THE FACTS
WHAT: Western Illinois Leathernecks (2-0) at NIU Huskies (0-3)
WHERE: DeKalb, Illinois | Huskie Stadium | 23,595
WHEN: Saturday, September 24, 2016  | 2:30 p.m. (CT)
WATCH: ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app
LISTEN: AM 560 WIND (Chicago)  |  WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb)  |  SportsFan AM 1330 (Rockford – will join in progress) |  TuneIn
 
HUSKIE BITES

• NIU and Western Illinois, the two winningest programs in the state of Illinois all-time (see chart page 2) meet for the 40th time Saturday in a series that dates back to 1903, NIU's fifth year of football.
• The game between the Huskies and Leathernecks is the first since 2009, a 41-7 NIU home win. NIU leads the all-time series 21-17-1.   
• NIU has had a different receiver score touchdowns both rushing and receiving in each of its first three games. Kenny Golladay scored three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) at Wyoming, Aregeros Turner scored both rushing and receiving at USF and Golladay repeated the feat with touchdowns both ways versus San Diego State.
• The Huskies have won 35 of their last 38 games played at Huskie Stadium dating back to Oct. 3, 2009. That includes a school-record 27-game winning streak from 2009 to 2014.  
• Linebacker Bobby Jones IV made a career and team season high 15 tackles versus San Diego State, recorded the Huskies' first sack of the season (for minus 13 yards) and had a pair of tackles for loss to lead the NIU defense.
• Sophomore quarterback Ryan Graham made his first start versus San Diego State after taking over from Drew Hare, who was injured at USF, and threw for a career-high 213 yards on 17-of-35 passing with three passing TDs.
• NIU is 16-of-18 inside the red zone this year with 14 touchdowns.
• Rod Carey is in on his fourth season as NIU head coach with a 31-15 career record to rank sixth all-time at NIU in wins.
• Off the field, NIU ranks tied for 11th nationally among FBS programs in Graduation Success Rate and is tied for third among public FBS institutions. Its 86 percent rate is 14 points above the FBS average.

 

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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: 31-15/4th
Career Record/Years: 31-15/4th
Alma Mater/Year:  Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 566-479-51
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)
 
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
 
 

LEATHERNECKS FACTS
2015 Record: 7-6
Missouri Valley Record/Finish: 5-3/3rd  
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Charlie Fisher (Springfield)
Record at WIU/Years: First Year
Career Record/Years: 36-17/5
Location:  Macomb, Illinois
Enrollment: 11,091
Conference: Missouri Valley Football  
Colors: Purple and Gold  
Stadium: Hanson Field
Surface/Capacity: Matrix Truf/16,368
President: Dr. Jack Thomas
Athletic Director (Interim): Matt Tanney
Athletics Website: www.goleathernecks.com
Twitter: @WIUFOOTBALL
 
WIU 2016 Schedule
 

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 NIU-WIU SERIES HISTORY
Overall......................................................... NIU leads 21-17-1
In Macomb.......................................................... NIU leads 8-7
In DeKalb.................................................... NIU leads 13-10-1
Streak................................................................................. WIU, 9
First Meeting ...... November 7, 1903: NIU 23, WIU 0 (A)
Last Meeting.... September 12, 2009 : NIU 41, WIU 7 (A)
 

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FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
 
TV: NIU-WIU on ESPN3

• NIU's game versus Eastern Michigan will be streamed live online and available to mobile users on ESPN3.
• Jim Barbar (play-by-play) and Al Groh (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 WIU 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) and AM 560 The Answer (Chicago) and joined in progress by SportsFan 1330 AM (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 is in his 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 SportsFan 1330 AM 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 nights at 10 p.m. CT in Chicago on AM 560 The Answer, Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. CT on WLBK AM 1360 and FM 98.9 in DeKalb and on Saturday on SportsFan 1330 AM 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 www.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
 
IN-STATE BATTLE: NIU leads the all-time series with Western Illinois 21-17-1 after posting a 41-7 victory on Sept. 12, 2009 at Huskie Stadium. The win snapped a three-game winning streak by the Leathernecks over NIU. Since the Huskies joined the "major college" ranks in 1969, the series is tied, 5-5.
 
DOG FIGHT: The Huskies' history with the Leathernecks goes back nearly to the start of NIU's football-playing days as the teams first met on Nov. 7, 1903. In fact, Northern Illinois is listed as the first known opponent in WIU history. With 39 total previous meetings, Western Illinois is the third most-frequent non-MAC opponent all-time for NIU (including current FBS and FCS teams only), behind only Illinois State (56 meetings) and Southern Illinois (43).
 
FCS FOES: The Huskies have played 19 games against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) foes over the last 20 years and are 14-5 overall in those contests. However, the Huskies have won 13 of their last 15 games versus teams from what was formerly known as Division I-AA, including seven straight. NIU's last loss to a FCS team was Sept. 8, 2007 when the Huskies fell to the then-Jerry Kill coached Southern Illinois Salukis, 34-31.
 
WHEN LAST WET MET: The NIU offense racked up 244 yards rushing and held visiting Western Illinois scoreless for nearly 55 minutes, recording a convincing 41-7 win over the Leathernecks at Huskie Stadium. Me'co Brown rushed for a game-high 117 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Chad Spann scored three touchdowns, two rushing and another receiving. Chandler Harnish threw for 143 yards and two TDs on 10 of 14 passing.
 
STATE CHAMPS: Saturday's game between Western Illinois and NIU features the two winningest Division I football teams in the state of Illinois. With a 566-479-51 overall record, NIU boasts a .539 winning percentage which is tops among all seven of Illinois' Division I (FBS and FCS) football programs, Western Illinois' .523 is second. The Leathernecks have compiled a 537-470-36 all-time record.
 
School                GP            W-L-T      Pct.
NIU                 1,096     566-479-51      .539
W. Illinois         1,043     537-470-36      .532
Illinois             1,214     595-568-51      .511
E. Illinois          1,061     505-514-43      .496
Illinois St.         1,064     479-522-63      .480
S. Illinois            979     441-506-32      .467
Northwestern   1,217     519-654-44      .444
 
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: With a 60-15 record since 2003, Northern Illinois' all-time record at Huskie Stadium to 166-100-2 for a .625 winning percentage. Five of those 15 home losses occurred in just one season - 2007. The Huskies have won 35 of their last 38 games at Huskie Stadium, dating back to a 38-3 victory over Western Michigan, Oct. 3, 2009.
 
HOME OPENER RALLY FALLS SHORT: Ryan Graham threw for three second-half touchdowns, but the Huskies were unable to erase a 21-point halftime deficit as they fell, 42-28, to San Diego State last Saturday. Graham threw for 213 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-35 passing. San Diego State tailback Donnel Pumphrey rushed for 220 yards and three TDs on 23 carries.
 
CAREER DAY FOR GRAHAM: In his first start since the 2015 SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl, NIU quarterback Ryan Graham turned in a career day against San Diego State. The redshirt-sophomore threw for 213 yards and three touchdown passes on 17 completions on 35 attempts, all career highs. Graham's previous career best was 15-of-21 for 190 yards and two touchdown passes in his first career start at Buffalo Nov. 3, 2015.
 
SECOND HALF SURGE: After falling behind 28-7 in the first half, NIU outscored San Diego State, 21-14 in the second half. The Huskies scored on their first two possessions of the third quarter. Graham hit Golladay on a 49-yard strike, and connected with tight end Shane Wimann on a 14-yard touchdown pass. While the Huskie offense scored 14 third-quarter points, the NIU defense shutout the Aztecs in the quarter, allowing them just 33 yards.
 
KENNY G FOR THE TD: Wide receiver Kenny Golladay tallied two touchdowns in NIU's home opener to San Diego State. He now has five touchdowns on the season, and is almost halfway to his 2015 tally of 11, 10 receiving and one rushing. Last year, Golladay didn't score his fifth touchdown of the season, an 18-yard touchdown reception against Eastern Michigan, until the eighth game of the season.
 
CATCHING ON: Golladay has amassed 1,388 yards receiving on 92 receptions in 17 games in his Huskie career. He needs 563 yards to move into 10th on the all-time receiving yards list and 51 to move into ninth on the all-time receptions list at NIU.
 
MOVING ON UP: With 13 career touchdown receptions, Golladay is three touchdown receptions away from cracking the top 10 on NIU's all-time list, and 16 from tying NIU's touchdown receiving leader, Justin McCareins (1997-2000), who holds the school record with 29.
 
GOLLADAY STREAKING: Golladay has recorded at least one reception in all 17 games of his Huskie career. He recorded a career-high 10 receptions in the season opener at Wyoming. He is the first Huskie receiver with 10 or more receptions in a game since Tommylee Lewis had 12 catches at Ball State Nov. 13, 2013. He had one catch for 15 yards against Bowling Green in the MAC Championship game to keep the streak alive. Robert Davis of Georgia State leads the nation with a 40-game reception streak.
 
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.
 
TE SCORING TDs: NIU tight end Shane Wimann recorded his second career two-touchdown day when he scored on receptions of 14 and seven yards versus San Diego State. Wimann's last two-touchdown game was Sept. 12, 2015 in a 57-26 win against Murray State. The Huskie junior has three touchdowns on the season and seven for his career.
 
SAFETY FIRST: Safety Mycial Allen recorded his first interception of the season, and fifth of his career, when he intercepted San Diego State's Christian Chapman in the first quarter. Allen's interception was the first of 2016 for NIU.
 
STOPPING POWER: Bobby Jones IV tallied a game-high 15 tackles last Saturday, including a sack and two tackles for loss. His previous career-best was 13 last season at Miami (Oct. 17). It's the second straight game Jones has led NIU in tackles. The Huskie redshirt-junior posted eight stops at USF in the second game of the season. Jones leads NIU in tackles with 28, which ranks fourth in the league.
 
J.J. ON THE PLAY: Linebacker Jawuan Johnson leads the Huskies in tackles for loss with 5.5 on the season after recording 1.5 tackles for loss against San Diego State. He tallied four tackles for loss as part of a career-high seven-tackle performance in NIU's contest at USF. It was the most tackles for loss by a Huskie since Joe Windsor made four in a 45-3 victory over Buffalo, Oct. 13, 2012. The school record for tackles for loss in a game is six by Larry English at Temple (Oct. 20, 2006). Scott Kellar holds the school-record for tackles for loss in a season with 20 set in 1984.
 
IT'S BEEN A WHILE: San Diego State's Donnel Pumphrey became the first running back to rush for 200 yards in a game against the Huskies since Thomas Rawls of Central Michigan rushed for 270 yards and two touchdowns on 40 carries Oct. 11, 2014 at Huskie Stadium. Pumphrey finished the day with 220 yards on 23 rushes with three touchdowns. Pumphrey's 79-yard touchdown run was the first TD run of 60 yards or longer allowed by an NIU defense since Lonnie Pryor's 60-yard touchdown rush in the 2013 Orange Bowl.
 
FLORIDA HUSKIES: The 2016 Huskie roster includes 13 players from the state of Florida. Freshmen Lance Deveaux, Jr., and Andrew Parchment, and junior college transfer Damarius Brinson, Jr. join 10 returning Florida Huskies – juniors Christian Blake, Renard Cheren, Shawun Lurry, Ezra Saffold, and Albert Smalls, redshirt junior Bobby Jones IV and redshirt freshmen Antonio Davis-Jones, Jeffrey Hill and Trequan Smith.  With two of Huskies' last four bowl games taking place in Florida, the 2013 Orange Bowl and 2014 Boca Raton Bowl, NIU football is well-known in the Sunshine State. Deveaux saw his first action as a Huskie versus SDSU, while Saffold recorded his first catch of the season.
 
Christian Blake             Jr.        WR         Ft. Lauderdale (Cardinal Gibbons)
Damarius Brinson, Jr.  Jr.-R       CB                  St. Petersburg (Boca Ciega)
Renard Cheren             Jr.         LB                        Lake Worth (Park Vista)
Antonio Jones-Davis   Fr.-R       LB                      Vero Beach (Vero Beach)
Lance Deveaux, Jr.        Fr.         LB   Pompano Beach (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Bobby Jones IV           Jr.-R       LB         Miami Gardens (Monsignor Pace)
Shawun Lurry               Jr.         CB              West Palm Beach (W.T. Dwyer)
Alton Meeks               Jr.-R       DE                            Orlando (Dr. Phillips)
Andrew Parchment       Fr.        WR              Fort Lauderdale (Cypress Bay)
Ezra Saffold                 Jr.        WR                   Riviera Beach (W.T. Dwyer)
Albert Smalls                Jr.         CB                   Miramar (Monsignor Pace)
Trequan Smith            Fr.-R        S              Boynton Beach (Boynton Beach)
Jeffrey Hill                   So.        CB                                  Miami (Miramar)
 
BLAKE BREAKING OUT: Entering the 2016 season opener, NIU wide receiver Christian Blake had eight receptions for 73 yards. This season, Blake has surpassed his two-year totals in both categories in 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. Versus San Diego State he added three rushes for 19 yards. Blake is second on the team in receiving with 154 yards on 13 receptions.
 
DO I KNOW YOU: Huskie defenders will see a familiar face lining up across them Saturday as former NIU defensive lineman Cal Breedlove transferred to Western Illinois following the 2014 season. Breedlove now plays tight end for the Leathernecks.
 
DEBUTS: Tight end Mitchell Brinkman, linebacker Lance Deveaux, Jr. and defensive back Daniel Isom added their names to the list of Huskies making their NIU debuts this season. Through three games this season, 19 Huskies have taken the field for the first time for NIU. Defensive tackle Ben LeRoy is the only other true freshman to see action, while redshirt freshman Quintin Wynne and junior college transfer Joe Sanders are the only newcomers to start a game. Wynne and Sanders started at defensive end in the Huskies' first three games. JC product cornerback Damarius Brinson, Jr. (CB) and seven more players who redshirted last year have seen action in 2016.
 
TWO FOR 22: NIU wide receiver Aregeros Turner lived up to his nickname at South Florida as "Ducey" scored both Huskie touchdowns in the game, one on the ground and the other through the air. Turner scored on a four-yard run on fourth down in the second half. He and Ryan Graham hooked up on an 11-yard score in the third quarter.
 
GET A KICK OUT OF THIS: Senior Jake Ambrose attempted a career-high 11 punts at USF. It was the most punts by a Huskie punter since Mike Kent booted 11 punts at Miami (Fla.) Oct. 4, 1986.
 
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 87 games. Florida State and Alabama have each played in 85 games, while Stanford and Michigan State tallied 84 games played the last seven seasons.
 
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: NIU has amassed a 65-22 record since 2010. That win total during that time puts NIU in some esteemed company. The Huskies rank sixth behind Alabama (75), Oregon (71), Florida State (69), Stanford (68), Michigan State (67) and Boise State (66) in wins over the last seven years.
 
LUCKY NUMBER 13: Safety Mycial Allen set a career-high in tackles versus the Cowboys with a game-high 13 stops, including eight solo. His previous personal best was six tackles at Miami on Oct. 17, 2015. Allen is second on the team in tackles with 22 stops, including two for loss.
 
RUSHING PAST 2015: Kenny Golladay, who is currently NIU's third-leading rusher with 107 yards on 10 carries, shattered his rushing total from 2015 on his first carry of 2016 as he broke loose for a 34-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. He led the Huskies in rushing with 82 yards on six carries. Golladay tied his rushing touchdown tally from last year on that run as well.
 
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 from 2015, 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 259 yards on 19 receptions and is third on the team in rushing with 107 yards on 10 carries. Lurry has 10 tackles and a team-leading two pass break ups.
 
MILENNIALS: For the first time in school history, NIU returned a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard receiver from the previous season. Senior tailback Joel Bouagnon rushed for 1,285 yards on 283 carries in 2015. After sitting out the 2014 after transferring to NIU from North Dakota, redshirt senior Kenny Golladay amassed 1,129 yards receiving on 73 receptions. Both players also had at least 10 touchdowns on the season, with Bouagnon scoring 18 TDs, while Golladay reached the end zone 10 times last year.
 
SIX PACK: Cornerback Shawun Lurry tallied a season-high six tackles against San Diego State. It is the most tackles for Lurry in a game since making eight stops at Buffalo last season. It is his third six-tackle performance and his first since making six in the 2015 MAC Championship game.
 
UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY: For the first time since the start of the 2007 season, the Huskies have opened a season with three straight losses. NIU dropped the season opener at Wyoming and a week two tilt at USF. NIU suffered a 42-28 setback to San Diego State in the home opener. In 2007, NIU suffered a 16-3 setback to Iowa at Soldier Field to start the season, before being edge out by Southern Illinois, 34-31, in week two. Eastern Michigan handed the Huskies a 21-19 defeat in the third week of the season.
 
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 earned degrees 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' 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 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 Western Illinois. The offensive line features seniors Levon Myers, Lincoln Howard and Josh Ruka with reserve guard Ron Brown. Tailback Joel Bouagnon and wide receivers Kenny Golladay, Clayton Glasper, Aregeros Turner, and Anthony Maddie 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.
 
NEW ADDITIONS: NIU head coach Rod Carey welcomed five new coaches to his staff (see chart on page 3) during the offseason. Three of those five coaches are very familiar to Huskie fans. Kevin Kane, who was with the Huskies from 2011-14, returns to serve as NIU's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Mike Uremovich, the Huskies' running backs coach 2012, comes back to DeKalb as offensive coordinator, assistant head coach and running backs coach. Meanwhile, Melvin Rice, who lettered at NIU from 2005-08, returns to coach his old position group, cornerbacks. Veteran line coach Bob Bostad and longtime successful NAIA mentor Josh Homolka have signed on to coach the NIU tight ends/fullbacks and safeties, respectively.