MIAMI SHORES, Fla. – To Northern Illinois safety Demetrius Stone, the Huskies’ secondary has been playing as good as it can be lately.

“We’re playing real well. We’ve got depth,” Stone said after Thursday’s practice at Barry University in preparation for Tuesday night’s Orange Bowl against Florida State at Sun Life Stadium in Miami. “Guys are out there making plays. We’ve been playing well all season.”

However, the rest of the Mid-American Conference doesn’t compare to a team such as Florida State, with athletes like quarterback E.J. Manuel and a receiving corps with five players who have more than 20 catches on the season. Rashad Greene leads the unit with 52 catches for 696 yards and five touchdowns.