Ohio keeps NIU from clinching MAC West, wins 26-21

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) Greg Windham and J.D. Sprague each threw a touchdown pass, Josiah Yazdani kicked four field goals and Ohio kept Northern Illinois from

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) Greg Windham and J.D. Sprague each threw a touchdown pass, Josiah Yazdani kicked four field goals and Ohio kept Northern Illinois from advancing to the Mid-American Conference title game with a 26-21 win on Tuesday night.

A.J. Ouellette rushed for 140 yards on 30 carries for the Bobcats (8-4, 5-3), to help put the Huskies (8-4, 6-2) in a holding position. Northern Illinois has to hope Western Michigan beats Toledo on Friday, which would create a tie among those three, to advance to the title game against East Division champion Bowling Green. The Huskies beat both teams and would win a three-way tiebreaker.

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Sprague hit Jordan Reid for a 28-yard touchdown to opening the scoring and Windham threw 5 yards to Keith Heizman in the second quarter to make it 17-7.

NIU got within 20-14 with the only points in the third quarter before Yazdani hit two 25-yard field goals.