The NIU football team has won three straight games after falling to 1-4 on the year and looks to get back above .500 with a Mid-American Conference win Tuesday at Central Michigan.

Kickoff is at 6 p.m. on ESPNU.

The Huskies (4-4, 3-1 MAC) are coming off a 20-13 win against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 21, a team CMU (4-4, 2-2) beat 26-23 on Sept. 30. Both teams also have played Akron, a 17-10 home win for the Chippewas and a 55-14 road win for the Huskies.

Here are three things to know about the game:

NIU defense is lights out in 4th quarter

The Huskies are 19th nationally in total defense, allowing 310.4 yards per game. And over the past two games, they have forced five interceptions in the fourth quarter.

Coach Thomas Hammock said that with the Huskies leading in the fourth quarter more often, that’s making teams more one-dimensional in their attacks.

“We talk offensively about finding a way to get the lead and allowing the defense to get the opponent in predictable situations,” Hammock said. “Obviously, if they are not predictable, they have the run-pass option, it becomes a lot more challenging to defend.

NIU hasn’t committed a turnover during its current winning streak, while forcing six. The Huskies are sixth in the country in pass defense, allowing 163.6 yards per game.

“It’s just a bunch of guys doing their one-eleventh,” linebacker Devin Lafayette said. “Whether it’s zone or man, it’s guys doing their job and making a play on the ball when it comes their way.”

Gumbs makes impact after position change

After spring practice, George Gumbs moved to defensive end for the Huskies out of a crowded tight end field. He’s played in every game this year and has been starting the past three weeks for NIU.

Hammock said he likes what he’s seen out of not only Gumbs, but the whole DE group.

Gumbs said he was a little unsure at first, having never played the position before, but said coach Travis Moore made the transition seamless.

“Pretty much for me, it’s just the want-to,” Gumbs said. “I just really want to play football. It doesn’t really matter what [position] I play. I came in as a wide receiver, got switched to tight end. I just embrace what I do.”

Hammock looks for offense to make next leap

Out of 132 teams, the Huskies are still 100th in total offense at 343.5 yards per game, but the rushing offense is averaging 154.2 per contest, up to 68th in the nation. Leading rusher Antario Brown left the Eastern Michigan game in the fourth quarter, but Hammock said he’s expected to be back at 100%.

Hammock said he wants to see more consistency in the rushing offense, which means the Huskies need to start hitting on some deep pass plays to keep teams from stacking the box.

“People tend to play us a little different than what they’ve shown all season,” Hammock said of opponents’ propensity for stacking the box against NIU. “We have to find some ways to lighten the box. [That] means you’ve got to hit down-the-field shots in the pass game.

“That’s the next step in our progression, hit on some of the play-action passes down the field.”

Prediction: NIU 21, Central Michigan 17