Rocky Lombardi, NIU defense shake off rough fourth quarter to shine in OT

CHESTNUT HILL, Massachusetts — Quarterback Rocky Lombardi and the NIU defense got off to drastically different starts during Saturday’s season-opening win over Boston College.

But luckily for the Huskies, both came through when it mattered most.

I don’t know if there’s a science to it, really, but we just got a lot of heart. We know how to finish a game when it comes down to it. I think it is a little bit of a skill to know how to close out a game. Emotions are high, tensions are high, everybody’s going every which way.

—  Rocky Lombardi, NIU football

After watching a two-touchdown lead evaporate in the fourth quarter, NIU buckled down to hold the Eagles to a field goal during the first possession of overtime before Lombardi snuck into the end zone from 1-yard out to lift the Huskies to a 27-24 victory.

NIU’s defense was suffocating through the first 30 minutes of action, allowing just 135 yards of total offense while shutting out an opponent in the first half for the first time since the 2021 Mid-American Championship Game against Kent State.

“We watched a lot of film over the past week, we had a lot of preparation, good looks from our scout team back in DeKalb,” said cornerback JaVaughn Byrd, who had the Huskies’ lone interception. “We were very well-prepared for this game.”

However, the second half was a different story.

Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos took over, throwing for a pair of touchdowns and rushing for another to tie things up and give life to the Eagles.

“I expected (Castellanos) to play. I told our coaches he was gonna play,” Huskies head coach Thomas Hammock said. “We recruited him in high school, we lost him, but he’s a tremendous athlete.

“I think he’s very athletic, he’s a hard guy to tackle, but I thought we stayed in there long enough to do what we needed to do and make one more play than they did.”

While the NIU defense was shining before the break, Lombardi was struggling, throwing for just 89 yards on 5-for-11 passing. He faced more adversity in the third quarter, losing a fumble that set the Eagles up at the Huskies 25.

That giveaway ignited Boston College’s rally, as Castellanos connected with Liam Bond for an 11-yard touchdown five plays later to put the Eagles on the board with 4:58 left in the quarter.

By the time overtime rolled around, Lombardi seemed unfazed, even after Liam Connor’s 39-yard field goal put the hosts in front. He completed a 16-yard pass to Brock Lampe, and just a couple of plays later, powered his way over the goal line to give NIU its first win over Boston College in four meetings.

“I don’t know if there’s a science to it, really, but we just got a lot of heart. We know how to finish a game when it comes down to it,” Lombardi said. “I think it is a little bit of a skill to know how to close out a game. Emotions are high, tensions are high, everybody’s going every which way.

“If you can zone it in for that last little bit and figure out a way to win the game, then I think it’s definitely a skill.”

Above all, Lombardi was just thankful to be back on the field after appearing in just four games last season due to injury.

“I got a little emotional after the game. There was a time where I didn’t know if I’d be able to come back and play ever again,” Lombardi said. “I love this game, it means a lot to me, so to be able to be back out there and get a win on top of that, it was a lot of emotion.”

With the win, the Huskies improved their all-time record to 10-5 in overtime games. It was the second win at a Power 5 school for the Huskies under Hammock, with the first coming at Georgia Tech to start the MAC championship season in 2021.