NIU Huskies go from high of Notre Dame win to low of Buffalo loss
DEKALB, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — Two weeks after the emotional high of a win at Notre Dame, NIU's football team is experience a much different emotion. The Huskies followed up their history win by losing their MAC opener at home Saturday to Buffalo 23-20 in overtime.
The Huskies had the ball first in overtime, but Kanon Woodill's field goal attemp from 42 yards out was blocked. That meant Buffalo only need a field goal to win the game. The Bulls got it when Upton Bellenfant's 37-yard attempt split the uprights sending the Bulls into celebration mode at midfield. The Huskies walked with a look of shock and disgust off the field to their locker room.
"We didn't play well enough to win this game," said NIU head coach Thomas Hammock during his post game press conference. "That falls squarely on me. We were prepared to play, but we didn't make the plays necessary to put ourselves in position to win."
NIU led 14-3 at halftime after running back Antario Brown scored on touchdown runs of five yards and 14 yards. But NIU's offense stalled in the second half, and Buffalo's offense converted two huge plays. The first came in the third quarter when receiver Victor Snow leaped between two NIU defensive backs to make a 46-yard touchdown catch in the end zone.
The other big play came in the fourth quarter when running back Al-Jay Henderson broke free up the middle for a 36-yard touchdown run. Buffalo then added a field goal to take its first lead at 20-17 with just over three minutes to play.
NIU's offense came through with a clutch drive capped off by a 27-yard field goal by Woodill with 24 seconds left in regulation. That forced the overtime.
NIU had 359 yards of total offense to only 184 for the Bulls.
"Our defense gave up 184 yards," Hammock said. "They played great defense both halves. I'm proud of our defense. We didn't play well enough on offense or on special teams to win the game."
A big crowd of 18,688 turned out in DeKalb inspired by NIU's win at Notre Dame. All the more reason why the Huskies were disappointed to let this game get away from them.
