As the nightmare of the 23-game losing streak came to end, Huskie fans were given cause for encouragement by the vastly improved 1999 and 2000 teams. By 2001, I figured the Huskies were ready to compete at the highest level of the MAC, and an encouraging start to the season reinforced that belief with wins over South Florida and Sam Houston St. and a near-miss against the hated Illini.

Alas, a disappointing loss at Toledo again tempered enthusiasm.

However, the next week the Thundering Herd came to DeKalb, and I was really hopeful the Huskies would give them a ball game. Unfortunately, an early Chris Finlen turnover led to the Herd jumping out to a two TD lead in the first quarter, and ultimately to a 37-15 beat down by the Herd.

Although the Huskies clearly weren't ready to compete with the tops in the MAC, they went on to a respectable season, particularly in the MAC.

In 2002, the Huskies jumped to the top of the conference with a big OOC win over Wake Forest, an amazing come-from-behind win over the Roethlisberger led Redhawks, and a thrilling upset of Urban Mayer's undefeated and ranked Bowling Green team in front of a rabid HS crowd.
In the final game of the year, as NIU built a 17-0 lead on the visiting Toledo team, I had visions of Michael Turner tumbling into that bright green Herd end zone for a Huskie victory the following week.

23 unanswered Toledo points and the dreaded 41 seconds put an end to that in 2002....

2003 was the Huskies debutante ball with Maryland, Alabama and Iowa State added to the boneyard, but the loss of MLB Nick Duffy and a host of other injuries derailed our MACC plans, while the Herd ran into a buzzsaw in Big Ben's Miami squad, arguably the best team the MAC has ever seen.

2004 should have been the year but, of course, Garret Wolfe's barroom brawling cost the Huskies that year's shot at the MACC.

By 2005, when the Huskies finally broke through, the Herd had sadly "moved-up" to CUSA.

We saw that era Huskies teams face off against the Roethlisberger Redhawks, multiple times against the Meyer constructed Falcons, and four times against the perenially powerful Rockets, but we never got to see the best Huskies teams of that era take on the best of the Herd.

Its a decade later and all the variables have changed, yet I'm excited to finally to see the showdown between two of the finest programs ever produced by the MAC.

C'mon December 23rd!!

(12-14-2014 01:23 PM)Flying Corn Wrote:  As the nightmare of the 23-game losing streak came to end, Huskie fans were given cause for encouragement by the vastly improved 1999 and 2000 teams. By 2001, I figured the Huskies were ready to compete at the highest level of the MAC, and an encouraging start to the season reinforced that belief with wins over South Florida and Sam Houston St. and a near-miss against the hated Illini.

Alas, a disappointing loss at Toledo again tempered enthusiasm.

However, the next week the Thundering Herd came to DeKalb, and I was really hopeful the Huskies would give them a ball game. Unfortunately, an early Chris Finlen turnover led to the Herd jumping out to a two TD lead in the first quarter, and ultimately to a 37-15 beat down by the Herd.

Although the Huskies clearly weren't ready to compete with the tops in the MAC, they went on to a respectable season, particularly in the MAC.

In 2002, the Huskies jumped to the top of the conference with a big OOC win over Wake Forest, an amazing come-from-behind win over the Roethlisberger led Redhawks, and a thrilling upset of Urban Mayer's undefeated and ranked Bowling Green team in front of a rabid HS crowd.
In the final game of the year, as NIU built a 17-0 lead on the visiting Toledo team, I had visions of Michael Turner tumbling into that bright green Herd end zone for a Huskie victory the following week.

23 unanswered Toledo points and the dreaded 41 seconds put an end to that in 2002....

2003 was the Huskies debutante ball with Maryland, Alabama and Iowa State added to the boneyard, but the loss of MLB Nick Duffy and a host of other injuries derailed our MACC plans, while the Herd ran into a buzzsaw in Big Ben's Miami squad, arguably the best team the MAC has ever seen.

2004 should have been the year but, of course, Garret Wolfe's barroom brawling cost the Huskies that year's shot at the MACC.

By 2005, when the Huskies finally broke through, the Herd had sadly "moved-up" to CUSA.

We saw that era Huskies teams face off against the Roethlisberger Redhawks, multiple times against the Meyer constructed Falcons, and four times against the perenially powerful Rockets, but we never got to see the best Huskies teams of that era take on the best of the Herd.

Its a decade later and all the variables have changed, yet I'm excited to finally to see the showdown between two of the finest programs ever produced by the MAC.

C'mon December 23rd!!

Interesting note, G. Wolfe received his Master's in business yesterday.

(12-14-2014 01:23 PM)Flying Corn Wrote:  As the nightmare of the 23-game losing streak came to end, Huskie fans were given cause for encouragement by the vastly improved 1999 and 2000 teams. By 2001, I figured the Huskies were ready to compete at the highest level of the MAC, and an encouraging start to the season reinforced that belief with wins over South Florida and Sam Houston St. and a near-miss against the hated Illini.

Alas, a disappointing loss at Toledo again tempered enthusiasm.

However, the next week the Thundering Herd came to DeKalb, and I was really hopeful the Huskies would give them a ball game. Unfortunately, an early Chris Finlen turnover led to the Herd jumping out to a two TD lead in the first quarter, and ultimately to a 37-15 beat down by the Herd.

Although the Huskies clearly weren't ready to compete with the tops in the MAC, they went on to a respectable season, particularly in the MAC.

In 2002, the Huskies jumped to the top of the conference with a big OOC win over Wake Forest, an amazing come-from-behind win over the Roethlisberger led Redhawks, and a thrilling upset of Urban Mayer's undefeated and ranked Bowling Green team in front of a rabid HS crowd.
In the final game of the year, as NIU built a 17-0 lead on the visiting Toledo team, I had visions of Michael Turner tumbling into that bright green Herd end zone for a Huskie victory the following week.

23 unanswered Toledo points and the dreaded 41 seconds put an end to that in 2002....

2003 was the Huskies debutante ball with Maryland, Alabama and Iowa State added to the boneyard, but the loss of MLB Nick Duffy and a host of other injuries derailed our MACC plans, while the Herd ran into a buzzsaw in Big Ben's Miami squad, arguably the best team the MAC has ever seen.

2004 should have been the year but, of course, Garret Wolfe's barroom brawling cost the Huskies that year's shot at the MACC.

By 2005, when the Huskies finally broke through, the Herd had sadly "moved-up" to CUSA.

We saw that era Huskies teams face off against the Roethlisberger Redhawks, multiple times against the Meyer constructed Falcons, and four times against the perenially powerful Rockets, but we never got to see the best Huskies teams of that era take on the best of the Herd.

Its a decade later and all the variables have changed, yet I'm excited to finally to see the showdown between two of the finest programs ever produced by the MAC.

C'mon December 23rd!!

I have to agree. There is something poetic about the Huskies taking on Marshall after appearing in their sixth MAC Championship game.

I am reminded of Clubber Lang challenging Rocky Balboa (before Rocky got the eye of the tiger back) , or the Twilight Zone episode "A Game of Pool".

Marshall is like Shao Khan at the top of the Mortal Kombat tower.