| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NIU | 10 | 0 | 14 | 9 | 33 |
| EMU | 10 | 10 | 14 | 7 | 41 |
Eastern Michigan holds on to beat Northern Illinois 41-33
Mark Lee Jr. scoops up the ball after it's fumbled, taking it 61 yards to the house for a touchdown. (0:34)
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- — Preston Hutchinson threw two touchdowns and scored on a 1-yard run for a 17-point, fourth-quarter lead, and Eastern Michigan held off Northern Illinois 41-33 in the season finale for both teams Saturday.
Eastern Michigan led 34-17 with 5:48 left in the third quarter.
Northern Illinois pulled within 41-26 after recording a safety with 3:29 left and on the Huskies next possession, Ross Bowers connected with Cole Tucker from 14-yards out for a one-possession game with 2:17 remaining. Eastern Michigan was forced to punt, but NIU couldn't get past midfield as time expired.
Hutchinson was 21-of-29 passing for 242 yards and he added 26 yards rushing for Eastern Michigan (2-4, 2-4 Mid-American Conference).
Bowers threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns for NIU (0-6, 0-6).
With a 20-10 lead at the intermission, the Eagles added to it when Mark Lee Jr. returned a forced fumble 61 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. Kempton Shine forced the fumble on Dennis Robinson after he caught a short pass from Bowers.
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2020 Mid-American Conference Standings
| TEAM | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| Buffalo | 5-0 | 6-1 |
| Kent State | 3-1 | 3-1 |
| Miami (OH) | 2-1 | 2-1 |
| Ohio | 2-1 | 2-1 |
| Akron | 1-5 | 1-5 |
| Bowling Green | 0-5 | 0-5 |
| TEAM | CONF | OVR |
| Ball State | 5-1 | 7-1 |
| Western Michigan | 4-2 | 4-2 |
| Toledo | 4-2 | 4-2 |
| Central Michigan | 3-3 | 3-3 |
| Eastern Michigan | 2-4 | 2-4 |
| Northern Illinois | 0-6 | 0-6 |