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  HUSKIE BITES  

• NIU takes its final road trip of the 2021 regular season when the Huskies travel to Buffalo, New York for a Wednesday night contest versus the Bulls. 
• The Huskies claimed their sixth one-score victory of the season last Wednesday night with a 30-29 win over Ball State at Huskie Stadium as kicker John Richardson drilled a 38-yard field goal on the game's final play after Ball State had taken a 29-27 lead with 1:42 left. Rocky Lombardi led NIU on a 10-play, 62-yard game-winning drive. 
• In last year's season-opening game, Buffalo broke the Huskies' 12-game winning streak in the series with a 49-30 victory over NIU at Huskie Stadium. Wednesday night's game will be the 15th all-time between the teams; NIU has won all five previous meetings at UB Stadium. 
• After going 0-6 a year ago, NIU's seven-game turnaround has come with a roster that includes 75 players who finished high school in 2020 or 2021 and 11 more who graduated in 2019; of those 86 players, 50 have seen action for NIU in 2021 and 32 are listed on the two-deep this week. 
• A nation-leading eight of the Huskies' 10 games in 2021 have been decided by one score; NIU won the Georgia Tech, Toledo, Central Michigan and Ball State games by a total of five points while scoring in the last minute of play.
• Four different NIU players have run for 100 or more yards in a game nine times this season with freshmen accounting for eight of those performances; Jay Ducker recorded his fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing game versus Ball State and is averaging 162.3 yards over the Huskies' last four contests.  
• A pair of 16-year old NIU offensive records fell at Kent State as quarterback Rocky Lombardi broke the NIU school record for passing yards by completing 33 of 57 passes for 532 yards and three touchdowns while Trayvon Rudolph caught 14 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns to record the top single game receiving yards mark in FBS this season and the 18th highest all-time. 
• NIU head coach Thomas Hammock, a two-time first team CoSIDA Academic All-American who rushed for over 1,000 yards for the Huskies in 2000 and 2001, is in his third season as head coach at his alma mater. Last week, NIU announced that Hammock had received a contract extension that will keep him in DeKalb through the 2026-27 academic year. 

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  HUSKIE BITES  

Head Coach: Thomas Hammock (NIU '02)
Record at NIU/Years: 12-16/3rd
Career Record/Years: Same
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
2020 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 0-6/0-6/6th
All-Time Record: 599-510-51
Last Bowl Game: 2018 Cheribundi Roca Raton Bowl (UAB 37, NIU 14)
Bowl Appearances (FBS): 13
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 8, 2018
MAC Championships, Last: 5, 2018
Experience Returning/Lost: 46/16
Starters Returning: 22 (9 offense, 10 defense, 3 specialists)
Starters Lost: 5 (4 offense, 1 defense, 0 specialists)
 

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  BUFFALO FOOTBALL FACTS  

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Maurice Linguist (Baylor/2006)
Record at Buffalo/Years: 4-6/First
Career Record/Years: 4-6/First
2020 Record: 6-1
Mid-American Conference Record/Finish: 5-0/First
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Enrollment: 31,500
Conference: Mid-American, East Division
Colors: Blue and White 
Stadium: UB Stadium    
        Surface/Capacity: A-Turf Titan /30,270
President: Satish K. Tripathi
Athletic Director: Mark Alnutt
Athletics Website: ubbulls.com
Twitter: @UBFootball

Buffalo Schedule & Results
 

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  NIU-BUFFALO SERIES  

Overall: NIU leads 12-2
In Buffalo: NIU leads 5-0
In DeKalb: NIU leads 6-2
Neutral Site: NIU leads 1-0
In MAC Games: NIU leads 8-1
Streak: UB, 1
First Meeting: Nov. 9, 1968; UB 20, NIU 7 (H)
Last Meeting: Nov. 4, 2020; UB 49, NIU 30 (H)
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-BUFFALO ON ESPN2

• Watch the NIU-Buffalo game on ESPN2, as NIU appears on the network for the third straight week.
• The Huskies will make their 39th all-time appearance on ESPN2, the most of any ESPN Network, and are 25-13 in games broadcast on the network.
• The Huskies have had at least one game broadcast on ESPN2 every season since 2008.   
• John Schriffen (play-by-play) and Cole Cubelic (analyst) will be on the call for ESPN2 Wednesday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network broadcast for the Buffalo game begins at 5:30 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 Huskie All Access, and on mobile devices via the FREE NIU Huskies Mobile app or The Varsity Network app. 
• Bill Baker is in his 42nd season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo has joined him for 36 seasons, while Andy Garcia is in his ninth season on the NIU sidelines. 

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Fans are invited to attend the one-hour weekly show Mondays at Noon at El Jimador Mexican Grill in DeKalb (260 E. Lincoln Hwy).
• Listen live on the NIU Huskies mobile app and on The Varsity Network app, and hear the show Monday at 7 p.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb.
• Due to the NIU men's basketball game broadcast, there will not be a show on November 22nd.
• Host Bill Baker welcomes NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock each week, along with Huskie players and special guests. 

NIU WEEKLY ON YOUTUBE

• The show features weekly interviews with the NIU football staff, including head coach Thomas Hammock, his assistants and staff, as well as NIU coaches of other sports and guests. 
• New episodes will premiere on the NIU Athletics YouTube Channel on Tuesdays in November. 
• The show is hosted by Andy Garcia and NIU Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier.

NIU ATHLETICS ON YOUTUBE

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, video features, highlights of past games and more.
• Subscribe for FREE and click the bell to be notified every time NIU posts a new video.
• Search "NIU Athletics" on YouTube.
• Archived videos and highlights, replays of some of the greatest games in school history and special features are also available 24/7 on YouTube.  

NIU HUSKIES MOBILE APP

• Download the new, free NIU Huskies mobile app from the Apple Store or Google Play.
• Link to the NIU radio broadcasts, live stats, complete team rosters, digital game programs and more.
• Connect to the NIU social media channels and sign up for notifications on any Huskie team.

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  NOTING NIU  

WEDNESDAY NIGHT MACTION: NIU plays its third consecutive Wednesday night game on ESPN2 when the Huskies travel to Buffalo to take on the Bulls in UB Stadium this week.  

DOGS & BULLS ALL-TIME: NIU leads the all-time series with Buffalo, 12-2, with the Bulls claiming just their second win in the series in last year's November 4th season opener. Prior to that, NIU had won the last 12 contests, including every game since the Huskies became a Football Bowl Subdivision (then called "Major College") team in 1969. Buffalo won the first game in the series, a 20-7 decision over NIU in DeKalb in 1968. Two of the last three meetings between the teams - and three all-time - have been decided by one point, with NIU claiming a 14-13 win at Buffalo in 2017 and coming back to win the 2018 MAC Championship game, 30-29. 

A YEAR AGO: The teams met in the 2020 season opener on November 4 in the only "crossover" divisional game on the six-game schedule. Buffalo broke open a 21-16 game at halftime by scoring four consecutive touchdowns in the second half to earn an eventual 49-30 win. Three of the second half touchdowns were scored by the Bulls' defense, including two on back-to-back fumble scoop and scores. Wide receiver Tyrice Richie led the Huskie offense with nine catches for 106 yards while Nick Rattin had 10 tackles.    

BOWLING, AGAIN: With its win at Central Michigan on October 23, NIU won its sixth game and secured bowl eligibility for the first time since 2018. One of the MAC's premiere programs this century, the Huskies will play in a bowl game for the 11th time in the last 14 years and for the 13th time since 2004 - a span of 18 years. Thomas Hammock is the fifth coach to take the Huskies to a bowl game during that time.  

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: NIU is 161-112-2 all-time in Mid-American Conference play. The Huskies are 125-67 (.651) in league action since re-joining the MAC in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 70-22 (.761) against the MAC with three undefeated campaigns, two one-loss seasons, seven division championships, including a run of six-straight (2010-15). The Huskies are in their 36th season as a member of the league in 2021, including an initial stint from 1975-85. 

NIU ON THE MAC ROAD: The Huskies are 23-11 in conference road games since 2013 and 86-97-1 all-time in league games away from Huskie Stadium. NIU has won two of its three MAC road games in 2021 with wins at Toledo (10-9) and Central Michigan (10-23). 

BEASTS OF THE EAST?: NIU has won 26 of its last 31 regular season games versus MAC East Division opponents and is 30-6 versus MAC East teams since 2008 after losing to Kent State for the first time since 2001 on November 3. Last year, Buffalo handed NIU a 49-30 defeat in the  only divisional "crossover" game played during the shortened COVID-19 season. 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. the current MAC East (regular season since 2008) 
Buffalo    6-1    
Bowling Green    4-0
Kent State    5-1    
Miami    3-2
Akron    6-0    
Ohio    3-2

MIDWEEK MACTION: NIU is 24-10 in league games played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays since 2010, including a 13-7 mark in MACtion road games.

TROPHY WIN: Last time out, John Richardson kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired to give NIU a 30-29 win over Ball State as the Huskies reclaimed the Bronze Stalk Trophy for the first time since 2018. After Ball State took a 29-27 lead on Jacob Lewis' 48-yard field goal with 1:42 remaining, the Huskies drove 62 yards in 10 plays to set up Richardson for the game-winner. NIU fell behind 10-0 after committing two first-quarter turnovers and trailed 26-17 in the third period before coming back to earn the win. Jay Ducker ran for 155 yards on 24 carries and Cole Tucker (103) and Trayvon Rudolph (108) both surpassed the 100-yard mark in receiving yards with Tucker catching a 58-yard touchdown pass.     

NOTHING NEW: In three seasons under head coach Thomas Hammock, the Huskies have played in 17 games decided by eight points (one score) or less. In Hammock's first season of 2019, NIU played six one-score games, winning three games by three points each. Last year, three of NIU's six losses were by eight points or less. This year, NIU is 6-2 in one-score games for a three-year record of 9-8.    

WINS ARE WINS: NIU has won more games decided by LESS than three points than any school in the country in 2021. With wins over Georgia Tech, Toledo, Central Michigan and Ball State by a combined five points (three one-point victories and one two-point win), the Huskies have made the plays to win at the end of the game. Buffalo, Louisiana, Miami, TCU and Virginia all have two wins by less than three points each.

ONE SCORE GAMES: NIU has played in eight one-score games in 2021, including each of their last six, and the Huskies have more "close" (eight points or less) wins than any team in the country with six. Five NIU games have been decided by five points or less this year.

EXTENDED: On Tuesday, November 9, NIU announced that Thomas Hammock had received a contract extension to remain as head coach at his alma mater through the 2026-27 academic year. Hammock is in his third year at the helm of the Huskies' program in 2021.

FINAL MINUTE MAGIC: Seven times this season, NIU has scored in the final minute of a half, including game-winning drives that ended with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter at Georgia Tech, at Toledo, at Central Michigan and versus Ball State. In three of those games – at Toledo and CMU and versus Ball State – NIU also scored with less than a minute remaining in the half. The drives ranged in length from 60 to 80 yards and lasted from 32 seconds to five minutes. The complete list: 
 

Opponent	Quarter	Time	Scoring Play	Drive (Pl-Yds-TOP)
GT	4th	00:38	Ratkovich 3 pass from Lombardi (2 Pt PAT)	9-80-2:04
TOL	2nd	00:36	A. Brown 37 run (PAT)	6-75-1:49
TOL	4th	00:26	Richardson 29 FG	9-60-3:02
CMU	2nd	00:33	Rudolph 15 pass from Lombardi (PAT)	12-79-4:20
CMU	4th	00:54	Woodill 26 FG	12-62-5:02
BSU	2nd	00:29	Tucker 58 pass from Lombardi	4-78-0:32
BSU	4th	00:00	Richardson 32 FG	10-62-1:42

FOURTH QUARTER SCORING: NIU's ability to win close games has come down to, in many cases, its ability to outscore its opponents in the fourth quarter. NIU has nearly doubled up on its opponents in the fourth quarter with 105 points compared to 54 for its opponents.  The Huskies' top scoring quarter is the second (111 points) while NIU has totaled just 47 points in the opening period, its lowest scoring quarter.    

GAME-WINNING KICKS: NIU redshirt sophomore kicker John Richardson now has made four game-winning field goals in his career with two in his freshman season of 2019 and two this season. Richardson's kicks this season won the Toledo (10-9) and Ball State (11-10) games by 22-20 and 30-29 scores, respectively (see play details above). In 2019, Richardson's 37-yard field goal as time expired gave the Huskies a 39-36 win at Ohio (10-12); he made a 25-yard three with 41 seconds left to lift NIU to a 31-28 win at Toledo (11-13)  

DUCK, DUCK, DUCK, DUCK: Freshman Jay Ducker has run for at least 100 yards in four straight games, totalling 649 yards on 107 carries for averages of 162.3 yards per game and 6.1 yards per carry. Ducker began the streak with a 210-yard game versus Bowling Green, gained 183 yards at Central Michigan and kept the streak alive with 101 yards on 19 carries at Kent State while adding the first two touchdowns of his Huskie career. Ducker then became the first Huskie since Joel Bouagnon in 2015 to record four consecutive 100-yard days with a 155-yard effort on 24 carries in the win over Ball State.    

HE DIDN'T EVEN START: In a game he didn't even start, freshman Jay Ducker ran for a career best 210 yards on 33 carries in NIU's 34-26 win over Bowling Green. Ducker's 210-yard game was the most yards by a Huskie since Heisman finalist and quarterback Jordan Lynch gained 321 yards versus Western Michigan on November 26, 2013 and the most by a Huskie running back since Cameron Stingily's 266-yard day versus Kent State earlier that year (October 5). It was the 45th 200-yard rushing game in school history. 

100-YARD HABIT: Four different NIU players have run for 100 or more yards in a game nine times this season. Eight of the 100-yard games have been notched by freshmen with Harrison Waylee posting three 100-yard games early in the season (vs. Georgia Tech, Wyoming, Maine), Antario Brown going for 101 versus Eastern Michigan and quarterback Rocky Lombardi totaling 119 yards on the ground versus Maine in addition to Jay Ducker's current string of four consecutive 100-yard games.   

TWO FOR 100: For the second time this season, two NIU receivers went over 100 yards receiving in the same game when Trayvon Rudolph (8-108) and Cole Tucker (6-103) reached the mark versus Ball State. Rudolph (6-160) and Tyrice Richie (8-147) accounted for 307 of NIU's 351 receiving yards at Central Michigan. Rudolph is currently riding a streak of three straight 100-yard receiving days, while Tucker has a pair of 100-yard receiving games on the year and Richie reached the mark once. Rudolph, who leads NIU with seven touchdown catches, is averaging 18.7 yards per reception which ranks 21st in the FBs and needs 21 yards to become the 38th 1,000-yard receiver in school history.

RARE OCCURRENCE: NIU second-year freshman Trayvon Rudolph, a high school quarterback, recorded the 25th 300-yard receiving day in NCAA FBS history at Kent State with 309 receiving yards on 14 catches, breaking the Mid-American Conference and NIU records. Rudolph's 309 yards rank as the 18th highest total ever recorded in a FBS game and are the most by any FBS player in 2021 while his 328 all-purpose yards (with 19 kickoff return yards) rank second. He caught touchdown passes of 36, 75 and 34 yards. 

RUDOLPH'S NIGHT: Trayvon Rudolph's 14 catches at Kent State tied him for second on the NIU single game list and are the most catches by a Huskie since 2016, when current N.Y. Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay made 14 grabs versus Toledo. He became the first NIU player to record three receiving TDs in a game since Nathan Palmer versus Toledo in 2011 (Nov. 1). He scored on a 75-yard pass play for the second consecutive week. As a true freshman in 2020, Rudolph caught 14 passes for 232 yards in the entire six game season. 

RECORD SETTER: Quarterback Rocky Lombardi joined Rudolph in the Huskie record book as he completed 33-of-57 passes for a school record 532 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions at Kent State. Lombardi's 532 passing yards broke the record of 486 yards, set by Phil Horvath versus Akron in 2005 by 46 yards to become the first 500-yard passer in school history. His 57 attempts rank second all-time at NIU while his 33 completions were fifth. Lombardi's 554 yards of total offense (22 rushing) are the most in FBS this year, while his 532 passing yards are third. 
  
ULTRA-BACK: Senior fullback Clint Ratkovich, a grad transfer from Western Illinois, leads the Huskies in touchdowns with 10 (8 rushing, 2 receiving) and has scored in seven games. Ratkovich has four rushing TDs in NIU's last three games. The Hula and East-West Shrine Bowl invitee ranks fourth on the team in rushing (252 yards) and receiving (13), after making a season-high five catches versus Ball State. The strongest player on the team, he scored a season-high three rushing TDs versus Wyoming and is NIU's top blocking and short yardage back.

HE'S NO ROOKIE: Quarterback Rocky Lombardi came to NIU with nine starts in 22 games in three seasons at Michigan State. The Iowa native, whose grandfather Bob was a hall of fame coach in the Illinois high school ranks, completed 159-of-332 passes for 1,902 yards with 11 TDs and 14 interceptions from 2018-20 at MSU and was a 1,000-yard passer in 2020. His father, Tony, was a long-time college and high school football coach, while his younger brother, Beau, is a sophomore offensive lineman at Army West Point. 

LONG? TERM COMMITMENT: Thomas Hammock's commitment to running the football starts with his background as a running back at NIU - he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in both 2000 and 2001 - and has been nourished along his coaching journey. At Wisconsin (2011-13), his running backs included Montee Ball, James White and Melvin Gordon, while he coached NIU Hall of Famer Garrett Wolfe during his stint as an assistant at NIU (2005-06) under Joe Novak. Working for John Harbaugh as running backs coach with the Baltimore Ravens (2014-18), Justin Forsett, Kyle Juszczyk and Alex Collins were just three of the backs Hammock helped flourish. 

UP FRONT: The Huskie offensive line is led by super senior Brayden Patton, a 36-game starter, at center. Patton is flanked by a pair of redshirt freshmen guards in Logan Zschernitz and J.J. Lippe, along with second year freshman John Champe, who earned his first start of the season versus Ball State. Sophomore tackles Marques Cox and Nolan Potter man the edges. Behind this group, the Huskies rank SECOND nationally in fewest sacks allowed with opponents collecting just six sacks to date, while clearing the way for nine 100-yard rushing games and 220.3 rushing yards per game. 

FOURTH DOWN FORTUNES: The Huskie offense has converted nine of its last 10 fourth down tries and is 17-of-21 on fourth down this season, the top percentage of any FBS team with 20 or more attempts. NIU converted all four of its fourth down tries at Kent State, including a fourth and 10 pass that went for a 34-yard touchdown to Trayvon Rudolph. NIU is tied for 33rd in the FBS in fourth down attempts, and is tied for ninth  in conversions.  

FOURTH DOWN D: The Huskie defense has also had success on fourth down in 2021. Opponents have been successful on just seven-of-20 fourth down tries for a 35.0 percent conversion rate, to rank 13th of all FBS teams and tops in the MAC. 

THE LONG...: Fourteen of NIU's scoring drives have lasted at least five minutes, including four drives lasting seven minutes or longer. The Huskies scored on a season-long seven minute 22 second drive in the fourth quarter versus Ball State to take a 27-26 lead on a 10-yard touchdown run by Jay Ducker. Kent State was only the second game on the year where NIU did NOT have a drive of at least five minutes. NIU also has 24 drives of 10 plays or more on the season. The Huskies had five drives of 10 or more plays at Central Michigan.  

AND SHORT OF IT: Conversely, NIU has 15 scoring drives of less than 2:10 on the season, 10 of which have taken five plays or less. In that group are a pair of one-play drives consisting of a 75-yard touchdown pass from Rocky Lombardi to Trayvon Rudolph.

DEBUTS: Fourteen true freshmen now have seen action in at least one game in 2021, with running back Antario Brown, cornerback JaVaughn Byrd linebacker Makhi Nelson-Douglas and defensive tackle Cade Haberman all earning starts. Byrd and Nelson-Douglas have started each of the last three games, while Haberman started at Kent State. Brown drew the starting running back assignment at Toledo and versus Bowling Green. Byrd and Haberman have played in every game this season, Nelson-Douglas in seven games and Louis Frye has seen action in six games on special teams.   

FOREVER YOUNG: Throughout the 2021 season, NIU's starting defense has been overwhelmingly made up of players in their first, second or third year of college football. Four positions - one cornerback spot, defensive end and both safety positions - have been manned by either a first or  second year player in every game. Four other spots - both defensive tackles, linebacker and cornerback - have starters in their third year (redshirt freshmen or sophomores) mixed in with true and "COVID" freshmen. Only three veterans - super senior Lance Deveaux Jr. (LB), redshirt junior Dillon Thomas (ROV) and redshirt junior Michael Kennedy (DE) have started regularly on the NIU D.  

RED ZONE O: After a 4-for-4 day in the red zone versus Ball State, NIU continues to rank third in the nation in red zone offense with a .974 (37-of-38) success rate. The Huskies have scored 22 touchdowns and made 15 field goals in 34 trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line in 2021. NIU's only miss in the red zone came at Toledo when Clint Ratkovich's touchdown run was reversed after review and John Richardson's 23-yard attempt went awry after a poor snap to end that drive. 

NO PASSES NO PROBLEM: While rushing for 319 yards on 59 carries in its 34-26 win over Bowling Green, NIU completed just four-of-eight passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. It was the fewest completions for the Huskies since  Nov. 5, 2009 when NIU quarterbacks completed four-of-seven passes for 118 yards in a 50-6 win over Eastern Michigan. The Huskies ran for 419 yards in that win.

BIG RETURN: Second year freshman Trayvon Rudolph's 100-yard kickoff return touchdown versus Bowling Green was the Huskies' first kickoff return score in 55 games, since October 22, 2016 when Aregeros Turner had a 97-yard kickoff return for a score versus Buffalo. The return tied NIU's school record as the longest scoring play in school history, matching Tommylee Lewis' 100-yard kickoff return on Nov. 1, 2011 at Toledo and Dave Petway's 100-yard interception return versus Southern Illinois on October 22, 1977. 

GROZA SEMIFINALIST: Sophomore kicker John Richardson was named one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award, presented to the top college kicker in FBS. Richardson has made 16-of-18 field goal attempts in 2021, including a school record tying five field goals at Toledo and game-winning threes at Toledo and versus Ball State. He is a perfect 26-for-26 on PATs and leads NIU in scoring. 

GETTING HIS KICKS: John Richardson tied the NIU school record by making five field goals in the win at Toledo, including the 29-yard game-winner with 26 seconds to play.  Richardson hit from 43, 26, 43, 47 and 29 yards and, including the PAT after NIU's lone touchdown, scored 16 of the Huskies' 22 points. The last NIU kicker to score at least 16 points in a game was Mathew Sims, who had 16 points versus Kent State on October 8, 2011. 

CLIMBING THE CHARTS: In 27 games as NIU's full-time kicker (since 2019), John Richardson is climbing the NIU career kicking charts. His 37 field goals made and 181 points scored rank tied for seventh and eighth at NIU all-time, respectively, while his 45 field goal attempts are tied for ninth. He is 37-of-45 all-time on field goals for an .822 percentage which ranks first. 

ANSWERING THE CALL: Freshman kicker Kanon Woodill was the next man up at Central Michigan after learning two days before the game that he would be handling kicking duties. He responded by going a perfect 3-for-3 on field goals, including the game-winner with 54 seconds to play, making both of his PAT attempts and kicking off eight times. Woodill was named the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his heroics. 

SENIOR WITH CLASS: NIU senior punter Matt Ference was named one of 30 candidates for the 2021 Senior CLASS award for football. The award honors seniors who have excelled in the areas of community, classroom, character and competition. Ference is the first Huskie to make the exclusive candidate list - with just 30 players annually selected - since Jordan Lynch in 2013 and is the sixth NIU player to earn the honor all-time. The St. Louis native has already earned his B.S. in marketing and MBA from NIU and is pursuing a second master's in finance.  

SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION: After playing cornerback and safety in his first four seasons at NIU, Dillon Thomas moved to the hybrid "rover" position in 2021 and took over as a starter versus Eastern Michigan. He leads NIU in tackles for loss (5.5) and quarterback sacks (3.0) despite entering the season without a single TFL or sack in his career. Thomas was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week versus EMU after making two sacks, a pass break up and seven tackles. He tipped the pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Jaden Dolphin. His 53 tackles are a single season career high.

STRONG SAFETY: Second-year safety C.J. Brown has been one of the Huskies' most consistent defenders since stepping into the starting position in the season's second game after Devin Lafayette's injury at Georgia Tech. The Canton, Michigan native leads the Huskies in tackles with 68 and made at least seven stops in seven of the nine games he has started, with a season high 10 in his first start of the year versus Wyoming. 
     
DBS DEVELOPING: NIU's defensive back quartet of cornerbacks Jordan Gandy and JaVaughn Byrd and safeties C.J. Brown and Jordan Hansen helped the Huskies hold Ball State to a season-low 126 yards on 11-of-26 passing. Byrd and Gandy were named NIU's defensive players of the game as they helped hold BSU's high-powered receiving duo to 36 yards on six catches. Gandy is in his third year of college football, Brown and Hansen are COVID freshmen while Byrd is a true freshman. 

QUICK HITS: The Huskies' five rushing TDs versus Wyoming were the most by NIU in a game since Nov. 1, 2016 versus Bowling Green... In 11 career games, second-year freshman tailback Harrison Waylee became the 43rd NIU player to tally 1,000 career rushing yards. Waylee's career totals stand at 1,030 yards on 208 carries and he has averaged 93.6 yards per game in his young career... Jay Ducker's 33 carries versus Bowling Green are tied for the fourth-most by a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) runner this season, while his 210 rushing yards in that game  rank 21st in the FBS this season and are the most by a MAC back in 2021... quarterback Ethan Hampton and linebacker Ryan King are the latest true freshmen to see action for NIU as both played in the Kent State game, King on the kickoff team and Hampton on the Huskies' last offensive play, where he lined up at wide receiver with Clint Ratkovich in the wildcat formation.    

WALK-ON U: Of the 85 scholarship players currently on the roster, 15 started at NIU as walk-ons. The list includes senior punter Matt Ference, as well as Nick Rattin, Trayvon Rudolph and Jordan Gandy. During 2021 preseason camp, offensive lineman Matthew Schooley and tailback Mason Blakemore were put on scholarship. Most recently, back-up quarterback Jeffery Lowery and safety Louis Frye received scholarships. They join a long and distinguished list of NIU players who arrived as walk-ons, including 2010 MAC MVP Chad Spann and former NIU cornerback and current NFL veteran Rashaan Melvin.

SUCCESS STORY: Wide receiver Tyrice Richie was named a semifinalist for the William Campbell Trophy, presented by the National Football Foundation to the top football Scholar-Athlete in the country. Richie, who went to junior college out of Homewood-Flossmoor High school to get his academics in order, has compiled a cumulative GPA of 3.24 in sport management and is set to graduate from NIU in December. 

SUPER SENIOR: Leading receiver Tyrice Richie has made 44 catches for 540 yards in 2021 before going out in the first quarter of the Kent State game with an injury. Richie set up John Richardson's game-winning field goal at Toledo with a 34-yard catch, one of his season-high eight catches for 98 yards in the game. He matched the catch total at Central Michigan with a career high 147 receiving yards. One of his biggest catches of 2021 doesn't show up in the stats as his diving grab of a two-point conversion pass with 38 seconds to play secured NIU's win at Georgia Tech. He has a catch in every game of his NIU career, a streak of 26 consecutive games and his 1,552 career receiving yards on 129 catches ranks 21st all-time at NIU. 

HUSKIE PRIDE: As a two-time Academic All-American, Thomas Hammock's emphasis on academic success and graduation is real, and he has the numbers to prove it. Over the last three semesters, Hammock's Huskies have posted the best cumulative team GPAs in school history, compiling a school record 3.08 GPA for the spring 2021 semester. 
 
GRADS: The NIU roster includes 14 players who have already earned their undergraduate degrees - either at NIU or from another institution, and one with two degrees as punter Matt Ference is currently pursuing his second master's degree. Transfers Braxton Chapman, Miles Joiner, Rocky Lombardi, Luke Mallette and Clint Ratkovich all came to NIU with degrees from their previous institutions. Erik Abrell, Erin Collins, Lance Deveaux Jr., Michael Kennedy, Brayden Patton, Kyle Pugh, Dillon Thomas and Cole Tucker are Huskie alumni.

LAND OF LINCOLN LEADERS: Since 2010, NIU is the winningest of the three FBS programs in Illinois with a .645 winning percentage and a 98-54 record. Northwestern comes in with a 81-65 record for a .555 win percentage over the last 11 seasons, while Illinois is 50-90 (.357). The Huskies defeated Northwestern in the most recent meeting in 2014, and dropped a 28-22 decision to Illinois in 2010. 

FULL SLATE: After playing a six-game, all Mid-American Conference schedule in November and December last year, NIU and the rest of the MAC have returned to a full 12-game slate in 2021. The Huskies faced their five MAC West foes and played one crossover game versus Buffalo out of the East Division in 2020.

ADDING TO THE BONEYARD: The Huskies stunned Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Sept. 4 when Tyrice Richie's diving catch of Rocky Lombardi's two-point conversion pass with 38 seconds left gave NIU a 22-21 "Boneyard Win". Boneyard Wins - over prominent and/or "Power 5" opponents - have been collected since 1983. Versus Georgia Tech, Harrison Waylee ran for 144 yards on 27 carries and Lombardi threw a pair of touchdown passes. NIU made two fourth down stops and forced three punts while Georgia Tech missed three field goals. NIU has collected nine Boneyard Wins in the last 12 years and 17 all-time. 

LEAD DOGS: Six players were elected team captains for 2021, including newcomers Rocky Lombardi (QB) and Clint Ratkovich (RB). Super seniors Lance Deveaux Jr. (LB) and Brayden Patton (C) and third-year players Nick Rattin (LB) and James Ester (DT) round out the group. This is the first year that NIU has selected captains prior to the season under Hammock.

IN SEARCH OF 600: NIU's next win will be its 600th all-time in its 119th season of college football. The Huskies entered the "Major College" ranks in 1969. NIU earned its 500th win in 2009 and has 98 wins over the last 12 seasons.