Northern Illinois @ Kansas preview

THE STORY: It will be a homecoming of sorts for first-year Northern Illinois coach Dave Doeren, who will bring his Huskies to Kansas, where he served as the linebackers coach and later co-defensive coordinator from 2002-2005. Jayhawks coach Turner Gill, in his second season in Lawrence, is certainly familiar with the Mid-American Conference as he guided Buffalo to the conference championship in his third season there in 2008. The Huskies and Jayhawks have met only once, with Northern Illinois claiming a 37-34 win in 1983.

TV: Fox College Sports. LINE: Northern Illinois -6.5

ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS (1-0): After winning a school-record 11 games last year, Northern Illinois got off to a good start in Doeren’s debut with a 49-26 trouncing of Army. Senior quarterback Chandler Harnish threw five touchdown passes and ran for another as the Huskies took a 35-6 halftime lead. Northern Illinois has scored 40 or more points in five of their last six games dating back to last season.

ABOUT KANSAS (1-0): Kansas got off to a better start in this year’s season opener than it did in 2010, when the Jayhawks lost 6-3 to North Dakota State in Gill’s debut. The Jayhawks defeated McNeese State 42-24 and appeared to be more explosive than they were last year. The Jayhawks had a rushing touchdown of 47 yards, and receiving scores of 56 and 48 yards. All three plays were longer than any scoring play in 2010.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Northern Illinois is 2-20 in road openers since 1989.

2. Kansas has won 23 of its last 25 non-conference home games since 2003.

3. The Jayhawks are 7-6 against current MAC teams.

PREDICTION: Northern Illinois 31, Kansas 26 - The Jayhawks are unquestionably more talented than they were a year ago, but Northern Illinois’ balanced offensive attack will overwhelm them.