Northern Illinois @ Iowa preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 1, 2012 ) Iowa 18, Northern Illinois 17

Northern Illinois crashed the BCS party last season, but as the Huskies kick off their 2013 season Saturday at Iowa, fashioning another BCS-busting campaign will be a tall order. The Northern Illinois defense held opponents to 19.9 points per game a year ago but debuts seven new starters against the Hawkeyes. The good news for the Huskies is that senior quarterback Jordan Lynch, who accounted for 44 touchdowns while finishing sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting, returns to steer the MAC’s top offense.

Sophomore Jake Rudock takes over at quarterback for Iowa, edging Cody Sokol and C.J. Beathard for the starting nod. The Hawkeyes passed for just seven touchdowns last season, hindering an offense that finished 113th in FBS in scoring (19.3). Iowa held off Northern Illinois 18-17 in last year’s season opener in Chicago, but the Huskies won their next 12 games before losing in the Orange Bowl, while the Hawkeyes lost eight of their final 11 contests.

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

ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS (2012: 12-2, 8-0 MAC): Lynch passed for 3,138 yards and added 1,815 yards rushing a year ago and has five players who caught 10 or more passes returning. The Huskies averaged 38.6 points last season (13th nationally), but they play four of their first five games away from home in their first full season under coach Rod Carey, who coached Northern Illinois in its 31-10 Orange Bowl loss to Florida State. The Huskies boast three returning starters in the secondary but lost three defensive linemen and three linebackers.

ABOUT IOWA (2012: 4-8, 2-6 Big Ten): Linebacker Anthony Hitchens, who led the Big Ten with 11.2 tackles per game last season, joins fellow seniors James Morris and Christian Kirksey in forming one of the top linebacking units in the conference. The Hawkeyes do not have a quarterback on their roster who has taken a snap in a college game, meaning junior running backs Mark Weisman and Damon Bullock will have to carry the offense early in the season. The two combined for 1,585 yards of total offense and 12 touchdowns in 2012.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Hawkeyes lead the all-time series 8-0.

2. Northern Illinois is one of four FBS teams to win 11 or more games in each of the past three seasons.

3. Iowa played six games decided by three points or less last season (tops in the nation), going 2-4.

PREDICTION: Iowa 19, Northern Illinois 17