FACTS & STATS: Site: Dix Stadium (25,000) -- Kent, Ohio. Television: None. Home Record: NIU 4-1, KSU 2-2. Away Record: NIU 1-4, KSU 1-4. Neutral Record: NIU 0-0, KSU 0-1. Conference Record: NIU 4-3, KSU 2-4. Series Record: Northern Illinois leads, 14-7.

GAME NOTES: The Northern Illinois Huskies will try to break out of their recent slump when they take on the Kent State Golden Flashes this Tuesday night in a Mid-American Conference tussle at Dix Stadium. After winning three consecutive games, the Huskies have dropped back-to-back contests, including a heartbreaking, 33-30 overtime loss to Central Michigan. The loss dropped Northern Illinois to 4-3 in league action, and left the team still in need of one more victory to become bowl eligible. As for the Golden Flashes, they grabbed their third win of the season this past Wednesday with a thrilling 41-38 victory over Temple. It was the second victory for Kent State at Dix Stadium, and it was also the second conference win of the season for the Flashes. In terms of the all-time series between the two schools on the gridiron, the Huskies have won 14 of the 21 meetings, but are just 5-5 in games played in Kent.

Any success the Huskies have encountered this season is due to the ground game, which is producing 171.4 ypg. Out of the 29 touchdowns scored by this unit, 19 have come via the run. The Huskies head into this matchup averaging 336.9 total ypg, and that has led to 26.2 ppg. Chad Spann has seven of the rushing touchdowns for NIU, but Me'co Brown is leading the team with 492 rushing yards, while quarterback Chandler Harnish has tallied 297 yards on 4.1 ypc. Harnish has not enjoyed much success with his arm however, completing just 56.2 percent of his throws, for 1,053 yards and five scores. In the recent setback to Central Michigan, the Huskies totaled 368 yards, but surprisingly the majority of the damage came through the air, as Harnish threw for 288 yards. The quarterback also led the ground game with 31 yards and one score, while Spann added two touchdowns. As for Brown, he was held to just 12 yards on six totes.

The real success for the Huskies this year has been the play of the defensive unit, which is limiting teams to just 309.7 total ypg, and 18.7 ppg. The defense is allowing 130.5 ypg on the ground this year, but has limited the opposition to just 179.2 ypg through the air. However, this unit has been unable to make many big plays, forcing just 16 turnovers, while collecting 18 sacks. Northern Illinois' problems against the run continued in the loss to CMU, as the Chippewas pounded the Huskies for 239 rushing yards. Overall the defense was abused for 428 yards and only recorded one takeaway, but did collect three sacks. Josh Allen paced the team with 11 tackles in the loss, while David Bryant and Alex Kube both tallied eight stops apiece.

Much like their counterpart, the Flashes have used the running game as their source of offensive power, as the team is rumbling for a staggering 232.8 ypg. Overall, Kent State heads into Tuesday's game posting a strong 412.4 total ypg, and that has led to 27.0 ppg. The main source of production is quarterback Julian Edelman, who has done everything for this offense. Edelman is currently pacing the ground game with 1,095 yards and 13 scores, and has also thrown for 1,580 yards and 12 touchdowns, but also has 11 interceptions. Eugene Jarvis has also helped with the ground game, as the tailback has rushed for 636 yards and six scores in seven games. Edelman continued his domination in the team's win over Temple, as he helped lead KSU to 561 total yards of production. Edelman scored three rushing TDs in the game, and finished with 144 yards, but it was Jarvis that paced the ground attack with 185 yards, to go along with one touchdown. Edelman was also impressive with his arm, throwing for 232 yards and one touchdown in the win.

Unfortunately the success for the offense has been the major issue for the defense, as Kent State is being gashed for 177.5 rushing ypg, and out of the 38 touchdowns surrendered by this unit, 26 have come via the run. Overall the unit is yielding 396.0 total ypg, and that has led to 31.7 ppg. The team surprisingly has been able to force 21 turnovers on the year, but has struggled getting to the quarterback, racking up just 16 sacks. In the team's victory over Temple, the defense held the Owls to just 72 rushing yards. However, the team did surrender 282 passing yards, and three touchdowns through the air. However, despite the poor performance against the pass, the defense forced four turnovers, and grabbed three sacks en route to the victory. Derek Burrell grabbed six tackles to go along with one sack and one forced fumble.

The Huskies have been strong defensively, but the team has struggled on the road, and will definitely have its hands full trying to stop the elusive Edelman.