Fast Start Leads No. 21 Northern Illinois To 63-19 Win Over UMass Football

Nov. 2, 2013

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Lorenzo Woodley and Brendon Levengood turned in career performances for Massachusetts, but Jordan Lynch proved too much as he led No. 21 Northern Illinois to a 63-19 win at Gillette Stadium Saturday.

Woodley rushed for 163 yards on 38 carries with a touchdown, while Levengood tied the school record for field goals in a game with four. Woodley's totals were the most by a UMass running back since Michael Cox went for 188 yards at Miami (Ohio) last season.

Redshirt-sophomore Mike Wegzyn threw for 169 yards and ran for 13 more as he made his first start since the Maine game the second week of the season.

UMass (1-8, 1-3 Mid-American) totaled 324 yards of offense with 155 on the ground. The defense also collected a pair of fumbles on the day, while junior Quayshun Smith blocked a Huskie field goal attempt in the third quarter.

Redshirt-junior linebacker Stanley Andre led all players with a career-high 17 tackles and he forced a fumble.

Lynch led NIU (9-0, 5-0) with 119 rushing yards and four touchdowns while adding 160 passing yards and a touchdown on 10-of-13. The Huskies had 612 yards of total offense.

UMass opened the game with a solid 47-yard drive that culminated in a 42-yard field goal by Brendon Levengood. It was a career long for the redshirt senior who took over placekicking duties this week.

NIU came right back and needed just 3:25 to take the lead as Lynch capped a 53-yard drive with a six-yard scoring run.

Levengood again connected on a career-long field goal on the next UMass drive. His 46-yard boot brought the Minutemen to within 7-6.

But as quickly as UMass closed the gap, NIU extended the lead with another strike. Lynch needed just four plays and 79 seconds to reach the end zone on a 25-yard rush.

The Huskies followed their first defensive stop of the game with a five-play scoring drive. Lunch scrambled for 19 yards and his third rushing TD of the game as NIU stretched its lead to 21-6.

NIU benefitted from a Wegzyn interception on the first UMass possession of the second quarter when Cameron Stingily scored from six yards on a two-play drive.

Woodley converted from a yard out to bring UMass to within 28-13 early in the second. Prior to notching his second career TD, Woodley broke off a run of 25 yards to place the ball at the Huskie 25.

The Huskies only needed one play on the ensuing possession for a 35-13 lead. Lynch connected with Juwan Brescacin on a 66-yard strike down the middle of the field for their longest pass play of the season.

NIU went into its bag of tricks just before halftime to score on a 15-yard double reverse as Tommylee Lewis was the beneficiary after the handoff from Cameron Stingily. The visitors took a 42-13 lead into the break.

The UMass defense held NIU to a field goal attempt on its initial drive of the second half and blocked the try, but lost possession when Brandon Potvin fumbled the ball back to the Huskies. Four plays later Lynch ended his day with an 11-yard rushing touchdown.

Levengood added two more field goals of 44 and 40 yards. Those gave him single-game highs in both field goals made and attempted and tied the school record for makes. All four of his kicks were of 40-plus yards.

Drew Hare passed for an 81-yard touchdown and rushed for a 47-yarder in the fourth quarter to account for the final score.

UMass will have a week off before hosting Akron on Nov. 16 at 1 p.m.

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