The Eastern football team (3-0) will play against Heisman candidate Jordan Lynch on Saturday, when the Panthers travel to DeKalb to face Northern Illinois.

Lynch, who became the first player in FBS history to run for more than 1,500 yards (1,815) and throw for more than 3,000 yards (3,138) last year, led his Huskies to a week-one win against the Big 10 Conference’s Iowa.

Northern (2-0) followed its 30-27 win against Iowa with a 45-35 win against Idaho Saturday.

Eastern coach Dino Babers said Lynch is the best player Eastern will play this year.

“This will be the best team we have played in our schedule, bar no,” Babers said. “And Lynch will be the best player that we are going to play this year by far.”

Lynch has thrown 427 yards and six touchdowns on 42-of-70 passing without an interception. He also leads the team in rushing with 215 yards on 45 attempts, scoring two touchdowns.

Babers said Eastern has practiced with receivers and quarterbacks under center this week so that the Panther defense could prepare for Lynch’s passing and running abilities.

“He runs like a running back and has the speed of a receiver, but he can throw the ball like a quarterback,” Babers said. “It’s almost like he has an ‘S’ on his chest.”

While the Eastern defense prepared for Lynch this week, Northern prepared for the Panthers’ quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Northern coach Rod Carey said he was impressed with Garoppolo after first watching film of him.

“They have a quarterback who is as good as anyone that I’ve seen on film in the nation so far,” Carey said in a press conference.

Garoppolo is No. 1 in the FCS in passing yards with 1,281 and has thrown 14 touchdowns with only one interception in the Panthers’ first three games. Eastern’s offense is ranked No. 1 in the FCS, averaging 631.3 yards per game.

Through its first three games the Panthers’ offensive line has allowed four sacks, two apiece against Southern Illinois-Carbondale and Illinois State. On Saturday, the Huskies’ defense recorded nine against Idaho.

“Their defense just moved Idaho’s offensive linemen and ran hit their quarterback very hard,” Babers said. “It was like watching ‘Friday the 13th’ on tape. I’m not even sure if I’m going to show it to Jimmy.”

Garoppolo might not have watched all of Northern’s sacks against Idaho, but the Panthers offensive linemen did, including red-shirt sophomore Nick Borre, who starts at center for Eastern.

“They’re really good at the bull rush; really good at getting inside and walking you back to the quarterback,” Borre said. “We have to make sure to get our feet on the ground, hands on the side and use technique.”

Northern is the Panthers’ second opponent from the FBS this season, but Babers said this game is completely different than the season opener against San Diego State.

“When the season started, I thought San Diego State was going to be the best team that we would play,” Babers said. “Sorry. My bad. Not even close. Northern is much more explosive, stronger and faster than San Diego State.”

Babers also said despite the win in San Diego, the Panthers have to view this game with a different perspective because Northern knows more about Eastern than the Aztecs did, heading into each respective game.

“To San Diego State we were just some team from the Midwest, flying out there,” he said. “Northern Illinois knows about Eastern Illinois and they know about our players and their coaches have probably recruited and passed on some of the players we have here.”

Carey said the Huskies will definitely not overlook Eastern on Saturday night.

“Label them whatever you want them as, 1-AA or FCS that don’t matter to me and it won’t matter to our team, because you put on the film and it’s a really good football team,” he said.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb.

The game will also be available on ESPN3.

Aldo Soto can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].