It’s only Week 7, but when the Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-5, 0-2 MAC) and Northern Illinois Huskies (1-4, 0-1 MAC) take the field on Saturday afternoon, it may as well be the end of the season as far as the stakes are concerned.
Both the Eagles and the Huskies had, at the very least, postseason aspirations at season’s end, but instead find themselves in do-or-die territory thanks to less-than-stellar efforts in the first half of the season.
A loss here would effectively force a near-miracle turnaround
to even be considered for December football, while a win would be a short salvo before having to don the battle armor once again. This is not how any team wants to get through the season, but this is where they both find themselves.
Can the moveable object that is the EMU defense get a stop? Can the stoppable force that is the NIU offense find enough plays to win? We’ll find out one way or the other this weekend.
Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, October 11th, 2025 at 1 p.m. Eastern time
- Location: Maxx Crosby Field at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan
- TV network options: The game will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+; a valid subscription is required for viewing.
- Radio options: Andy Garcia (play-by-play) and Mark Lindo (color) will provide the NIU call for WDKB-FM 94.9; Tom Helmer (play-by-play) and Rob Rubick (color) will provide the EMU call for WEMU-FM 89.1.
- Gambling considerations: NIU favored by 1.5 points, with an over/under 47.5, per FanDuel.
- All-Time Series: NIU holds the all-time lead over EMU, with a 36-16-2 overall record in 54 previous meetings. The Huskies have won the last three contests between the two teams dating back to 2021. EMU’s last win in the series was at home in 2020.
About the Eastern Michigan Eagles
For all their flaws in high-leverage situations, the Eagles have at the very least mustered one of the MAC’s best offenses.
EMU sits third in the league in total offense with an average 377.5 offensive yards per game, and boast the MAC’s top passing game (1,336 yards through six games.) They’re not bad in the run game either, sitting fifth in the conference with 166.1 yards per game on the ground. EMU also typically wins on key downs, best in the MAC on third-down conversion rates (40.4 percent) and fifth in the league on fourth-down (60 percent.)
Noah Kim, the well-traveled journeyman transfer quarterback, has been a steadying presence, completing 63 percent of passes for 1,336 yards, seven touchdowns and three interceptions, while also rushing for a team-leading four touchdowns. EMU spreads the ball around, but the two best targets are receiver Terry Lockett Jr. (19 receptions, 263 yards, TD) and tight end Joshua Long (18 rec., 203 yards, two touchdowns.)
The team’s fortunes largely rest on the shoulders of do-it-all running back Dontae McMillan. Through six games, he sits second in the MAC in rushing (82 carries, 533 yards), averaging 118.8 total yards per game (88.8 rush yards, 30 pass yards) and four total touchdowns for the Eagles (two each receiving and rushing.) Short-yardage back Tavierre Dunlap (68 carries, 240 yards, three TDs) is often brought in for conversions.
Defense has been the Achilles heel for the Eagles in 2025, ranking as one of the worst in the NCAA. EMU gives up an incredible seven yards per play and an overall per-game average of 476.7 yards allowed, while allowing 27 touchdowns in six games— the highest number in the MAC. Opponents are able to move easily against them on key downs as well, converting on 49.4 percent of third-downs and 57 percent of fourth-downs.
They’re particularly bad defending the run, giving up a MAC-worst 1,509 yards so far. To put that in context, the perpetually “sicko”-labeled Kent State, ranked 12th in the MAC, has given up only 1,216 rushing yards despite playing Texas Tech, Florida State and Oklahoma.
Star players to watch for here include safety Bryce Llewellyen, who leads the team with 49 tackles and defensive end Carter Evans, who has been the dynamo of the defense with 16 tackles, five TFLs, 1.5 sacks and four QB hurries.
About the Northern Illinois Huskies
2025 was supposed to be a statement season as NIU gets set to jump to a conference with a perceived higher level of play, bringing in a new offensive coordinator to bolster what had been one of the league’s worst offenses in 2024 with a revolutionary new look while largely keeping together a competent, young defense.
Instead, the Huskies have experienced absolute pain. Their only win on the year has been against FCS Holy Cross, and even that win had to be earned by less than a field goal. The Huskies have not scored more than 14 points against FBS opponents in 2025, with their highest points output (19 points) in that squeaker with Holy Cross.
Brady Davidson started at QB last week for NIU after a week full of “will they, won’t they?” surrounding the starting label for Josh Holst (44-of-77, 376 yards, one touchdown, three interceptions). Davidson’s insertion into the offense paid some initial dividends, with a 17-yard touchdown to Jake Appleget in the first quarter vs. Miami, but he finished with a pedestrian stat line (13-of-28, 106 yards, one touchdown, one interception) and was sacked three times.
DeAree Rogers is their only receiving threat of note, with 25 receptions for 264 yards and a touchdown. One has to go to the fifth spot on the chart to find the next primary passcatcher, George Dimopolous, who has six catches for 44 yards. Spots 2-4 are occupied by running backs, who combine for 22 catches for 96 yards.
The running game is not immune from change either. Chavon Wright, who was the Week 1 starter, sat last week after a number of ineffective games to make way for Lazaro Rogers. Rogers had a 76-yard touchdown on his first carry, but was limited to 22 runs over his next eight. It’s a far cry from NIU teams of old, as the 2025 Huskies have a MAC-worst three total touchdowns through five games and sit 10th in the league with 141.8 yards per game.
NIU’s defense has also regressed significantly; the Huskies sit ninth in the conference in total defense (328.4 yards per game allowed), 12th in sacks (four), 11th in forced fumbles (two), ninth in interceptions (three), 12th in fumbles recovered (one) and eighth in redzone defense (85 percent conversion.)
If there’s one positive, NIU has been decent on third-down defense, allowing just 35.7 percent of attempts and 96 total first downs (third-fewest in the MAC.)
Linebacker Quinten Urweiller already sits at 64 tackles (36 solo) through five games for NIU, with five TFLs and 1.5 sacks. Defensive back Muhammad Jammeh is responsible for two of NIU’s three interceptions on the season and is a plus contributor in the run with 29 tackles. Along the line, Dasean Dixon and Mark Hensley have three TFLs each.
Final Thoughts
Admittedly, it is a little concerning to see two programs who have proud recent success in the conference seemingly plummet before our eyes.
However, given the style of play for both teams, living in the margins and making the right play in the right situation forces you into knock-em-down, drag-em-out fights. Losing with such bad numbers is the risk you take when you want to be the team that tries to muddy up the game.
This projects to be a weakness-on-weakness game, with Eastern’s offense looking to feed on NIU’s defense and vice-versa. Such games are basically impossible to predict, as it relies on teams making less mistakes rather than a team taking a win.
EMU is quite used to back-and-fourth one-possession games under head coach Chris Creighton, which could give the Eagles a potential edge. However, they’ve also played six games with no BYE week to this point and could be hurting pretty good. NIU has one less game of wear on them, but haven’t really had an opportunity to own the direction of a game in any of their five matchups. They’ll be looking to do just that against Eastern.
The team who wins this game will be the one which is able to keep their mistakes— especially on defense— to a minimum and own the time of possession.
