understands that the Heisman is a long shot. Of all the stars to emerge from the MAC in recent seasons -- quarterbacks Chad Pennington, Byron Leftwich and Ben Roethlisberger -- only Pennington received serious Heisman consideration (fifth in the 1999 voting). Still, if Wolfe continues to lead the nation in rushing by such a ridiculous margin, he deserves at least a trip to New York.

One important constituency already appreciates him. At a gathering of the Playboy preseason All-America team in Phoenix over the summer, Wolfe mingled with players from higher-profile conferences, such as wide receiver Dwayne Jarrett from USC and quarterback Troy Smith and wideout Ted Ginn from Ohio State. They recognized him from Northern Illinois's midweek appearances on national TV and told him how much they admired his work.

Leave it to a roomful of stars to know one of their own.

CSTV.com - Wolfe

CSTV.com: A Wolfe in a Sheep's Conference

This season, Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe is tearing up the competition, but the best you'll get is some timely emails and a sharp looking website. Northern Illinois sports information director Donna Turner and head coach Joe Novak went old school with this campaign.

"He's not coming into the season unknown", Turner explained. "Coach Novak felt strongly that Garrett's numbers could speak for themselves. After all, if the Washington Post comes out and says that Garrett Wolfe deserves Heisman consideration, doesn't that mean a lot more than if coach Novak or Donna Turner says it?"

FoxSports.com - Wolfe

FoxSports.com: Cavalcade of Whimsy: Can Wolfe hit 3,000?

… Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe has set an NCAA record for the most rushing yards gained after five games with 1,181 after tearing off 353 yards on Ball State for an average of 236.2 yards per game. At the moment, he's rushing for more yards per game than all but six teams (Navy, West Virginia, Air Force, Louisville, Connecticut and Clemson) and gained more against the Cardinals than Louisiana Tech, UTEP, Colorado State, Arizona, Ohio, Tulane, Virginia, Temple, Duke and Baylor have come up with all season, and ironically equalled Ball State's season total. In fact, his 353 yards were 66 more than Baylor and Duke combined with nine games between them.

USAToday.com

USAToday.Com - September sees some great statistics throughout the nation

And at Northern Illinois, the biggest man in college football when it comes to rushing is 5-foot-7. A senior who started his career No. 9 on the depth chart.

Garrett Wolfe has 1,181 yards, more than anyone ever has had after five games. His 2006 average of 236.20 yards is 75 ahead of anyone else and more than 111 of the other 118 Division I-A schools average as a team.

He ran for 353 yards against Ball State Saturday night, and had touchdowns of 70 and 45 yards called back by penalties. Or else they might have had to measure his rushing totals in kilometers.

We know what you're thinking. It's the MAC. The big boys would swallow him like a canape.

Or not. Wolfe had 171 yards against Ohio State in the season opener, 148 yards last season against Michigan. He's hard for a defense to find, harder to catch.

Heisman voters should at least remember his name. The NFL might, too, even if he comes up to a noseguard's navel.

"I've had some scouts say they aren't sure and some scouts say they love him," coach Joe Novak said. "I have to believe if you give him the ball, he'll produce."

USAToday.com - Northern Illinois' Wolfe runs way to Player of Week award

A career-best performance carried Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe to capture this week's USA TODAY's Player of the Week honor. The senior ran for 353 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-28 defeat of Ball State. Wolfe was a unanimous choice for the award by winning the support of the fan balloting and the votes of Gannett News Service columnist Mike Lopresti and college football editor Erick Smith.

Rockford Register Star - Wolfe

Rockford Register Star: Wolfe emerges as Heisman frontrunner

“He does something different every week,” Northern Illinois University football coach Joe Novak said Monday, changing his tune slightly from two days previously. “I’m watching even more critically than I have been, and I’m just starting to appreciate all the different things he does. Instinctive things. Things you don’t coach.”

The Chicago Sun-Times

The Chicago Sun-Times: Serious injuries overshadow win

The Northern Illinois sports information office confirmed two Huskies suffered serious injuries during the team's 40-28 victory at Ball State on Saturday night. X-rays revealed tight end Jake Nordin broke his left leg and will be lost for the season. Nordin's fracture will require surgery. Defensive back Bradley Pruitt suffered ''bruised lungs'' and spent Saturday and Sunday nights in a Muncie, Ind., hospital, according to NIU staff.

CollegeFootballNews.com - Wolfe

CollegeFootballNews.com: Handicapping the Heisman

So what do you do with a back from Northern Illinois that’s got Barry Sanders’ 18-year record for single-season rushing yards in his crosshairs? How does 2,000 yards from a MAC back compare to 1,500 yards from an SEC runner? How about 2,500 yards? Or, gasp, 3,000 yards? These are the questions Heisman voters may be contemplating if Wolfe maintains his torrid pace. Is he or isn’t he a serious contender? From coast to coast, Wolfe is stirring lots of debate these days. In Heisman discussions, it’s all anyone can talk about, which is far more effective than any mouse pad, notepad or billboard has ever been.

ESPN.com - Wolfe

TYPE THE BEGINNING OF THE LINE Da Man From DeKalb (about 1/2 way down the page)

Wolfe regarding going over 1000 yards in five games:

"I don't like it at all," said the well-spoken senior. "I mean, we're talking about Marcus Allen (28) and Barry Sanders (29) (two of the other eight players who have surpassed 1,000 yards in five games). I understand I'm a very talented football player, but I don't think I've done enough to put my name in with them."

The HeismanPundit.com

The HeismanPundit.com: The Case For Garrett Wolfe

However, I am beginning to recognize that Garrett Wolfe's candidacy represents a unique opportunity for Heisman voters to dig down deep and honor the best player, even if he does go to Northern Illinois.

The Daily Chronicle

The Daily Chronicle: Mr. Heisman: Wolfe making waves for national award with record-setting effort

Wolfe played the role of the hero on the wet natural grass surface at Scheumann Stadium. He marched off the field to a standing ovation by the small, but dedicated bunch of Northern Illinois fans, even taking the time to sign a few autographs along the fence.

Ball State Daily News

Ball State Daily News: Wolfe runs wild over Ball State defense

The Heisman Trophy candidate scored three touchdowns on runs of 51, 48 and 53. A 75-yard run also set up a field goal by kicker Chris Nendick in the third quarter.

"It wasn't a good game," Ball State coach Brady Hoke said. "They're a good football team. They have a daggone good back who embarrassed us a lot. We missed a lot of tackles. We had guys in position and we got to follow through and get that done."

The Chicago Tribune

The Chicago Tribune: Wolfe extends NCAA rushing lead

Jack McCarthy
Published October 2, 2006

With Saturday's school-record 353-yard rushing performance against Ball State, Garrett Wolfe padded his national rushing yardage lead. At 1,181 yards, Wolfe is 375 yards ahead of No. 2 Ray Rice of Rutgers. Three rushing TDs against the Cardinals gave Wolfe the Division I-A lead with 12 (11 rushing, 1 receiving) and 72 points. . . . The Davis brothers from Riverside-Brookfield also had career games. Brandon, a junior tight end, had four catches for 61 yards, while Britt, a sophomore wide receiver, had five for 115 yards and the first 100-yard receiving game for any NIU wide receiver this season.

PhillyBurbs.com

PhillyBurbs.com: It’s official: This year’s Heisman must go to a non-BCS player

That headline will make fans of BCS schools roll their eyes and groan, I’m sure. After all, they reason, everyone knows that there are only two levels of college football - BCS football and everything else.

CBSSportsline.com - Dennis Dodd

CBSSportsline.com: There's a Wolfe at the Heisman door

Heisman worthy? Well, yes. He's on pace to smash Barry Sanders' season yards record of 2,638. If the Huskies play in the MAC Championship Game and a bowl, he could reach 3,000 yards.

FoxSports.com - Eric Moneypenny

FoxSports.com - Eric Moneypenny

This was the week that I was finally going to complain about the new NCAA game clock rules. Now, I wasn't going to sit here and complain about how unfair it is that the clock moves on kick-offs and possession changes, even though I think both rules are incredibly lame.

Nope, I was gonna complain about how offensive stats are seemingly down. After all, if Texas Tech is getting two, three, or four fewer offensive possessions a game, how would one of their QBs make a run at a 6,000 yard season?

However, the week that I was planning to make the argument, Northern Illinois RB Garrett Wolfe rips off 353 yards rushing against Ball State. Wow. 353 yards? Hey Wolfe, next time how 'bout showing a little hustle out there? (...taunting Mr. Wolfe so he goes for over 300 every game in conference play).

After only five games, Wolfe has an amazing 1,181 yards rush-ing, putting him on track to finish the regular season with 2,834 yards, shattering Barry Sanders' longtime NCAA record of 2,638. Even better, Wolfe has the opportunity to add to those totals in a MAC Championship and/or bowl game. In that scenario, if Wolfe plays 14 games, he wouldn't even need to keep his current pace, and it's still incredibly realistic that he could blow past 3,000 yards. And I guess, if Wolfe rushes for over 1.7 MILES this season, I'll keep my mouth shut about the lame clock rules for now.

ESPN.com

ESPN.com: Gonzalez, Wolfe, Rutgers stay in the spotlight

On the right-hand side of the page:

2. Fans and media who don't give Garrett Wolfe his props say more about themselves than they do about him. The Northern Illinois senior rushed for 353 yards and three touchdowns Saturday against Ball State. So what if it was Ball State and Wolfe is in the MAC? If it didn't take an extraordinary back to do that, why is Wolfe's total the 13th best in the history of the game?

About 3/4 of the way down the page:

While most college football fans were watching Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia or USC roll up another victory on Saturday evening, Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe was busy putting on a show for the 10,128 folks gathered at Scheumann Stadium in Muncie, Ind. Despite being interrupted by a 55-minute weather delay during the first quarter, Wolfe rushed for 353 yards -- the 13th-highest total in Division I-A history -- in NIU's 40-28 win over Ball State. And that after his first two carries of the game both lost yardage.

SportsIllustrated.com

SportsIllustrated.com: Five Things We Learned This Weekend

1) That the true Heisman front-runner right now is Garrett Wolfe. After piling up an astounding 353 yards against Ball State on Saturday, the Northern Illinois tailback has run for 1,181 yards and 11 touchdowns in five games. He’s averaging 236.2 yards per game; Barry Sanders’ single-season record is 238.9. And you can’t say he hasn’t played anyone, either -- Wolfe did amass 285 rushing/receiving yards against the No. 1 team in the country.

The Daily Chronicle

Devoured: Records continue to fall at Ball State

So what did the 2006 trip to Muncie produce?

Only a 53-minute lightning delay in the first quarter. Oh yeah, Garrett Wolfe rushed for a school-record 353 yards on 31 carries.

With Wolfe setting the pace, the Huskies blitzed the Cardinals for 610 total yards in posting a 40-28 victory on Saturday night.

Weather delays victory

The last time the Huskies endured a weather intermission was on Oct. 16, 1998. The infamous end of NIU's 23-game losing streak featured a short delay due to rain and bad field conditions at the end of the second quarter. The Huskies ended up benefitting from the delay, defeating Central Michigan 16-6 to give Novak his first conference victory.

Huskie notes: Wolfe chews up Huskie rushing record

Lightning struck nearby Scheumann Stadium in the first quarter, forcing a 53-minute delay. But Wolfe provided a bigger jolt, terrorizing Ball State's defense with electrifying X-box-like moves.

The senior rushed a season-high 31 times for a school-record 353 yards and three touchdowns. Wolfe broke his own single-game school mark of 325 yards established at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 20, 2004.

“It's not fun,” said Ball State coach Brady Hoke of trying to stop Wolfe. “Joe (Novak) knows how fortunate he is. He's special.”

HUSKIE BITES

Northern Illinois could have left Andy Dittbenner in DeKalb. The sophomore punter was simply an extra body on the sideline during the Huskies' 40-28 victory over Ball State on Saturday because the Huskies were not forced to punt the entire game.

The Journal Gazette - Indiana Paper

The Journal Gazette: Huskies’ back runs for 353 on BSU

Wolfe scored on touchdown runs of 51, 48 and 53 yards and added a 75-yard run in the third quarter that set up a field goal.

“He’s special,” Ball State coach Brady Hoke said. “He is special, because he can burst. He can get in a hole and come out the other end of it awful fast.”

The Beacon News

The Beacon News: Wolfe electric, breaks record

They can't stop him. And it's beginning to look like Mid-American Conference defenses can't even hope to contain him.

Mother Nature came close Saturday night at Scheumann Stadium when a lightning strike forced evacuation of the field and a 51-minute delay.

It just served to recharge Northern Illinois running back Garrett Wolfe, who was electric, rushing 31 times for a school-record 353 yards to lead the Huskies to a 40-28 victory at Ball State.

Chicago Sun-Times

The Chicago Sun-Times: Wolfe runs into record book

The threat of lightning prompted a 51-minute delay late in the first quarter of the Northern Illinois-Ball State game. The storm front temporarily emptied the stands and turned an early Indian-summer night cold, but it passed without other significant incident.

The threat of Wolfe never left Scheumann Stadium. The phenomenal tailback rushed for a career-high 353 yards and touchdowns of 51, 48 and 53 yards to lead the Huskies to a 40-28 victory against the Cardinals.

Chicago Tribune

The Chicago Tribune: Wolfe rushes for 353 yards as Huskies roll

Wolfe, whose previous high was 325 yards at Eastern Michigan two years ago, raised his total to 1,181 yards in five games this season and his career yardage to 4,417, tops among all active players.

The Chicago Tribune: 353!

Lightning that caused a 52-minute weather delay was not the only storm to roll through Saturday night at Ball State. Northern Illinois' Garrett Wolfe rumbled through the record books as well.>br>
Wolfe gained 353 yards en route to setting an NCAA mark for most rushing yards through five games with 1,181, breaking his own NIU single-game rushing mark and becoming the school's career touchdown leader in the Huskies' 40-28 victory.