DeKalb, IL (Sports Network) - Jordan Lynch threw for 235 yards and a pair of
touchdowns as the Northern Illinois Huskies rallied for a 30-23 victory over
the Kansas Jayhawks at Huskie Stadium.
Lynch also ran for a team-high 134 yards to lead Northern Illinois (3-1) to
its third straight win. Martel Moore caught five passes for 105 yards and a
score and Perez Ashford had eight receptions for 78 yards. The Huskies scored
17 unanswered points to close out the game.
James Sims ran for 91 yards and two scores as Kansas (1-3) dropped its third
straight decision. Dayne Crist completed just 10-of-26 passes for 147 yards
and was sacked four times in the setback.
Kansas took a 3-0 lead midway through the first quarter with a 26-yard field
goal by Ron Doherty.
NIU jumped ahead on a four-yard passing touchdown from Lynch to Tommylee
Lewis. The Huskies failed the extra point attempt, leaving the score at 6-3.
The Jayhawks regained the lead early in the second quarter when Sims scored on
a 26-yard run.
Just over a minute before halftime the Huskies were back on top, 13-10, thanks
to a three-yard rushing touchdown by Akeem Daniels.
Sims scored again, this time on a one-yard run, to open the scoring in the
second half, giving the Jayhawks a 17-13 advantage.
Kansas went up by 10 early in the fourth quarter when Tyler Patmon intercepted
a Lynch pass and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown.
Lynch made up for the turnover on the Huskies' next possession with a 65-yard
touchdown pass to Moore.
The Huskies tied the game with a 44-yard field goal by Mathew Sims midway
through the fourth quarter and took a 30-23 lead just over three minutes
later on a two-yard rushing touchdown by Leighton Settle.
Kansas had two more possessions but failed to score, allowing the Huskies to
come away with the win.
NIU outgained Kansas by a 455-329 margin.
The Jayhawks have now lost 13 straight outings against schools from the
Football Bowl Subdivision dating back to last season. The squad closed out
2011 with 10 straight defeats and opened 2012 with a 31-17 triumph over South
Dakota State.
The last victory for Kansas against another FBS program came against this same
NIU squad, 45-42, in the second game of the 2011 campaign.
GAME NOTES:
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