MAC Championship Game 2018: 3 takeaways from NIU’s comeback win
By Zach Bigalke
2. Buffalo boasted a better ground game than NIU
A difference between Northern Illinois and Buffalo in the MAC championship came down to their respective run games. Buffalo was able to dominate time of possession, churn out 25 first downs, and pull out the MAC championship largely due to a more effective backfield in running situations.
Kevin Marks and Jaret Patterson led the way for the Bulls on the ground. The two running backs each racked up 72 rushing yards and a touchdown apiece Marks on 17 carries and Patterson on 18 handoffs. With Tyree Jackson getting bottled up on his seven carries, though, the team finished with 142 total yards and a 3.4 yards per carry average.
Other than one 33-yard scamper by Marcus Childers, NIU was largely ineffective running the ball. Take out that big gain, and the Huskies averaged only 2.3 yards per carry. Buffalo showed a far more balanced offense than the Huskies, but it ultimately didn’t matter thanks to the huge day in the comeback by Childers.
It will still make a difference moving forward, though, as the Bulls still have one more game left to play as they try to reach 11 wins.