Redemption came quick for Northern Illinois' kicker Mathew Sims. Sims booted a game winning 33-yard field goal as time expired on Friday night to give the Huskies the MAC Championship after missing a crucial extra point early in the fourth quarter. In fact, Sims was only in position to kick the game winner over the Ohio Bobcats because of that missed extra point.
If not, the Huskies might have won the game when QB Chandler Harnish connected with Nathan Palmer on a 22-yard touchdown with just over three minutes to play in the game. But that touchdown, and ensuing extra point, only tied the game at 20. Sims' missed extra point came on the previous touchdown, when Harnish found Martel Moore for a 32-yard touchdown to cut the Bobcats' lead to 20-13. Harnish stared in the second half, throwing three touchdowns as the Huskies furiously tried to make up a 20-0 halftime deficit. Harnish finished the game with 251 yards and three touchdowns, but it was the Huskies defense that led the way in the second half.
After putting up 20 points in the first half, the Bobcats offense only gained 75 yards in the second half. The Huskies forced Ohio into three-and-outs on four of their six drives; the other two ended in a punt after six plays and 13 yards gained and a missed field goal on what was the Bobcats' best drive of the second half.
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