Northern Illinois University Athletics

In two seasons as NIU's starting quarterback, Jordan Lynch set five NCAA and 25 school records while guiding the Huskies to a 24-4 record, the 2012 MAC Championship and historic Orange Bowl appearance. Lynch never lost a road game (12-0) or a game at Huskie Stadium (11-0) as a starter. 
 
Lynch collected first team All-America honors from the AP, Lindy's and Phil Steele in 2013 after making the AP and Phil Steele second teams as a junior. He won the MAC's Vern Smith Leadership (MVP) Award in both 2012 and 2013 and his third-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting is the best by a player from the MAC. Lynch was also a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year, Manning Quarterback Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Senior CLASS Award and AT&T All-America Player of the Year awards as a senior.
 
Lynch's spectacular 2012 campaign included 12 100-yard rushing games and nine 200-yard passing games, as NIU became the first league team to earn a berth in a Bowl Championship Series game. The Huskies were ranked as high as 16th in the national polls. 
 
His 2012 performance and NIU's run to the Orange Bowl vaulted the Huskies and Lynch into the national conversation that was amplified in 2013 with the wins over Iowa and Purdue.  NIU earned a Top 25 ranking at the beginning of October while the "Lynch for 6" Heisman campaign kicked into high gear as he recorded a pair of 300-yard rushing games, 10 200-yard and one 300-yard passing game while leading NIU to an undefeated regular season. Lynch accounted for 48 touchdowns as a senior in 2013, throwing for 2,892 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 1,920 yards and 23 scores.
 
After leaving NIU, Lynch went on to a professional career in the CFL where he helped the Edmonton Eskimos win the 2015 Grey Cup.