Northern Illinois Rallies To Beat Kansas 30-23
DEKALB, Ill. (AP) -- Northern Illinois rallied from a 23-13 fourth quarter deficit to defeat Kansas 30-23 Saturday afternoon. The Huskies (3-1) victory moved its home field winning streak to 17 games, while the Jayhawks (1-3) lost their 16th straight road contest.
Northern Illinois running back Leighton Settle scored on a 2-yard run with 4:33 left to cap a 53-yard drive and the Huskies 17-point fourth quarter. The short field was set up when Huskies defensive back Joe Windsor sacked Kansas quarterback Dayne Crist.
Kansas defensive back Tyler Patmon intercepted Huskies quarterback Jordan Lynch and returned it 54-yards for a touchdown 27 seconds into the fourth quarter. The score gave Kansas a 23-13 lead before Ron Doherty missed the extra point.
On the ensuing possession for the Huskies, Lynch threw a 9-yard jump pass to Martel Moore over the middle, who ran untouched for a 65-yard score with 14:23 left to make it 23-20.
Huskies kicker Mathew Sims then tied the score at 23-23, when he kicked a 44-yard field goal with 7:58 left in the game.
Lynch had 134 yards on 22 carries, his third 100-plus rushing game of the season. Lynch also completed 23 of 35 passes for 235 yards as the Northern Illinois offense amassed 455 total yards.
For Kansas, James Sims rushed 18 times, totaling 91 yards and two touchdowns.
The teams traded scores in the first half, with Northern Illinois holding a 13-10 lead at intermission. Kansas opened the scoring in the first quarter on a 26-yard field goal by Doherty. The Huskies took the ensuing kickoff and reached the end zone on a 4-yard pass from Lynch to wide receiver Tommylee Lewis. But the point after touchdown was wide by Mathew Sims, as the Huskies led 6-3 late in the first quarter.
Kansas grabbed the lead back early in the second quarter when James Sims scored on a 26-yard run up the middle, capping an 86-yard drive. Northern Illinois concluded the first half scoring, as running back Akeem Daniels scored on a 3-yard run with 1:38 remaining.
Kansas took the second half kickoff 71 yards in 14 plays with James Sims scoring his second touchdown of the game on a on a 1-yard run on fourth and goal.
The Jayhawks entered the contest with a two game losing streak, while Northern Illinois had won its previous two contests.
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