Central Michigan University Athletics
Central Michigan University
Northern Illinois
Football Closes Out Season With Loss To NIU
11/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 18, 2000
DEKALB, Ill.--The Central Michigan football team put the 2000 season in the history book with a 40-6 loss to Northern Illinois University on Saturday afternoon.
The Chippewas closed head coach Mike DeBord's first season with a 2-9 overall record while the Huskies wrapped up the season 6-5.
CMU scored first but the Huskies scored the final 40 points of the game to cruise to the win.
Central got on the scoreboard first when Rob Turner pounced on the ball in the end zone after Ira Gooch had a 61-yard punt return and fumbled the ball into the end zone. The Chippewas missed the extra point but CMU had a 6-0 advantage early in the first quarter.
The Huskies answered late in the opening quarter with a score on a 29-yard pass from Chris Finlen to Keith Perry. Steve Azar's extra point gave the Huskies the 7-6 lead.
Northern Illinois scored the only points of the second quarter on a pair of Azar field goals. Azar knocked down a 25-yard field goal early in the second quarter and hit a 20-yard kick at the 3:14 mark to give NIU a 13-6 lead.
CMU couldn't score in the final minutes of the half and Northern Illinois entered halftime with a 13-6 advantage.
NIU kept the Chippewas off the scoreboard in the third quarter and added to its lead. Azar hit another field goal, a 34-yarder, to make it 16-6.
Just a few minutes later the Huskies got the big play it was looking for when Justin McCareins returned a punt 70 yards for a score. Azar's extra point extended the NIU lead to 23-6.
CMU's frustrations continued when the Chippewas fumbled the kickoff after McCareins' return. NIU recovered the ball quickly and took advantage with a Azar 23-yard kick to make it 26-6.
Northern Illinois kept up the pressure in the fourth quarter. The Huskies put six more points on the scoreboard on a Michael Turner two-yard rush with 7:51 to play in the game. Azar's point after increased the NIU lead to 33-6.
The Huskies rounded out the scoring when McCareins caught a 33-yard pass from Finlen to make the score 40-6.
The Northern Illinois offense dominated the Chippewas in all phases of the game. The Huskies had 473 yards of total offense while holding Central to just 169 yards of offense.
Vince Webber led CMU with 113 yards of rushing on 22 carries. Quarterback Derrick Vickers was five-for-17 for 40 yards while Pete Shepherd was two-for-seven for 25 yards in the fourth quarter.
NIU was led by running back Michael Turner who had 281 yards of rushing and receiver Justin McCareins who had six receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown. McCareins also had a touchdown on a 70-yard punt return.
