THE FACTS
WHAT: Central Michigan Chippewas (4-2, 1-1 MAC) at NIU Huskies (1-5, 1-1 MAC)
WHERE: DeKalb, Illinois | Huskie Stadium | 23,595
WHEN: Saturday, October 15, 2016  | 2:30 p.m. (CT)
WATCH: ESPN3  | WatchESPN
Radio: AM 560 WIND (Chicago)  |  WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb)  |  Sportsfan 1330 AM (Rockford)   |  TuneIn
 
HUSKIE BITES

• After playing four of its first six games of 2016 on the road, NIU will be at home for each of its next four games, beginning Saturday when the Huskies play host to MAC West foe Central Michigan.
• NIU's four-game homestand, which includes the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown game versus Toledo at Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, is the longest in the school's history as a "Major College" program (since 1969). The Huskies played five consecutive games at home in 1968 (Oct. 12-Nov. 16).    
• All-time, the Huskies have played Central Michigan more times than any other Football Bowl Subdivision opponent as the 2016 game will be the teams' 52nd meeting dating back to 1939. The Chippewas lead the series 27-23-1.  
• NIU has won the Mid-American Conference West Division title in each of the last six years. The Huskies are 45-5 in MAC regular season games since the beginning of the 2010 season with the Chippewas handing NIU three of those losses (in 2011, 2014, 2015).   
• Quarterback Anthony Maddie posted his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 111 yards on 17 carries at Western Michigan while also throwing for 224 yards on 14-of-30 passing. Maddie became the first NIU quarterback since Jordan Lynch in 2013 to throw for more than 200 yards and rush for over 100 in back-to-back games.
• Huskie senior WR Kenny Golladay continues to lead the MAC and rank among the top 10 players in the FBS in receiving yards (7th) and catches per game (9th). He also leads the league in all-purpose yards.
• Indiana ('93) graduate Rod Carey is in his fourth season as NIU head coach; he ranks sixth all-time at the school in wins with 32.     
• NIU ranks tied for 11th nationally among FBS programs in Graduation Success Rate and is tied for third among public FBS institutions.

 

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HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS
2015 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 8-6/6-2/T1st West
Head Coach: Rod Carey
Record at NIU/Years: 32-17/4th
Career Record/Years: 32-17/4th
Alma Mater/Year: Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 567-481-51
Consecutive Bowl Appearances: 8
Last Bowl Game:  2015 SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 7, 2015
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 51/16
Starters Returning: 16 (6 off., 6 def., 4 spec.)
Starters Lost: 10 (5 offense, 5 defense, 0 specialist)
 

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NIU FACTS
Location: DeKalb, Illinois
Founded: 1895
Enrollment: 19,015
Affiliation: NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision
Conference: Mid-American (West Division)
Colors:  Cardinal and Black
Stadium: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium
    Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /23,595
President: Dr. Douglas D. Baker
Assoc. VP/Athletic Director:  Sean T. Frazier
    Alma Mater, Year: Alabama '92
Ticket Information: 815-753-PACK (7225)
 
NIU 2016 Schedule
 

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CHIPPEWAS' FACTS
2015 Record: 7-6
MAC Record/Finish: 6-2/t-1st (West)
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): John Bonamego (Central Michigan/1987)
Record at Central Michigan/Years: 11-8/2nd
Career Record/Years: 11-8/2nd
Location: Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Enrollment:  27,069   
Conference: Mid-American   
Colors: Maroon and Gold
Stadium: Kelly/Shorts Stadium   
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /30,255
President:  Dr. George E. Ross
Athletic Director: Dave Heeke   
Athletics Website: . www.cmuchippewas.com
Twitter:  @CMUAthletics
Ticket Information: 888-347-3872
 
CMU 2016 Schedule
   
NIU-CENTRAL MICHIGAN SERIES HISTORY
Overall............................................................ CMU leads 27-23-1
In DeKalb, Ill..................................................... NIU leads 14-10-1
At Mount Pleasant, Mich..................................... CMU leads 17-9
In MAC Games............................................................ Tied, 15-15
Streak................................................................................ CMU, 2
First Meeting............................. Sept. 30, 1939; CMU 6, NIU 0 (A)
Last Meeting.................................. Oct. 3, 2015; CMU 29, NIU 19
   
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
 
TV: NIU-CMU on ESPN3

• NIU's game versus Central Michigan will be streamed live online and available to mobile users on ESPN3.
• Shawn Kenney (play-by-play) and Marcus Ray (color analyst) will call the game for ESPN3.
• WatchESPN requires an active subscription from an affiliated provider. For more info, go to www.espn3.com.
• Get the direct link to the game stream on GameDay Central at NIUHuskies.com.

 
RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Network broadcast for the CMU game begins at 2 p.m. CT, 30 minutes before kickoff.
• The game will be carried on NIU network affiliates WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb), AM 560 The Answer (Chicago) and Sports Fan 1330 (Rockford).
• Hear the broadcast online via NIU All-Access (subscription), and on mobile devices via TuneIn. Download the app free and find the NIU Huskies channel.
• Bill Baker is in his 37th season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo joins him for the 31st season, while Andy Garcia is in his fourth season on the sidelines.

 
INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Airs LIVE Mondays from 7-8 p.m. CT with host Bill Baker, football head coach Rod Carey, two Huskie players and other head coaches and administrators each week.
• The hour-long show can be heard on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb and Sports Fan 1330 in Rockford.
• Listen online via NIUTube and on the TuneIn app.
• Fans are invited to attend the show at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy).

 
NIU WEEKLY RADIO SHOW

• Airs Friday at 10 p.m. CT in Chicago on AM 560 The Answer, Saturday at 8 a.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb and on Sports Fan 1330 in Rockford.
• Also hear it on NIUTube (subscription).
• Hosts are Andy Garcia and NIU Associate Vice-President/Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier.
• The 30-minute show features interviews with football head coach Rod Carey, as well as other NIU head coaches and administrators.

 
NIU ALL-ACCESS

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, video features, Huskie Olympic sports and special events.
• Hear all NIU live radio broadcasts, including football and basketball games and NIU radio shows.
• Purchase a daily, monthly or annual subscription.
• Go to NIUHuskies.com for rates and information.

 
GETTING SOCIAL

• Twitter: @NIUAthletics, @NIUScores, @NIU_Football
• Facebook: NIU Huskies, NIU Football
• Instagram: niuhuskies, niuhuskiefootball
• YouTube: niuhuskiesdotcom
• See NIU Athletics' social media hub online to see all of the Huskie team and coaching staff accounts.

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NIU NEWS & NOTES
 
MOST FREQUENT FOE: The Huskies have played Central Michigan 51 times since 1939, more than any other current NCAA FBS team. The Chippewas lead the all-time series 27-23-1.  In 30 games as MAC opponents, the series is deadlocked at 15 wins apiece. The Huskies are 14-10-1 in games played at Huskie Stadium, however, Central Michigan won the last meeting in DeKalb, 34-17, on Oct. 11, 2014.
 
THE LAST TIME WE MET: Central Michigan took advantage of four NIU turnovers, including three in the third quarter, to score 26 second-half points en route to a 29-19 victory over the Huskies at Kelly Shorts Stadium on Oct. 3, 2015. Joel Bouagnon led the Huskies with a game-high 104 yards rushing on 26 carries and two touchdowns. Chippewas quarterback Cooper Rush threw for 182 yards and three touchdowns, while Jahray Hayes rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries.
 
COMMON FOES: NIU and Central Michigan share a pair of common opponents as both played Ball State and Western Michigan over the last two weeks. The Huskies and Chippewas are 1-1 in those games with each team beating Ball State, while falling to Western Michigan. NIU defeated Ball State, 31-24, in the conference opener, while the Chippewas fell to Western Michigan, 49-10, the same day. Last weekend, Central Michigan edged out Ball State, 24-21, while NIU fell to Western Michigan, 45-30.
 
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: With a 60-16 record since 2003, Northern Illinois' all-time record at Huskie Stadium to 166-101-2 for a .621 winning percentage. Five of those 16 home losses occurred in just one season - 2007. The Huskies have won 35 of their last 39 games at Huskie Stadium, dating back to a 38-3 victory over Western Michigan, Oct. 3, 2009. NIU is looking for its first victory at Huskie Stadium in 2016 and the Huskies' first since a 27-19 win over Western Michigan on Nov. 18, 2015.
 
HOME FROM THE ROAD: After playing four of their first six games on the road, the Huskies will play their next four games as the home. Following this weekend's game versus Central Michigan, the Huskies welcome Buffalo to DeKalb for the 110th Homecoming Game Oct. 22. NIU enters midweek play Nov. 1 when it plays host to Bowling Green in a MAC Championship game rematch, before taking on Toledo Nov. 9 for the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.
 
HUSKIES IN THE MAC: NIU is now 137-95-2 all-time in MAC play with a 101-50 (.669) record in league action since 1997 (when NIU rejoined the league). The Huskies have won 45 of their last 50 conference games since 2010. Western Michigan joined Central Michigan and Ohio as the only other league foes to defeat the Huskies in the regular season during that time. The Chippewas defeated NIU in 2011, 2014 and 2015, while Ohio scored a win over NIU in the 2015 regular season finale at Huskie Stadium. The Huskies are in their 31st season as a member of the Mid-American Conference in 2016-17, including an initial stint in the league from 1975-85.
 
JUST FOR KICKS: Kicker Christian Hagan made a season high three field goals – on kicks of 30, 19 and 37 yards – and scored a season-high 12 points in the game at Western Michigan.  Hagan recorded his first three-field goal game since the 2015 Toledo game, when he made four field goals.
 
WEEKLY HARDWARE: Hagan was named MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week following his performance at Western Michigan. In addition to going three-for-three on field goal attempts, he was also effective on kickoffs as NIU employed strategic directional kicks to keep WMU return man Darius Phillips contained. Hagan's honor comes a week after Sean Folliard earned MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week honors with a career-high 17 tackles at Ball State.
 
POINT MADE: NIU's 17 points scored in the second quarter at Western Michigan are the most points scored in a quarter by the Huskies this season. The previous high of 16 were scored in the fourth quarter in a 28-23 setback to Western Illinois Sept. 24 at Huskie Stadium. The 17 points are the most scored by NIU since the Huskies put up 21 in the second quarter against Eastern Michigan on Oct. 24, 2015.
 
QUITE A RUSH: NIU redshirt senior quarterback Anthony Maddie rushed for 111 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown at Western Michigan to post his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game. He ran for 160 yards at Ball State and now has rushed for 100 yards or more in each of his two career starts.  He is the first NIU quarterback to have back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since Drew Hare had 180 and 166 yards versus Miami and Eastern Michigan, respectively, in 2014. 
 
DUAL THREAT: Maddie became the first Huskie quarterback to rush for 100 yards and throw for 200 yards in back-to-back games since Jordan Lynch accomplished the feat in 2013. Maddie rushed for a team-high 111 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries and passed for 224 yards and a touchdown at Western Michigan. The week before at Ball State, Maddie had a career day, rushing for 160 yards and a TD while throwing for 298 yards and two TDs in the victory over the Cardinals.
 
SWEET HOME CHICAGO: The NIU football team returns to Chicago this season when NIU plays host to Mid-American Conference rival Toledo, Nov. 9 at Guaranteed Rate Field in the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown. It will be the first college football game ever played at the stadium, which is the home of the Chicago White Sox.
 
BOUAGNON GAINING GROUND: With 59 yards on 11 carries at Western Michigan, tailback Joel Bouagnon surpassed Thomas Hammock (1999-2002) for 12th place all-time on NIU's career rushing yards list. The Huskie senior has amassed 2,438 yards on 495 attempts and is NIU's leading rusher in 2016 with 412 yards on 77 carries. He needs 290 yards to pass Stacey Robinson (1989-90) for 11th.
 
SACK LUNCH: The NIU defense tallied multiple sacks in back-to-back games for the first time this season with two sacks at Western Michigan. Sutton Smith recorded his first career sack in the first quarter, while Ladell Fleming tallied his first sack of the season. The Huskies made a season-high five sacks in its victory over Ball State October 1. The five sacks were the most for the Huskies since 2014 when NIU recorded five in its 23-15 victory over Northwestern (Sept. 6). The NIU defense has nine sacks on the year.
 
YOUTH MOVEMENT: While the Huskies boast 18 seniors on its depth chart, nine on offense, six on defense and three specialists, the Huskies have 11 freshmen, including four true freshmen, at either a starting spot or back-up position. Redshirt freshman Jordan Steckler has started the last two games at right guard, while true freshmen Daniel Isom (CB) and Mitchell Brinkman (TE) have started at least one game each.
 
DEBUTS: Nineteen Huskies have taken the field for the first time for NIU this season, including true freshmen Mitchell Brinkman, Lance Deveaux, Jr., Daniel Isom and Ben LeRoy. Brinkman and Isom, as well as redshirt freshmen Quintin Wynne and Jordan Steckler have made at least one start this season. Junior college transfer Joe Sanders has made four starts at defensive end, while JC product Damarius Brinson, Jr. has seen action in all six games for NIU at cornerback. In addition to Wynne and Steckler, 10 other redshirt freshmen have played in 2016 as well.
 
TACKLING MACHINE: A week after tallying a career-high 17 tackles at Ball State to earn MAC West Defensive Player of the Week honors, Sean Folliard recorded a game-high 11 tackles at Western Michigan. It was the fifth double-digit tackle game of his career and marked the second time he has recorded back-to-back double-digit tackle games since last season. The senior linebacker made 10 tackles against Ohio (Nov. 24) and versus Bowling Green (Dec. 4) in the 2015 MAC Championship Game. Folliard is second on the team in tackles with 48.
 
TE SCORING TDs: NIU tight end Shane Wimann scored his fifth receiving touchdown of the season, and ninth of his career, on a 26-yard toss from Anthony Maddie at Western Michigan. Wimann had a two-yard touchdown reception against Western Illinois in the fourth game of the season. He also reached the end zone on fourth-quarter receptions of 14 and seven yards versus San Diego State. The Huskie junior scored his first touchdown of 2016 at Wyoming on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Drew Hare. Wimann's five TDs this year surpasses his previous career high of four set last season.
 
GOLLADAY STREAKING: Golladay has recorded at least one reception in all 20 games of his Huskie career after making five catches for 99 yards at Western Michigan. He recorded a career-high 13 receptions at Ball State, the second 10-catch game of his career. Golladay had one catch for 15 yards against Bowling Green in the MAC Championship game to keep the streak alive. Robert Davis of Georgia State, Corey Davis of Western Michigan and Zach Pascal of Old Dominion lead the nation with a 42-game reception streak.
 
LAW OF AVERAGES: With his five-catch, 99-yard performance at Western Michigan, Golladay is averaging 89.2 yards receiving a game. His receiving yards per game average is ahead of NIU's all-time leader, Dave Petzke, who averaged 89.0 yards a game during his two years as a Huskie. Golladay's 5.8 catches per game ranks second to Petzke who averaged 6.7 from 1977-78.
 
CATCHING ON: Golladay has amassed 1,784 yards receiving on 115 receptions in 20 career NIU games. He needs 167 yards to move into 10th on the all-time receiving yards list and 28 catches to move into ninth on the all-time receptions list at NIU. He would be just the second two-year player to make those lists.
 
MOVING ON UP: With a pair of receiving touchdowns at Ball State, Golladay is tied for 10th on NIU's career chart. Justin McCareins (1997-2000) holds the school record with 29. Golladay is tied with Dave Petzke (1977-78) and Nathan Palmer (2008-11) with 16 career touchdown receptions. Golladay's have come in just 20 games compared to 22 and 48 for Petzke and Palmer, respectively
 
REACHING HIGHER: Golladay hauled in a career-high 13 receptions in NIU's win at Ball State, which is tied for fourth-most in a game by an NIU receiver and are the most since Sam Hurd caught 14 passes versus Akron on Sept. 24, 2005. Golladay's 13-catch performance against the Cardinals is the second 10-plus catch day of his career. He snared 10 receptions for 144 yards in the season opener.
 
KENNY G FOR THE TD: With touchdown receptions of 14 and 22 yards at Ball State, Golladay has eight touchdowns on the season (six receiving, two rushing), and is closing in to his 2015 tally of 11 (10 receiving and one rushing). It was Golladay's second two-touchdown performance of the season and fifth of his career. Last year, Golladay didn't score his sixth touchdown of the season until Nov. 11 with a pair of receiving TDs at Buffalo.
 
POWER OF NIU'S "19" DUO: Double numbers are common on college football teams, but rarely do two players star with the same number. All-American cornerback Shawun Lurry and NIU's leading receiver, Kenny Golladay both wear No. 19. Other than playing on opposite sides of the ball, there is another "big" difference between the two. Golladay stands 6-4, 213, while Lurry has a 5-8 180-pound frame. Golladay leads the Huskies in receiving with 655 yards on 42 receptions. Lurry has 28 tackles and a team-leading six pass break ups.
 
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: Senior Austin Smaha made his first career start in his 38th career game at NIU at Western Michigan. The Huskie defensive end tallied three tackles, two solo, against the Broncos.
 
BLAKE BREAKING OUT: Entering the 2016 season opener, NIU wide receiver Christian Blake had eight receptions for 73 yards. This season, Blake surpassed his two-year totals in both categories in NIU's first two games. He had a career-high 82 yards on four receptions at Wyoming, while his six-catch, 53-yard effort at USF was a single-game best for receptions. After tallying two receptions and 32 yards at WMU, Blake is second on the team in receiving with 303 yards on 23 receptions. He scored his first career touchdown on a two-yard run at Western Michigan.
 
QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL: Blake became the first Huskie wide receiver to cpmplete a pass since Aregeros Turner connected with quarterback Drew Hare in NIU's 51-41 victory over Miami on Oct. 18. Blake hit quarterback Anthony Maddie on a nine-yard completion at Western Michigan. The pass by Blake, and reception by Maddie were career firsts for both players.
 
FINISHING THE JOB: With its 31-24 win at Ball State, NIU has won 43 straight games when carrying a lead into the fourth quarter. The Huskies took a 24-17 lead into the final quarter of play against the Cardinals. The last NIU loss when leading after three quarters was an 18-17 setback to Iowa at Soldier Field on Sept. 1, 2012. The Huskies led the Hawkeyes, 17-9, after three quarters.
 
FAST WHEN THEY WANT TO BE: NIU has effectively used the big play and the hurry-up offense to put points on the board at times this season. Of the Huskies' 26 scoring drives (not including the untimed overtime touchdown versus Wyoming), 10 have lasted two minutes or less. That includes the 10-play, 77-yard drive that tied the Wyoming game with 1:13 left to play and lasted just 1:59.  NIU has two drives of 31 seconds or less, and just one of more than 4:30 this year. In terms of plays, every Huskie scoring drive but one has been 10 plays or less with six of five plays or fewer on the year.
 
QUICK STRIKE: The Huskies' two-play, 61-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter against Western Illinois took just 21 seconds off the clock to rank as the fastest scoring drive for the Huskies this season in both plays and time. Anthony Maddie connected with Kenny Golladay on a 39-yard pass, before tailback Jordan Huff scored on a 23-yard touchdown run. That drive was also the second two-play scoring drive by NIU this season. The other, a two-play, 54-yard touchdown drive, came against San Diego State, consumed 31 seconds and was capped off by a 49-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Graham to Golladay.
 
QUITE THE START: Maddie threw for a career-high 298 yards on 26-of-41 passing, while rushing for a career-best 160 yards on 14 carries as he led NIU to victory over Ball State. His 26 completions and 41 pass attempts are also career bests. His previous career high was 142 yards on 11-of-16 passing against Western Illinois in the fourth game this season. Maddie missed all of the 2015 season due to a back injury, and spent 2014 as a back up to Drew Hare.
 
SOME STRETCH: No FBS team in the nation has played more football games since 2010 than NIU. With appearances in six straight conference championship games and bowl games, the Huskies have played in 14 football contests in each of the last six seasons for a total of 90 games. Florida State and Alabama have each played in 88 games, while Oregon and Clemson tallied 87 games played the last seven seasons.
 
TWO FOR 100: With 160 yards rushing in his first career start at Ball State, Maddie recorded his first career 100-yard rushing game and is the first Huskie quarterback to throw and rush for 100 in the same game since Oct. 18, 2014 when Drew Hare rushed for 180 yards on 17 carries and threw for 185 yards on 12-of-16 passing versus Miami (Ohio).
 
TWO FOR 100 PART II: Aurora Christian products Anthony Maddie and Joel Bouagnon became the first two Huskies to rush for 100 yards in the same game this season at Ball State. Maddie gained a career-high 160 yards rushing, including a 75-yard touchdown run, on 14 carries, while Bouagnon totaled 153 yards on 21 rushes against the Cardinals. Bouagnon was part of the last Huskie duo to accomplish the feat when he and Jordan Huff rushed for 138 and 128 yards, respectively, against Eastern Michigan Oct. 24, 2015.
 
QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL: Anthony Maddie became the third Huskie quarterback to start a game this season when he stepped under center at Ball State. Drew Hare started at Wyoming and at South Florida before going down with an injury in the third quarter of the game against the Bulls. Ryan Graham, who came in for Hare in the third quarter of the South Florida game, started against San Diego State and Western Illinois. The Huskies started three quarterbacks last season when Hare, Graham and Tommy Fiedler each started a game for NIU in 2015.
 
NIU's Starting Quarterbacks Since 2007 (Games Started)
2016     Drew Hare (2), Ryan Graham (2), Anthony Maddie (2)
2015     Drew Hare (9), Ryan Graham (4), Tommy Fiedler (1)
2014     Matt McIntosh (2), Drew Hare (12)
2013     Jordan Lynch (14)
2012     Jordan Lynch (14)
2011     Chandler Harnish (14)
2010     DeMarcus Grady (1), Chandler Harnish (13)
2009     Chandler Harnish (9), DeMarcus Grady (4)
2008     Chandler Harnish (9), Dan Nicholson (3), DeMarcus Grady (3)
2007     Dan Nicholson (9), Ryan Morris (3)
 
TWO FOR THREE: Wide receiver Kenny Golladay and tight end Shane Wimann are the only two Huskies to have caught a touchdown pass from each of NIU's starting quarterbacks in 2016. The two Huskies each had a TD reception from Drew Hare at Wyoming in the season opener and from Ryan Graham in his start versus San Diego State. Golladay has two touchdown receptions from Anthony Maddie and Wimann caught his first scoring reception from the Huskie senior at Western Michigan.
 
BRONZE STALK BATTLE: The Huskies picked up their first victory of the season and retained the Bronze Stalk Trophy as they defeated Ball State, 31-24 at Scheumann Stadium October 1. The Huskies have won the trophy eight straight years, all but one year of its exsitence.
 
HUSKIE 150: Bouagnon's 153 yards rushing at Ball State was the first 100-yard rushing game of the season and seventh of his career. His rushing total was his highest since Nov. 11, 2015 when the Huskie senior rushed for a career-high 156 yards at Buffalo. Bouagnon opened the 2015 campaign with 152 yards against UNLV, his third 150-yard rushing game.
 
DEGREES IN HAND: Five Huskies – Ladell Fleming, Clayton Glasper, Drew Hare, Lincoln Howard and Levon Myers – were among the 58 NIU student-athletes to walk across the stage at graduation and receive their degrees in May. Glasper and Howard earned their degrees in kinesiology, Fleming graduated with a degree in organizational & corporate communications, Hare and Myers majored in leadership and management and marketing, respectively. The five are all in postgraduate studies or grad school this fall.
 
MAKING THE GRADE: The NIU football program continues to be as successful in the classroom as it is on the field. The Huskie football program matched its multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 970, a school record, which it set last year.  The multi-year APR for each NCAA Division I team is based on the past four year's totals for eligibility and retention of each scholarship student-athlete. NIU's 970 ranks above the national average of 964 for Football Subdivision schools and is tied for second in the MAC.
 
SENIOR SALUTE: The Huskies' 2016 roster includes 22 seniors, with 18 listed on the depth chart and 11 slated to start against Central Michigan. Senior quarterback Anthony Maddie lines up behind an offensive line that features seniors Levon Myers, and Josh Ruka with reserve linemen Lincoln Howard and Ron Brown. Tailback Joel Bouagnon and wide receivers Kenny Golladay, Clayton Glasper, and Aregeros Turner round out the NIU seniors on the offensive side of the ball. Defensive linemen Mario Jones, Corey Thomas and Ladell Fleming, linebackers Jamaal Payton and Sean Folliard, and cornerback Anthony Brooks comprise the Huskie seniors on the defense. Punter Jake Ambrose, kicker Josh Orne and long snapper Bobby Ramlet provide experience on the special teams.
 
ORANGE YOU GLAD YOU CAME TO NIU: The 22-man 2016 NIU senior class, the largest in Rod Carey's tenure as head coach of the Huskies, boasts 15 redshirt seniors. Of those 15 redshirt seniors, 11 made the trip to South Beach for NIU's appearance in the 2013 Orange Bowl. They are the last remaining Huskie class who had the Orange Bowl experience.