Northern Illinois @ Northwestern preview

The first week of September seems a tad premature to talk about must-win situations, but Northwestern faces a critical early season matchup when it hosts Northern Illinois on Saturday. After being surprised last weekend at home by an improved California team, a loss to the Huskies will place the Wildcats into an 0-2 hole and a sub .500 record heading into the Big Ten schedule. After hosting FCS member Western Illinois, Northwestern starts league play at Penn State before hosting Wisconsin.

The Wildcats fell behind 24-7 at the half against the Bears and would like to avoid a repeat against the Huskies. “We can’t spot a team a touchdown when they had multiple third downs to get our team off the field,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald told reporters. “We were too aggressive around the perimeter and we can be better at and coach the guys through that.” In its victory last weekend over Presbyterian, Northern Illinois piled up 635 yards of total offense - 424 rushing - and extended its home winning streak to a nation-leading 27 games.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Northwestern -7

ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS (1-0): The Huskies can proudly stake claim as the winningest program in Illinois and in the Mid-American Conference over the last decade. They have won two MAC titles, are four-time defending MAC West Division champions and have made a league-record sixth straight bowl appearances. Northern Illinois is also 4-3 against teams from the Big Ten since Sept. 19, 2009 and captured victories over Iowa and Purdue in 2013.

ABOUT NORTHWESTERN (0-1): Northwestern is locked in a tailspin having lost eight of their last nine since taking a fourth-quarter lead Oct. 5, 2013 against Ohio State. After a shaky first half against Cal, though, the defense responded after the break by holding the Bears to a touchdown and getting off the field on third down. The running game has to show improvement as does the play of quarterback Trevor Siemian, who was 23-of-44 for 229 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Northwestern leads the series 6-0-1, including a 38-37 victory in the last meeting in 2005.

2. The Wildcats run game certainly missed Venric Mark, who transferred during training camp, as their longest run against Cal went for 11 yards.

3. Northern Illinois ran a program-record 109 offensive plays against Presbyterian, surpassing its previous high of 102 against Ohio University on Nov. 7, 1981.

PREDICTION: Northwestern 31, Northern Illinois 28