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DeKALB, IL - If ever the first play of a game signalled the outcome it came Saturday afternoon at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, IL.

Northern Illinois flanker Justin McCareins broke three tackles and returned the kick 68 yards, signaling the beginning of a tremendous performance by McCareins and domination by the Huskies of the University at Buffalo, 73-10, in a Mid-American Conference game.

McCareins returned the ball to the Buffalo 22-yard line. Three plays later, Thomas Hammock went in from 13 yards out for the opening score of the game with 13:13 left in the game.

On UB's first possession, the Bulls drove to the NIU 38-yard line before Joe Freedy (Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park) was intercepted at the Huskie two-yard line by Vince Thompson. The Huskies took advantage by driving 98 yards in seven plays capped by McCareins catching a 15-yard pass from quarterback Chris Finlen with 9:21 remaining to make it 14-0.

NIU extended the lead to 17-0 on a 26-yard field goal by Steve Azar, the key play on the drive being a 3rd-and-16 conversion to the Huskie 48-yard line. The Huskies made it 24-0 with 13:39 remaining when McCareins caught his second TD pass of the day from 22 yards out from Finlen. The rout was on from there as the Huskies led 45-0 at intermission. McCareins finished with 10 receptions for 151 yards and 275 all-purpose yards.

UB's bright spot was junior fullback Albert Grundy (Springfield, PA/Springfield) who had a career-high 173 yards on 18 carries to pace the UB offense. It was Grundy's second straight 100-yard game and the most rushing yards by a UB player since Anthony Swan ran for 215 yards on 29 carries at Lehigh on Sept. 21, 1996.

Freedy did not play the second half after connecting on 5-of-13 passes for 51 yards with four interceptions in the first half. Junior Mike Gaydosz (Ellwood City, PA/Riverside) played the second half and completed 4-of-16 passes for 56 yards and his first career touchdown pass, a 23-yard touchdown connection with sophomore tight end Chad Bartoszek (Salamanca, NY/Salamanca). It was Bartoszek'second touchdown reception of the year. Junior Dahnel Singfield (Baltimore, MD/Dunbar) led the Bulls with four receptions for 37 yards and also had three kickoff returns for 85 yards.

The UB defense was paced by senior Tory Smith (Centereach, NY/Half Hollow East) who had seven tackles (four solos) and a pass breakup. Redshirt freshman Mark Graham (Monroe, MI/Monroe) added six tackles and a pass breakup while junior Duane Williams (Detroit, MI/Denby) had six stops, two for losses, and his eighth quarterback sack of the season.

The 73 points the Bulls allowed was the second most in school history, behind only a 128-0 loss to Michigan in 1901.