N Illinois 27
(0-1, 0-1 away)
Minnesota 31
(1-0, 1-0 home)
7:00 PM ET, August 30, 2008
The Metrodome, MINNEAPOLIS, MN
Top Performers
Passing: C. Harnish (NIU) - 326 YDS, 2 TD
Rushing: D. Bennett (MINN) - 18 CAR, 92 YDS, 2 TD
Receiving: N. Palmer (NIU) - 3 REC, 170 YDS, 2 TD
Scoring Summary
| FIRST QUARTER | NIU | MINN | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | TD | 06:03 | Eric Decker 8 Yd Pass From Adam Weber (Joel Monroe Kick) Drive: 18 plays, 90 yds, 8:57 | 0 | 7 |
| SECOND QUARTER | NIU | MINN | |||
 | TD | 10:45 | Justin Anderson 2 Yd Run (Mike Salerno Kick) Drive: 9 plays, 74 yds, 4:54 | 7 | 7 |
| FG | 06:02 | Joel Monroe 40 Yd Drive: 6 plays, 26 yds, 2:29 | 7 | 10 |
| FG | 00:55 | Mike Salerno 39 Yd Drive: 4 plays, 5 yds, 1:45 | 10 | 10 |
| THIRD QUARTER | NIU | MINN | |||
| TD | 11:25 | Jack Simmons 53 Yd Pass From Adam Weber (Joel Monroe Kick) Drive: 3 plays, 64 yds, 1:17 | 10 | 17 |
| FG | 08:27 | Mike Salerno 49 Yd Drive: 8 plays, 40 yds, 2:58 | 13 | 17 |
| TD | 08:07 | Duane Bennett 61 Yd Run (Joel Monroe Kick) Drive: 1 plays, 61 yds, :20 | 13 | 24 |
| TD | 06:59 | Nathan Palmer 91 Yd Pass From Chandler Harnish (Mike Salerno Kick) Drive: 3 plays, 91 yds, 1:08 | 20 | 24 |
| FOURTH QUARTER | NIU | MINN | |||
| TD | 08:09 | Nathan Palmer 52 Yd Pass From Chandler Harnish (Mike Salerno Kick) Drive: 6 plays, 80 yds, 2:03 | 27 | 24 |
| TD | 00:22 | Duane Bennett 1 Yd Run (Joel Monroe Kick) | 27 | 31 |
Team Stat Comparison
| NIU | MINN | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Downs | 15 | 18 |
3rd down efficiency | 6-14 | 5-14 |
4th down efficiency | 0-0 | 2-2 |
| Total Yards | 398 | 425 |
| Passing | 326 | 298 |
Comp-Att | 17-30 | 24-37 |
Yards per pass | 10.9 | 8.1 |
| Rushing | 72 | 127 |
Rushing Attempts | 31 | 31 |
Yards per rush | 2.3 | 4.1 |
| Penalties | 2-14 | 3-20 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
Fumbles lost | 1 | 1 |
Interceptions thrown | 0 | 0 |
| Possession | 29:49 | 30:11 |
| Northern Illinois Passing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | |
| C. Harnish | 17/29 | 326 | 11.2 | 2 | 0 |
| -. Team | 0/1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Team | 17/30 | 326 | 10.9 | 2 | 0 |
| Minnesota Passing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | |
| A. Weber | 24/37 | 298 | 8.1 | 2 | 0 |
| Team | 24/37 | 298 | 8.1 | 2 | 0 |
| Northern Illinois Rushing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | |
| J. Anderson | 13 | 34 | 2.6 | 1 | 12 |
| M. Clanton | 5 | 17 | 3.4 | 0 | 15 |
| M. Brown | 4 | 11 | 2.8 | 0 | 9 |
| C. Harnish | 8 | 10 | 1.3 | 0 | 13 |
| R. Crider | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Team | 31 | 72 | 2.3 | 1 | 15 |
| Minnesota Rushing | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | |
| D. Bennett | 18 | 92 | 5.1 | 2 | 61 |
| A. Weber | 12 | 30 | 2.5 | 0 | 14 |
| D. Eskridge | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 0 | 5 |
| Team | 31 | 127 | 4.1 | 2 | 61 |
| Minnesota Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LG | |
| E. Decker | 10 | 89 | 8.9 | 1 | 28 |
| J. Simmons | 3 | 77 | 25.7 | 1 | 53 |
| N. Tow-Arnett | 4 | 66 | 16.5 | 0 | 23 |
| D. Bennett | 4 | 25 | 6.3 | 0 | 18 |
| R. Spry | 2 | 25 | 12.5 | 0 | 16 |
| B. Kuznia | 1 | 16 | 16.0 | 0 | 16 |
| Team | 24 | 298 | 12.4 | 2 | 53 |
| Northern Illinois Kick Returns | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NO | YDS | AVG | LG | |
| M. Brown | 5 | 96 | 19.2 | 23 |
| Team | 5 | 96 | 19.2 | 23 |
| Minnesota Kick Returns | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NO | YDS | AVG | LG | |
| J. Thomas | 3 | 68 | 22.7 | 35 |
| T. Stoudermire Jr. | 2 | 74 | 37.0 | 39 |
| Team | 5 | 142 | 28.4 | 39 |
| Northern Illinois Punt Returns | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NO | YDS | AVG | LG | |
| C. Spann | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 |
| Team | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 |
| Northern Illinois Kicking | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FG | PCT | LONG | XP | PTS | |
| M. Salerno | 2/2 | 100.0 | 49 | 3/3 | 9 |
| Team | 2/2 | 100.0 | 49 | 3/3 | 9 |
| Minnesota Kicking | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FG | PCT | LONG | XP | PTS | |
| J. Monroe | 1/1 | 100.0 | 40 | 4/4 | 7 |
| Team | 1/1 | 100.0 | 40 | 4/4 | 7 |
| Northern Illinois Punting | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOT | YDS | AVG | TB | -20 | LG | |
| A. Dittbenner | 6 | 244 | 40.7 | 0 | 1 | 46 |
| Team | 6 | 244 | 40.7 | 0 | 1 | 46 |
| Minnesota Punting | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOT | YDS | AVG | TB | -20 | LG | |
| J. Kucek | 5 | 216 | 43.2 | 2 | 1 | 54 |
| -. Team | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Team | 6 | 216 | 36.0 | 2 | 1 | 54 |
ATTENDANCE: 44,029
