HUSKIE BITES

• NIU hits the road again this week for a Saturday afternoon match-up versus MAC East foe Ohio in Athens. 
• The Huskies have not played in Athens since 2014, a 21-14 win, and are 4-7 versus the Bobcats there all-time.
• NIU is playing five of its six games between Sept. 7 and Oct. 19 on the road with the lone home game last week's contest versus Ball State. The Huskies travel to Miami next week.  
• Each of the last five meetings between the teams, and six of the last seven games dating back to 2003, have been decided by seven points or less.   
• NIU outside linebacker Antonio Jones-Davis is coming off a career-best 17-tackle game versus Ball State. The senior, who leads the Huskies in tackles, recorded his first career interception, collected his first sack of the year and tallied 1.5 tackles for loss in the game. 
• With 1,817 yards of total offense through five games, NIU has 517 more yards than its total through five games a year ago.            
• Transfer quarterback Ross Bowers (Cal), who won the job over incumbent Marcus Childers during preseason camp, has passed for 1,297 yards on 103-of-181 passing through five games.  
• Thomas Hammock was named head coach at his alma mater in January 2019 after five years coaching running backs for the Baltimore Ravens. Hammock, the only two-time first-team Academic All-American in NIU football history, recorded back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons as a player. He coached at Wisconsin and Minnesota prior to going to the NFL.  
• Twenty-two newcomers, including 11 true freshmen and three transfers, have seen action in at least one of NIU's first five games. 
• NIU set a school record with three blocked placekicks versus Nebraska, including two field goals and a PAT. Cornerback Jalen McKie recorded two blocks (FG, PAT) and is ranked tied for first in the FBS in blocked kicks.  
• NIU has won four of the last eight MAC Championships with 10 bowl appearances in the last 11 years, a record matched only by Boise State among non-autonomous teams. NIU has played in seven of the last nine MAC title games, with a 30-29 win over Buffalo last year.   

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HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS

Head Coach: Thomas Hammock (NIU '02)
Record at NIU/Years: 1-2/First
Career Record/Years: 1-2/First
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
2018 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 8-6/6-2/1st
All-Time Record: 588-495-51
Last Bowl Game: 2018 Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl
Bowl Appearances (FBS): 13
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 8, 2018
MAC Championships, Last: 5, 2018
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 52/24
Starters Returning: 16 (7 offense, 7 defense, 2 specialists)
Starters Lost: 10 (5 offense, 4 defense, 1 specialist)

NIU FACTS

Location: DeKalb, Illinois
Founded: 1895
Enrollment: 17,169
Affiliation: NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision
Conference: Mid-American (West Division)
Colors: Cardinal and Black
Nickname: Huskies
Stadium: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium
    Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /23,595
President: Dr. Lisa Freeman
Assoc. VP/Athletic Director: Sean T. Frazier
    Alma Mater, Year: Alabama '92
Tickets: 815-753-PACK (7225) or NIUHuskies.com
 

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OHIO FACTS

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Frank Solich (Nebraska, 1966) 
Record at Ohio/Years: 108-78/15th
Career Record/Years: 166-97/21st
2018 Record: 9-4
MAC/Finish: 6-2/3rd East 
Location: Athens, Ohio
Enrollment: 34,443
Conference: Mid-American (East)
Colors: Hunter Green and White
Stadium: Peden Stadium
       Surface/Capacity: Field Turf /27,000
President: Dr. M. Duane Nellis (Montana State, '76)
Athletic Director: Julie Cromer (Missouri State)
Athletics Website: OhioBobcats.com
Twitter: @OhioBobcats
Ticket Information: 800-575-2287

Ohio Schedule & Results
Ohio Game Notes - NIU (PDF)
 

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NIU-OHIO SERIES

Overall: NIU leads 12-10
In Athens: OU leads 7-4
In DeKalb: NIU leads 7-3
Neutral: NIU leads 1-0
Streak: NIU, 1
First Meeting: Nov. 23, 1968; OU 28, NIU 12 (A)
Last Meeting: Oct. 13, 2019; NIU 24, OU 21 (H)

2018 Game Recap
 

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FOLLOW THE HUSKIES

TV: NIU-OHIO ON ESPN+

• The NIU-Ohio game will be available on ESPN+, ESPN's direct to consumer video platform, accessible via the ESPN App available on both iOS and Android devices, desktop and TV-connected devices (e.g. Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV).
• ESPN+ is available at a cost of $4.99/month or $49.99/year and can be used on up to five streaming devices simultaneously. 
• Doug Sherman (play-by-play) and John Gregory (color analyst) will be on the call for ESPN+ Saturday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Network broadcast for the Ohio 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 Radio AM 1330 (Rockford).
• Hear the broadcast online via NIUTube (subscription), and on mobile devices via TuneIn. Download the app for free and find the NIU Huskies channel. 
• Bill Baker is in his 40th season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo joins him for the 34th consecutive season, while Andy Garcia is in his seventh season on the NIU sidelines. 

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Fans are invited to attend the one-hour weekly show every Monday this season at Noon at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Highway).
• Listen live with the TuneIn app. Hear the show Monday at 7 p.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb, 8 p.m. Monday on 560 AM The Answer in Chicago and Tuesday at 7 p.m. on SportsFan Radio 1330 AM in Rockford.
• Host Bill Baker welcomes NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock, Huskie players and special guests, including NIU head coaches. 

NIU WEEKLY RADIO SHOW

• Andy Garcia and NIU Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier host the 30-minute show with interviews with coach Thomas Hammock, other NIU coaches and guests. 
• Airs Friday at 10 p.m. CT in Chicago on AM 560 The Answer, Saturday at 8:30 a.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb and on Sports Fan Radio 1330 in Rockford at 6:30 a.m. Also available on-demand on NIUTube (subscription).

NIUTUBE (HUSKIE ALL-ACCESS)

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, video features and Huskie Olympic sports live game video.
• 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, niufootball
• YouTube: NIU Athletics
• See NIU Athletics' social media hub online for all the team and staff accounts.

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NEWS AND NOTES

THIS WEEK'S GAME

WHEN LAST WE MET: NIU overcame a 12-point fourth quarter deficit to pull out a 24-21 victory over Ohio at Huskie Stadium last season. Trailing 21-9 entering the fourth quarter, the Huskies scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns and converted on a two-point conversion attempt to left tackle Max Scharping. Marcus Childers rushed for a game-high 169 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown run, on 23 carries and added 145 yards through the air on 17-of-33 passing. The Huskie defense held the Bobcats to 321 yards of total offense, including 46 yards rushing on 32 carries.

SERIES HISTORY: The Huskies lead the overall series history, 12-10, winning three of the last three meetings. The Huskies defeated Ohio in the 2011 MAC Championship game in Detroit and in Athens, 21-14, on Nov. 18, 2014. Ohio holds a 7-4 advantage over the Huskies in games played in Peden Stadium. The longest winning streak in the series is seven, owned by NIU, which won every game from 1977-83. 

ONE AND NOT DONE: Six of the last seven meetings between NIU and Ohio, and nine overall, have been decided by one score or less. The Huskies are 6-3 in those contests, winning a pair of one-point games and two overtime contests. 

HITTING THE CENTURY MARK: The longest tenured head coach in the MAC and one of the youngest head coaches in FBS meet when first-year head coach Thomas Hammock faces off against Ohio's Frank Solich. Solich enters his 15th season leading the Bobcats.

CONFERENCE CALL

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: With its 27-20 setback to Ball State, NIU is 152-102-2 all-time in MAC play and 116-57 (.670) in league action since 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 61-12 against MAC foes and has recorded three undefeated campaigns and two one-loss seasons, winning six-straight division championships and seven overall during that stretch. The Huskies are in their 34th season as a member of the Mid-American Conference in 2019-20, including an initial stint in the league from 1975-85.

NIU VS. THE MAC EAST: NIU has won 23 of its last 25 regular season games over MAC East Division opponents and 27 of 30 since the 2008 season. Miami and Ohio are the only MAC East foes to defeat the Huskies during that time. The Redhawks defeated NIU, 13-7, last season, while the Bobcats posted wins in 2009 at Ohio, and 2015 in DeKalb. NIU defeated former league members Temple in 2010 and UMass in 2012 and 2013. The Huskies are 4-3 versus the MAC East in conference title games since 2010, defeating Ohio (2011), Kent State (2012), Bowling Green (2014) and Buffalo (2018), while falling to Miami (2010) and Bowling Green (2013 & 2015).
 

NIU vs. (Since 2008)	W-L
Buffalo	6-0
Kent State	6-0
Akron	5-0
Bowling Green	4-0
Miami	4-1
Ohio	2-2

START TO FINISH: Ball State's 27-20 victory over NIU was just the Huskies' third loss in a conference opener since 2011 and their first since 2015. NIU suffered a 29-19 setback at Central Michigan on Oct. 3, 2015 and a 48-41 loss to the Chippewas on Oct. 1, 2011. Both years the Huskies advanced to the MAC Championship Game, finishing with a 6-2 and 7-1 MAC West Division mark, respectively. NIU also lost the 2005 conference opener and advanced to the MAC Championship Game.

NIU ON THE MAC ROAD: The Huskies are 19-5 in conference road games since 2013 and 82-91-1 all-time in league games away from Huskie Stadium. NIU's last league road win was a 36-26 victory at Akron (Nov. 1) last season. The Huskies went 3-1 in MAC road games last year, defeating Eastern Michigan, Ball State and Akron, before losing the regular season finale at Western Michigan.

LEADER OF THE MAC: With 87 wins since 2010, NIU is the winningest football program in the MAC this decade. The Huskies have made seven trips to the conference championships game in the last nine years, winning the league crown four times. Add eight bowl games to the list, and the Huskies have played 128 games since 2010, seven more than their nearest competitor, Toledo, which played in 121. NIU currently owns an 11-game winning streak over both Eastern Michigan and Buffalo.

MAC Records Since 2010
 

Team	W-L
NIU	87-41
Toledo	83-38
Ohio	76-47
Western Michigan	63-57
Bowling Green	56-67
Central Michigan	51-68
Ball State	49-66
Buffalo	47-69
Kent State	39-75
Eastern Michigan	37-78
Akron	37-79

RECAPPING LAST GAME

LEGAL ACTION:  Nicknamed "Law Firm" or simply "Firm," senior linebacker Antonio Jones-Davis had a career day against Ball State, recording a career-best 17 tackles and intercepting his first career pass. Firm's previous career high in tackles was 16 against Central Michigan (Sept. 16) and at Ball State (Oct. 6) last year. Jones-Davis has 222 career tackles and amassed a career-high 130 last season.

WHAT ARE YOU DRIVING AT?:  The NIU offense scored on its first two possessions of the game when the Huskies reached the end zone twice in the first quarter at Ball State. It was the first time since a 63-17 victory over Ball State on Nov. 9, 2017 that NIU had 14 points after two possessions, a span of 21 games. NIU last scored on its initial possession of a game on Nov. 1, 2018 at Akron.

HARBISON'S HUNDRED:  Tailback Tre Harbison recorded his first 100-yard game of the season and sixth of his career when he rushed for 146 yards on 31 carries. His last 100-yard rushing performance was on Nov. 14, 2018 when he recorded 103 yards on 16 carries against Miami. Harbison's career best is 169 yards rushing at Akron (Nov. 1) last year.

DÉJÁ VU ALL OVER AGAIN:  Tailback Tre Harbison recorded his first multi-touchdown game of the season when he tallied touchdown runs of 19 and 28 yards against the Cardinals. The junior posted his first two-touchdown game since Oct. 6, 2018 at Ball State.

GROUNDED:  The Huskie defense held Ball State, which was averaging 344.5 passing yards a game entering Saturday's game, to 34 yards on 4-of-14 passing. The last time NIU held an opponent under 100 yards passing was Oct. 7, 2017 when the Huskies held Kent State to 29 yards through the air.

HAMMOCK HOMECOMING

NUMBER ONE:  New NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock earned his first career win in his debut as a head coach, leading the Huskies to a 24-10 victory over Illinois State at Huskie Stadium on August 31st. He is the first head coach to win his debut since current N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren in 2011 (over Army).

YOUTH IS SERVED:  At 38 years old, Thomas Hammock is the eighth youngest head coach in FBS in 2019. He is a little over two months younger than Akron's Tom Arth, while Kent State's Sean Lewis is the youngest at 33 years of age.

HAIL ALMA MATER:  In addition to being the school's first African-American head coach, Thomas Hammock is the first NIU graduate to lead his alma mater's football team as an FBS program, and the first overall since Howard Fletcher led the Huskies from 1956-68. Fletcher ranks second on NIU's all-time wins list with a .606 winning percentage after posting a 74-68-1 record in 13 seasons. 

FOR THE DEFENSE

DOGGED DEFENSE: The NIU defense continues to be one of the top defense in the MAC. The Huskies lead the league in pass defense, allowing 182.2 yards a game, opponents' first downs and opponents' third down conversions. NIU is second in the league in total defense, allowing 362.4 yards of total offense a game, and fourth in scoring defense (28.0).

SACK LUNCH: The NIU defense recorded back-to-back multi-sack games when the Huskies recorded a pair of sacks against Ball State, with Antonio Jones-Davis and Jack Heflin each collecting their first sacks of the year. The Huskies tallied two sacks at Vanderbilt the previous week with senior Marcus Kelly and freshman Cam Mattox each recorded their first career sacks. 

COLE CUSTOMER:  In his third career start, linebacker Jordan Cole made a career-high nine tackles at Nebraska, including two-and-a-half tackles for loss. The Huskie sophomore added three tackles, including a tackle for loss at Vanderbilt, and ranks third on the team in tackles with 19 stops. His three-and-a-half TFLs are tied for the team lead. Cole will sit out the first half of the Ball State game after being flagged for targeting in the third quarter at Vanderbilt.

SAFETY FIRST:  The Huskie defense recorded its first safety in 100 games when Jordan Cole tackled Nebraska running back Maurice Washington in the endzone on a swing pass in the second quarter. The last Huskie safety was recorded Nov. 25, 2011 by defensive end Sean Progar who tackled the Eastern Michigan ballcarrier in the endzone.

HUSKIE HARDWARE: Sophomore Jalen McKie earned his second career MAC West Defensive Player of the Week honors following his game-clinching interception return for a touchdown against Illinois State. The Gurnee, Ill. native also tallied four stops in the contest. His pick six against Illinois State was the second of his career, with his first coming at Akron (Nov. 1) last year. He and Mykelti Williams are tied among current NIU players with three career INTs. McKie also leads NIU in pass breakups this season with four and made a career-high seven tackles at Vanderbilt.

ON THE OFFENSIVE

WIDE DISTRIBUTION: NIU quarterback Ross Bowers has connected with five different Huskie wide receivers for 53 receptions and 711 yards through the five games this season. However, the Huskie tight ends have given a slightly bigger bang for the buck with a 14.4 average per reception with 37 catches for 534 yards.
 

Position	Catches	Yards	Avg./Catch
Wide Receivers	53	711	13.4
Tight Ends	37	534	14.4
Running Backs	17	17	5.0

MILLENIAL: By virtue of his 146 yards rushing on 22 carries against Ball State, tailback Tre Harbison jumped to 24th on the NIU's all-time rushing list with 1,694 yards on 337 carries. He needs 101 yards to move into 23rd on the list and surpass Pete Roth. The Huskie junior became NIU's first 1,000-yard rusher since Joel Bouagnon in 2015 as the North Carolina native tallied 1,034 yards last year on 206 carries.

TAKE A PASS: The NIU offense has more than doubled last year's passing yards after the first four games. The Huskies have thrown for 1331 yards on 107-of-188 passing this year. Through the first five games last year, NIU threw for 661 yards on 85-of-155 passing. NIU quarterback Ross Bowers, who ranks 30th in the nation with 259.4 passing yards per game has amassed 1,297 yards passing this season, which ranks 34th in the country.

BACK IN THE ZONE:  Huskie tight end Mitchell Brinkman caught his first touchdown pass in almost two seasons on a 38-yard reception from Ross Bowers in the third quarter at Vanderbilt for the third TD catch of his career. The TD was his first since Nov. 15, 2017, when he scored the game-winning touchdown on a 26-yard reception against Western Michigan after playing just four games last year.

TAKE TWO:  Tight end Mitchell Brinkman converted NIU's first two-point conversion since Oct. 13, 2018 when he was on the receiving end of a Ross Bowers pass in the fourth quarter at Vanderbilt. The last Huskie to convert a two-point conversion was current Houston Texan Max Scharping when the left tackle scored on a lateral versus Ohio last season.

DO YOU HAVE THE TIME: NIU ranks second in the league and 30th in the nation in time of possession with a 31:54 TOP per game average. The Huskie offense has held the time of possession advantage in four of five games this season. NIU possessed the ball for a season-high 37:58 at Nebraska, the longest time of possession for NIU since the 2014 MAC Championship Game when NIU held the ball for 37:59 in a 51-17 victory over Bowling Green. 

TIGHT WORK: NIU's tight ends have accounted for 40.1 percent of the Huskies' receiving yards this season with 534 yards on 37 receptions. Daniel Crawford leads the way with a team-high 316 yards on 19 receptions, while Mitchell Brinkman has 16 catches for 184 yards and a touchdown. Max Thower and Corey Lersch have one catch each for eight and 26 yards, respectively. 

WELCOME BACK: Tight end Daniel Crawford, who missed the entire 2018 season recovering from a knee injury suffered in the spring, leads NIU with 19 catches for 316 yards on the season with at least three catches in every game this year. He had five grabs versus both Nebraska  and Ball State, and a career-high 85 yards last week. Crawford, who entered the season with seven career receptions for 65 yards, has a team-best 19 receptions this season. 

TIGHT RECORD: With 316 receiving yards on 19 receptions, Daniel Crawford is 159 yards away from the school record for receiving yards by a tight end (475 by Reggie Sims in 1984) and 21 catches away from surpassing Sims' mark for receptions by a tight end in a season. Sims amassed 39 receptions in 1984. 

ON THE BRINK: Tight end Mitchell Brinkman, who played in four games last year while redshirting, has surpassed his career high in receptions with 16 for 184 yards in five games this year. His previous career best in receptions and yards was last season when he tallied 79 yards on six catches in four games. The Council Bluffs, Iowa native caught a career-best four passes for 51 yards versus Illinois State and added four for 47 yards versus Ball State. 

SURPASSING LAST YEAR: Through the first five games of this season, four NIU tight ends have combined to catch 37 passes for 534 yards. Last year, the Huskies' three tight ends accounted for 23 catches, 241 yards and four touchdowns. 

IN SEARCH OF 1,000: Senior tailback Marcus Jones is four yards away from reaching the 1,000-yard mark with 996 rushing yards on 193 career attempts. He will be the 42nd Huskie to reach that milestone and he would join teammates Tre Harbison (1,548) and Marcus Childers (1,010) as active players with 1,000 career yards rushing at NIU.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Ross Bowers turned in the best debut by a Huskie quarterback since Chandler Harnish when he threw for 299 yards on 20-of-33 passing and two touchdowns against Illinois State in the Huskies' season opener. Harnish amassed 321 yards passing and two touchdowns while completing 17-of-29 attempts at Minnesota on Aug. 30, 2008 in his first career start at NIU. In between the two, six different quarterbacks started games for NIU, with five getting wins.

TACKLING THE BOOKS: NIU offensive lineman Jordan Steckler is a semifinalist for the prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy. Considered the academic Heisman, the William V. Campbell Trophy annually recognizes the top football scholar-athlete in the nation and is selected from across every division of college football. Steckler, a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree, is a management major with an emphasis on leadership and carries a 3.62 GPA. Current Houston Texans offensive lineman Max Scharping was a finalist for the award last year.

HUSKIE HEADLINERS

TURNOVER A NEW LEAF:  In the game at Vanderbilt, the NIU offense recorded its first turnover-free game since the 7-6 victory over BYU (Oct. 27) last year, a span of nine games. The Huskies had a pass picked off in each of the first three games and lost a fumble at Nebraska. The Huskies have a turnover margin of -0.40, which ranks eighth in the league and 90th in the country.

TEARS FOR 1,000: Spencer Tears climbed to 24th on NIU's all-time list for receiving yards following his 100-yard performance at Vanderbilt. The Chicago native has 1,199 yards on 97 receptions in 41 games played in his Huskie career and is the Huskies' first 1,000-yard receiver since Kenny Golladay. Tears is 26 yards away from passing Rich Bader (1960-62) for 22nd on the list.

TEARS OF JOY:  Spencer Tears eclipsed the century mark in receiving yards for the second time this season and the third time in his career when he tallied 100 yards on three catches, including a 44-yarder at Vanderbilt. He recorded a career-high 112 yards receiving at Utah in week two. Tears is the first Huskie since Kenny Golladay to have multiple 100-yard receiving games in a season. The current Detroit Lions wide receiver tallied four 1,000-yard games in 2016.

HUSKIE HUNDRED:  Spencer Tears' 100-yard receiving game at Vanderbilt is the third for the Huskies this season. Tyrice Richie went over the 100-yard mark in receiving with three catches for 102 yards against Illinois State, and Tears amassed a career-high 112 yards on five receptions at Utah. It's the first time since 2017 the Huskies have had three 100-yard receiving games in a season. That year, NIU tallied four 100-yard receiving games.

MEET THE NEW GUYS:  NIU welcomed three grad transfers to the program in 2019 and all three have played significant snaps this season. Quarterback Ross Bowers, who started 13 games for Cal in 2017 and 2018 and threw for 3,039 yards as a sophomore in 2017, has completed 103-of-181 passes for 1,297 yards and four TDs in four starts. Offensive tackle Andrew Starr, a three-year starter at Sacred Heart University in Connecticut, started two games at left tackle. Marshé Terry, who played in 31 games with 13 starts at UConn, recovered a muffed punt versus Illinois State and a fumble at Nebraska while making 17 tackles on the year.

ADJUSTING ON THE FLY: After allowing 14 points and 111 yards of total offense in the first six minutes of the game, the Huskie defense held Vanderbilt to 10 points and 262 yards the rest of the way. The Commodores were held to less than 60 yards of total offense in both the second and fourth quarters.

DEGREES IN HAND: Nine players on the 2019 NIU roster are college graduates. Five have earned their degrees from NIU, while three came to DeKalb as graduate transfers. 

Ross Bowers (QB) - American Studies, Cal
Adam Buirge (S)   Leadership and Management, NIU
Daniel Crawford (TE) - Enterprise Software, NIU
Trayshon Foster (S) - Organizational & Corporate Communications, NIU
Marcus Jones (TB) - General Studies, NIU
Antonio Jones-Davis (LB) - Communications, NIU
Andrew Starr (OL) - English, Sacred Heart
Marshé Terry (S) - Communications, Connecticut
Quintin Wynne (DE) - Biological Sciences, NIU

SPECIAL FORCES

JUST FOR KICKS: Redshirt freshman John Richardson improved to seven-for-eight on field goal attempts this season after connecting on a pair against Ball State. Of his eight attempts, five have come from 36 yards and beyond. Richardson hit on a 38-yard attempt in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals and made a 24-yard kick earlier in the game. He is two-for-two on field goals of 45 yards or longer with a career-high 46-yarder at Utah (Sept. 7). 

KICKING THE STREAK ALIVE: John Richardson extended NIU's streak of consecutive PATs to 130 when he connected on a pair of point-after-touchdowns against Ball State. The streak began Sept. 6, 2016 when Christian Hagan hit his last three extra points in the season opener at Wyoming. NIU's streak is currently the fifth longest streak in the nation, behind fourth-place Utah State, with 154 and current NCAA leader Auburn (296).

BLOCK PARTY:  NIU is tied for the national lead in blocked kicks after tying the school record for blocked kicks and setting a new record for blocked placekicks in a game with three at Nebraska on Sept. 14. In that game, Antonio Jones-Davis and Jalen McKie each blocked a field goal and McKie added a blocked extra point attempt. The last time the Huskies blocked three kicks in a game was Dec. 19, 2006 when NIU blocked two TCU punts and an extra point in the 2006 Poinsettia Bowl.

TWICE AS NICE:  Huskie cornerback Jalen McKie recorded a pair of blocks in NIU's setback at Nebraska, blocking an extra point attempt and field goal. It was the first blocked PAT by a Huskie since Ben LeRoy's block at Akron (Nov. 1) last season. NIU's last blocked field goal prior to Saturday was by Jack Heflin against Utah (Sept. 8) last year. McKie is the first Huskie to block two kicks in the same season since Ben Compton, who blocked a PAT at Buffalo (Nov. 11) and a field goal against Ohio (Nov. 24) in 2015.

SOME STRETCH:  NIU's special teams surrendered its first blocked punt since Oct. 26, 2017, a span of 21 games, when Nebraska's Isaiah Stalbird blocked Matt Ference's punt attempt in the second quarter.

HUSKIE HALL CALL: NIU football greats Larry English and Jerry Pettibone will be inducted in the NIU Hall of Fame on Friday, October 25 as part of NIU's 113th Homecoming celebration. English, a two-time Vern Smith Leadership Award (MAC MVP) winner, is NIU's all-time leader in sacks with 31.5 and tackles for loss with 63. A three-time first team All-MAC honoree, he became NIU's highest NFL Draft choice when he was selected 16th overall by the San Diego Chargers in 2009. Pettibone, who coached the Huskies from 1985-90, is tied for fifth in Huskie football history with 33 wins, including a 9-2 record during the 1989 campaign.  He led NIU to its first victory over a Big Ten foe as the Huskies defeated Wisconsin, 19-17. Fans can attend the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for no charge, the event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center. RSVPs are requested 

MAC PRESEASON POLLS: The defending MAC Champion Huskies were picked to finish third in the MAC West Division in 2019 by both the MAC Media and MAC Coaches. NIU has won the MAC title four times in the last eight years and have participated in the conference championship game seven times in the last nine seasons.