Ground Attack and Stout Defense Lift Air Force to 28-7 win at NIU

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Air Force	7	7	14	0	28
NIU	0	7	0	0	7

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Air Force

NIU

Air Force football churned out 439 yards on the ground and the defense allowed just one score, in a dominant 28-7 win in its first-ever meeting against Northern Illinois (0-5, 0-1 MW) Saturday night at Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill. The Falcons won its third-straight, improving to 4-1, 2-1 MW.

Sophomore quarterback Evan Medders, making his first-career start, led the ground attack with with 114 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Senior fullback Owen Allen rumbled for 100 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Junior wide receiver Matt Long had career-high's of 76 yards on seven carries.

The Falcons attempted just one pass in the win, coming from fullback Kemper Hodges.

Air Force got on the board first, utilizing a 15-play, 83-yard drive, that ate up 8:02 off the clock. The drive was capped with a three-yard TD run by Allen to put the Falcons up 7-0.

Northern Illinois tied it up midway through the second quarter as running back Telly Johnson Jr. found the end zone from nine yards out with 7:58 to play in the second.

The Falcons took a 14-7 lead into halftime, as they capped a 13-play, 75 yard drive that chewed up 7:17 off the clock, capped by a four-yard run by Medders with 41 seconds before the half.

Air Force furthered the lead with a touchdown on the opening drive of the second half. Allen scampered for a 33-yard touchdown run to put the Falcons ahead 21-7.

Following the Falcons forcing a three-and-out on the ensuing drive, Air Force put the game out of reach as Medders struck with a 41-yard touchdown run to make it a 28-7 game.

Air Force held NIU to 253 yards of total offense, with just 140 through the air and 119 rushing. Senior LB Blake Fletcher led the team in tackles for the fifth straight game with 11 tackles, for his fourth-straight in double figures. If that wasn't enough, Fletcher also notched his second interception of the season.

Air Force returns to action in a pivotal MW game against UNLV next weekend, Oct. 17, back at Falcon Stadium. The game kicks at 1:30 pm MT and will be broadcast by CBS Sports.

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