N. Illinois 41, Ball St. 38

Published Nov. 16, 2011 12:20 a.m. ET

foxsports

Mathew Sims hit two field goals in the final 2:46 and Northern Illinois piled up 710 yards of offense to defeat Ball State 41-38 on Tuesday night.

Sims nailed a 23-yarder that tied the score. After the Huskies (8-3, 6-1 Mid-American) forced a punt, they got it back at their own 20-yard line with 1:44 remaining. Ten plays later, Sims hit a 34-yarder with 8 seconds left for the game-winner.

Chandler Harnish had a school-record 519 yards of offense - 338 passing, 181 rushing - and a combined three TDs for Northern Illinois. Jasmin Hopkins added 122 yards rushing and two TDs, while Martel Moore (six catches, 120 yards) and Nathan Palmer (8-95) each had touchdown receptions.

Ball State (6-5, 4-3), which led 31-14 in the third quarter, got 245 yards passing and two TDs from Keith Wenning, a 92-yard fumble return from Joshua Howard for a touchdown, and a 68-yard run from Scott Kovanda off a fake punt that set up another score.