Northern Illinois @ Toledo preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 14, 2012 ) Toledo 24, Northern Illinois 31

Northern Illinois can clinch at least a share of the Mid-American Conference West Division title with a victory Wednesday against host Toledo and assure the No. 21 Huskies a fourth consecutive trip to the MAC championship game. A win by the Rockets in the Glass Bowl would forge a three-way tie for the division lead with Ball State. The No. 1 task for Toledo will be finding a way to stop Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch, who upped his Heisman Trophy stock by passing for 345 yards and two touchdowns and rushing for 123 yards and two scores in a 48-27 victory last week against Ball State.

Lynch established an FBS record for rushing yards by a quarterback earlier this season when he totaled 316 yards in a 38-17 victory against Central Michigan. Last season against Toledo, Lynch threw for a career-best 407 yards and ran for 162 in the 31-24 victory. The Rockets are riding a five-game winning streak, despite giving up 27 fourth-quarter points in 51-41 victory last week against Buffalo, averaging 45.2 points in that span.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2. LINE: Northern Illinois -2.5

ABOUT NORTHERN ILLINOIS (10-0, 6-0 MAC): One of the surprises for the Huskies this season has been the emergence of running back Cameron Stingily. He was limited to four appearances on special teams last season and one rushing attempt after switching to running back in the offseason and figured to be buried behind Akeem Daniels and Keith Harris Jr. on the depth chart. But Daniels has been sidelined all season with a toe injury and Harris suffered a season-ending ankle injury in October, opening the door for Stingily to rush for 812 yards and nine touchdowns this season - second only to Lynch.

ABOUT TOLEDO (7-3, 5-1): The Rockets have been dealing with their own injuries as running back as David Fluellen, second in the MAC with 133.4 rushing yards per game, has missed the last two contests with a leg injury and his status against Northern Illinois in uncertain. Fluellen has been replaced by freshman Kareem Hunt, who rushed for 186 yards and a touchdown against Buffalo, his fourth straight game with more than 100 yards on the ground. Fluellen’s pass-catching ability is also missed as he’s third on the team with 25 receptions.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Rockets are 25-5 in MAC play over the past four years with three losses coming against Northern Illinois.

2. The Huskies have won 14 consecutive road games, the longest active streak in the FBS after Oregon's 19-game streak ended Nov. 7 against Stanford.

3. Northern Illinois CB Sean Evans, who started the first four games before suffering a knee injury, is expected to return against Toledo.

PREDICTION: Northern Illinois 47, Toledo 41