What happens in non-conference play is of no concern to the Miami (OH) RedHawks. Because when MAC play starts, Miami always enters a new mode. Head coach Chuck Martin revived the program from an 0-3 start to a MAC Championship
Game appearance last season. After starting 0-3 again this year, the 12th-year head checked his first box en route to replicating that feat.
Miami upended Northern Illinois 25-14 in DeKalb, and now the RedHawks have won 17 of their last 19 regular season MAC matchups under Martin. The RedHawks also traveled home with the Mallory Cup, winning the rivalry trophy in all five meetings since the hardware was established in 2018 to honor the late Bill Mallory, who coached at both Miami and Northern Illinois.
Northern Illinois entered Saturday as the owner of the worst scoring offense in college football at 10.3 points. Unable to cross the 10-point threshold on its first three FBS opponents of 2025, the Huskies made several offensive lineup adjustments. Most notable was sliding quarterback Brady Davidson into a starting role for the first time. Another change involved inserting true freshman Lazaro Rogers (one career carry entering Saturday) into the lead tailback role.
Those adjustments by Thomas Hammock and his staff immediately paid dividends as NIU jumped to a 14-0 lead on its homecoming day. On the first play from scrimmage, Rogers shot through a gap and flew for a 76-yard rushing touchdown — just the second rushing attempt of the freshman’s career. On the ensuing drive, Davidson completed seven passes including a 17-yard heave to tight end Jake Appleget in the end zone. Suddenly, NIU had its highest scoring output vs. FBS competition all year with 3:23 remaining on the first quarter clock.
However, that’s all the Huskies would get. Excluding Rogers’ breakaway run, NIU only mustered 38 rushing yards on 22 attempts. The passing game also struggled following Appleget’s score as Davidson finished 13-of-26 with 108 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Miami’s defense assertively won the battle in the trenches, shutting out the Huskies for three-straight quarters to finish.
Meanwhile, Miami’s offense received a spark as starting quarterback Dequan Finn returned to the lineup. The seventh-year senior who gained fame as a MAC champion at Toledo, Finn suffered an injury in Week 4 which held him out of the prior contest. But the wily veteran triumphantly returned with 170 passing yards and a touchdown to go along with a team-high 90 rushing yards.
The Finn-led RedHawks slowly but surely chipped away at the 14-point deficit, landing a touchdown and two field goals to trail 14-13 in the early third quarter. Exactly two minutes after Dom Dzioban’s second field goal, the RedHawks finally captured the lead on a special teams statement. They blocked an NIU punt which rolled out of the end zone, handing Miami the go-ahead safety for a 15-14 score. Miami scored on the resulting possession as Finn found Notre Dame transfer Deion Colzie in the end zone for an 8-yard strike. Then to put the game out of reach, Miami chewed up significant clock on a 13-play fourth quarter driving, extending its lead to 25-14 on Dzioban’s third field goal of the afternoon.
Despite the promising start, NIU’s offensive struggles only continued as the Huskies managed 220 yards (below their season average of 249, which ranked second-to-last in the FBS) and lost the turnover battle 2-0. Miami has now held five of its last six regular season MAC opponents to 14 points or fewer, as Bill Brechin’s defense continues to thrive.
Miami keeps the Mallory Cup for the foreseeable future now that Northern Illinois has one foot out the door, preparing for its exit from the MAC and entrance to the Mountain West on July 1, 2026. NIU (1-4, 0-1 MAC) now rides a 4-game losing streak after dropping its MAC opener. The Huskies travel to The Factory in Ypsilanti next Saturday for a matchup at Eastern Michigan in hopes of reviving the offense and ending the skid. Miami (2-3, 1-0 MAC) also takes the road next Saturday in a trip to Akron in search of a third-straight victory and a head-start in the conference standings.
