After rushing for 229 yards and passing for 203 in Northern Illinois' 51-22 victory, Harnish joined an elite group of quarterbacks who accomplished that rare double: Texas' Vince Young in 2005, West Virginia's Pat White (2006), Missouri's Brad Smith (2005), Indiana's Antwaan Randle El (2000) and Michigan's Denard Robinson (2010).

Quotable: "Pat Hill has a sweet mustache," — Northern Illinois interim coach Tom Matukewicz when he was asked what he knew about Fresno State's football team a month ago. Hill is the Bulldogs' head coach.

#NIU coach Jerry Kill said S Tracy Wilson will play this week and DL Ron Newcomb will also be active.

"It’d be bad if you had three bad quarterbacks and you had to make a decision," Kill said. "We’re fortunate we have good quarterbacks and have to make a decision. I’m blessed with that."

"This coaching staff, hopefully after the season I’ll be able to say they saved my career. I had a down year the year they came on. I didn’t have that great of a season last year. (The coaches) recruiting Tyrone and him playing behind me made me realize I better step up and play or I’m not going to be a starter anymore. Personally, they’ve pushed me even better bringing in all these recruits."

I was 80 percent sure I was going to Michigan. But that was with the previous staff (Lloyd Carr's) so when they left, I was left out there. It was really late, so a lot of people had already filled up their scholarships and dropped me off their lists. NIU had been in touch and followed me, but when that happened I came to Coach Kill and he couldn't believe I was still out there. We talked and he convinced me and I wanted to be a Huskie. Now I'm here and I love it.

Northern Illinois has earned the honor of being, arguably, the most successful non-BCS team that hasn’t won a thing.

"It’s just an unfortunate situation," Silas said. "It’s unfortunate to have a teammate who’s feeling that way all season, feeling like he didn’t have to play to the highest of his abilities and hold him back. That’s unfortunate for any team when you have someone that’s as talented as Jake Anderson, and he’s not using it for whatever reason."

"I thought defensively Silas was as bad as he's been all year," Patton said. "I thought he gave up. Even though he had 31 points, I thought he gave up as many as he made."

"Jesse Palmer, who was a teammate of mine is San Francisco, was sitting there and saying it was the worst game of the bowl season," NIU recruting coordinator and wide receivers coach P.J. Fleck said. "I was like 'Come on Jesse.

"I think that inspires our kids as well and hopefully they'll be able to be motivated by that and have a good showing,"'