| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NIU | 7 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 36 |
| AKRON | 7 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 26 |
McKie's interception return seals Northern Illinois' win
AKRON, Ohio -- Tre Harbison rushed for 169 yards and a touchdown, Jalen McKie scored on a 23-yard interception return for the only fourth-quarter points and Northern Illinois held off Akron 36-26 on Thursday night.
After Akron scored two touchdowns less than two minutes apart to pull to 27-26, the extra point attempt was blocked and McKie returned it for a three-point lead. McKie sealed it with another interception with 1:05 remaining.
Marcus Childers was 21-of-28 passing for 188 yards and one touchdown for Northern Illinois (6-3, 5-0 Mid-American Conference).
Childers hit tight end Corey Lersch for a 19-yard touchdown to open the scoring. After Akron tied it, NIU went on a 10-play, 75-yard drive to retake the lead on Harbison's short run. Spencer Tears also had short touchdown run in the second quarter to extend NIU's lead to 24-10.
Kato Nelson passed for 299 yards and two touchdowns for Akron (4-4, 2-3).
Game Information
2024 Mid-American Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 7-1 | 11-3 |
| Miami (OH) | 7-1 | 8-5 |
| Buffalo | 6-2 | 8-4 |
| Bowling Green | 6-2 | 7-5 |
| Western Michigan | 5-3 | 6-7 |
| Toledo | 4-4 | 7-5 |
| Northern Illinois | 4-4 | 7-5 |
| Akron | 3-5 | 4-8 |
| Eastern Michigan | 2-6 | 5-7 |
| Central Michigan | 2-6 | 4-8 |
| Ball State | 2-6 | 3-9 |
| Kent State | 0-8 | 0-12 |
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