Nov. 02--Toledo wants to be the next big shot in Mid-American Conference football.
But current heavyweight and reigning champion Northern Illinois won't willingly surrender that hard-earned mantle.
The No. 20 Rockets (7-0, 4-0) and unranked Huskies (5-3, 3-1) clash for MAC West positioning on Tuesday at Toledo's Glass Bowl as the conference shifts to early and midweek play for the final month.
Toledo sits atop the MAC West, tied with Western Michigan. NIU stands one game back with Central Michigan (5-4, 4-1) also in the way of the Huskies' goal of a sixth straight appearance in the conference championship game.
Northern Illinois has won the last five meetings, including a 27-24 triumph last year in DeKalb.
"We've tried to really build our program back to what we think can be a MAC championship-level football team," third-year Rockets coach Matt Campbell said. "There's respect for knowing what (the Huskies) have done and certainly what it's going to take to beat a team like Northern Illinois."
Toledo, a nonconference winner over Arkansas, Arkansas State and Iowa State, is second in MAC total defense (341.1 yards), third in scoring offense (44 points) and second behind the Huskies in rushing (267.8 yards).
"We're very similar teams," said the 35-year-old Campbell, among the nation's youngest FBS head coaches. "Both want to be really good on defense and want to be a run team on the offensive side."
Toledo can also pass. Quarterback Phillip Ely has thrown for 1,734 yards and 15 touchdowns, spread among four main targets.
Northern Illinois has won three straight since road losses at No. 1 Ohio State, Boston College and Central Michigan. The offense has perked up considerably, averaging 40 points-plus in the winning streak.
Both teams have had 10 days to prepare.
"They have a pretty good overall defense and we have a very dynamic offense," Huskies wide receiver Juwan Brescacin said. "(It should be) a good competition because we can score, but their defense is good as well."
Jack McCarthy is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
