NIU will look to snap a six-game losing streak and keep its slim bowl hopes alive when the Huskies host Ball State on Saturday.

The Huskies (1-6, 0-3 MAC) would have to win out to qualify for a bowl game for the third straight season. The combined record of their remaining five opponents is 13-22.

The Cardinals (3-4, 2-1) beat Akron 42-28 last week, while the Huskies enter the game on the heels of a 48-21 loss at Ohio. The Cardinals beat the Bobcats 20-14 on Oct. 4.

Eight members of the Ball State coaching staff have ties to NIU, including head coach Mike Uremovich, who was the offensive coordinator from 2016-2018. He was a graduate assistant with the Huskies in 2001 and 2002, overlapping with the playing career of current NIU head coach Thomas Hammock.

Here are three things to know heading into the game.

Hammock said Josh Holst will remain starter at quarterback

Marengo grad and redshirt sophomore Josh Holst returned to the starting quarterback position against Ohio, taking over for true freshman Brady Davidson.

Holst was 21 for 29 for 161 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Huskies to a season-best 21 points.

It was a surprise start last week for Holst, as Davidson was listed as the starter on the depth chart and Hammock didn’t indicate otherwise when asked about his freshman’s performance.

“Why wouldn’t it be Holst?” said Hammock after being asked who the starter against Ball State would be before being reminded of the situation last week. “No, he played well and did some things to help us from an offensive standpoint. He can continue to make better decisions as we go, and that will open up some things from an offensive perspective.”

After the game Saturday, both Hammock and the offensive players said they liked the offense in the second half due to an increased tempo.

This week, Hammock said the Huskies have to play faster than they did earlier in the season.

“If you play some of those nonconference games and you play faster, it can be to your detriment,” Hammock said. “We got caught in a rabbit hole of what does it take to play solid against Maryland and Mississippi State, and that slowed us down for a while.”

Huskies look to reverse result of trophy games under Hammock

The Huskies have a pair of trophy games against MAC opponents. They battle Miami for the Mallory Cup and Ball State for the Bronze Stalk. Under Hammock, the Huskies are a combined 1-9 in those games. They’re 1-5 against Ball State, including a 25-23 loss last year.

They lost 25-14 on Oct. 4 to the RedHawks.

Hammock pointed out that all the games against the Cardinals have been decided by a touchdown or less.

“Games like those can get scrappy,” said redshirt sophomore Landon Hron, who is listed on the depth chart at left guard for the second straight week after six starts at center. “I mean, they’re rivalry games and that’s just how it goes sometimes. We just have to stay focused and play like a winner.”

Defense needs bounce-back after worst performance of season

The 48 points the Huskies gave up to the Bobcats were the most the team surrendered since a 52-32 loss to Toledo in 2022.

The Bobcats ran for 333 yards and amassed 538 yards of total offense. Hammock said Ohio was much more physical than the Huskies.

Linebacker Quinn Urwiler said the Huskies have watched film from the loss and have made it right.

“We’re making sure that’s our emphasis, flying around and making sure we’re tacking,” said Urwiler, who is first in the MAC and second nationally with 11.9 total tackles per game and leads the conference and country with 6.3 solo tackles per game. “We have to make sure we’re playing all the way through the whistle blowing.”