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  HUSKIE BITES  

• The MAC West Champion NIU Huskies return to Detroit to play in the MAC Championship game for the eighth time in the last 12 seasons, the most appearances by any league team. . 
• NIU completed a "worst to first" regular season with an eight-game improvement in the win column, winning seven games by one score or less, four by two points or less and another in overtime. 
• After going 0-6 a year ago, NIU's 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, 53 have seen action for NIU in 2021 and 33 are listed on the two-deep this week. 
• Nine Huskies, including all three of NIU's starting specialists and three starters on offense or defense, will be making a return trip to Ford Field and the MAC Championship game.    
• NIU has scored 20 touchdowns on plays of 25 yards or longer in 2021 and has totaled 51 long plays, the most in a single season since 2016, with 19 plays of 40 yards or longer and 12 of 50 yards or more. Trayvon Rudolph leads NIU with  24 plays of 25 yards or more, including three 75-yard touchdowns. 
• Kent State earned a 52-47 win over NIU on November 3rd in Kent, Ohio, breaking the Huskies' five-game winning streak this season and the Huskies' 10-game winning streak in the series. 
• NIU is 4-4 in its eight previous MAC Championship game appearances and has won five MAC titles all-time - the first in 1983 prior to championship games.
• Quarterback Rocky Lombardi has thrown for more than 2,300 yards and averaged more than 245 yards of total offense while directing the Huskie offense to a score in the last two minutes of a game or half eight times in 2021. 
• 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. Earlier in November, 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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  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  

Head Coach: Thomas Hammock (NIU '02)
Record at NIU/Years: 13-17/3rd
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: 600-511-51
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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  KENT STATE FACTS  

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Sean Lewis (Wisconsin/2007)
Record at Kent State/Years: 18-22/Fourth
Career Record/Years: Same
2020 Record: 3-1
Mid-American Conference Record/Finish: 3-1/Second
Location: Kent, Ohio
Enrollment: 38,323
Conference: Mid-American, East Division (MAC)
Colors: Navy Blue and Gold 
Stadium: Dix Stadium    
        Surface/Capacity: AstroTurf /25,319
President: Dr. Todd Diacon
Athletic Director: Randale L. Richmond
Athletics Website: kentstatesports.com
Twitter: @KentStFootball

KSU Schedule & Results
 

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  NIU-KENT STATE SERIES  

Overall: NIU leads 21-8
In DeKalb, Ill.: NIU leads 12-2
At Kent, Ohio: NIU leads 8-6
Neutral Site Games: NIU leads 1-0
In MAC Games: NIU leads 19-4
Streak: Kent State, 1
First Meeting: Nov. 18, 1949; KSU 21, NIU 19 (H)
Last Meeting: Nov. 3, 2021; KSU 52, NIU 47 (A)
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-KENT STATE IN THE MAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME ON ESPN

• Watch NIU and Kent State in the Rocket Mortgage MAC Championship game on ESPN. 
• NIU will appear on ESPN for the first time since the 2018 Boca Raton Bowl.
• NIU is 6-8 all-time in games broadcast on ESPN.  
• Jason Benetti (play-by-play) and Andre Ware (analyst) will call the MAC Championship game for ESPN with Paul Carcaterra on the sidelines.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network broadcast for the MAC Championship game begins at 10:30 a.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 wrapping up 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. 

NIU WEEKLY ON YOUTUBE

• The show features interviews with the NIU football staff, including head coach Thomas Hammock and his assistants, as well as NIU head coaches of other sports. 
• The latest episode will premiere on the NIU Athletics YouTube Channel on Thursday, December 2. 
• 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 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  

RETURN TO DETROIT: NIU will add to its league record by making its ninth appearance all-time in the Rocket Mortgage MAC Championship game, and will play for a MAC Championship for the eighth time in the last 12 seasons. The Huskies played in Detroit for a record six-straight years from 2010-2015, returned and won the title in 2018 and after a two-year respite, are back in 2021.   

CLINCHED: NIU clinched the MAC West Division title and a spot in the 2021 Rocket Mortgage MAC Championship game in Detroit in its penultimate game on November 17 with a 33-27 overtime win at Buffalo, the Huskies' eighth win of the season.

PATH TO A TITLE: To reach the Championship game, the Huskies won their first four league games versus MAC West opponents and defeated MAC East foes Bowling Green and Buffalo. NIU suffered its first league loss to MAC Championship Game foe Kent State at Kent State on Wednesday, November 3rd and dropped its regular season finale to Western Michigan at home on Tuesday, November 23rd. 

MOTOR CITY REGULARS: Ford Field has become the Huskies' home away from home as NIU will play its 10th game in the Motor City stadium this week, its most games at any neutral site location.  In addition to the nine MAC Championship games, the Huskies played in the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl in Ford Field. All-time, NIU is 4-5 in the stadium with a 4-4 mark in MAC Championship games and a loss to Duke in the Quick Lane Bowl. 

BEST IN THE WEST: With this year's MAC West Division title, the Huskies have won a league-best nine division crowns. Trailing NIU are Toledo and former league member Marshall with six division titles each, Miami with five and Ohio, Central Michigan and Bowling Green with four division championships each. Buffalo and Central Michigan have each won three, while Akron, Ball State and now Kent State each have two first-place division finishes to their credit.

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: NIU is 4-4 in its eight previous MAC Championship games in Detroit. However, NIU has won five Mid-American Conference titles all-time, as the Huskies' first MAC crown came in 1983 under head coach Bill Mallory. That season, NIU went 8-1 versus league teams and clinched the championship with a 26-14 win over Toledo before the days of conference championship games. 

NINE FOR THE SECOND TIME: Nine Huskie players who saw action in the 2018 MAC Championship Game will be making a return trip to Detroit  in 2021, including three players who started the 2018 game on offense or defense and all three of NIU's starting specialists. Two other current NIU players - tight end Liam Soraghan and offensive tackle Marques Cox - were on the trip but did not play. The nine who did play - and their stats from the 2018 game. 
 

Name	Pos.	Start	Stats
Lance Deveaux Jr.	LB	Y	3 solo, 4 total tackles
Brayden Patton	LG	Y	NIU had 409 yards total offense
Cole Tucker	WR	Y	2 catches, 30 yards, 1 punt rtn, 4 yards
Erik Abrell	LB	Y	5 snaps
Matt Ference	P/HO	Y	4 punts, 38.2 average, 3 inside 20
John Richardson	KO	Y	6 kickoffs, 63.7 avg., 3 touchbacks
Michael Kennedy	DE	N	NA
Zhamaine March	CB	N	NA
Dillon Thomas	CB	N	NA

RETURN TRIP: NIU's Thomas Hammock will coach in his second MAC Championship Game as the Huskies' head man was on the NIU sidelines as running backs coach in 2005, when NIU fell to Akron 31-30 on a 36-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the game (see recap). Current Huskies' defensive coordinator and safeties coach Derrick Jackson was also on that staff as he coached the defensive tackles. 
 
JOINING THE CLUB: Thomas Hammock is the fifth straight NIU head coach to lead the Huskies to ta MAC West Division title and the MAC Championship game. He joins Joe Novak (2005), Jerry Kill (2010), Dave Doeren (2011, '12) and Rod Carey (2013, '14, '15, '18) with game appearances. Doeren (2011, '12) and Carey (2014, '18) have led NIU to wins in the game. Bill Mallory led NIU to its first MAC title in 1983.  

ON THE OTHER SIDE: The last time NIU played in the MAC Championship game in 2018, NIU offensive line coach Daryl Agpalsa was on the other sidelines as he spent the 2014-18 seasons as the o-line coach for the Buffalo Bulls. Agpalsa is the third member of the NIU coaching staff with previous experience coaching in the MAC Championship game. 

REMATCH: NIU and Kent State will meet for the second time this season, marking just the second time in NIU's nine MAC Championship game appearances that the Huskies will play a team it previously faced during the regular season. On September 24 2005, NIU lost at Akron, 48-42, in overtime in both teams' MAC opener with the Zips also taking the rematch, 31-30, on December 1 in Detroit on a last second touchdown pass. NIU did not face its MAC East opponent during the regular season in any of its other championship game appearances. 

SERIES HISTORY: The MAC Championship game between Kent State and NIU will be the 30th meeting all time between the two schools. NIU has won 10 of the last 11 games between the teams, with Kent State's win on November 3rd breaking the Huskies' 10-game winning streak in the series that dated back to 2001. NIU leads the all-time series, 21-8, and in MAC competition, NIU leads the all-time series 19-4, including a 44-37 double overtime victory in the 2012 MAC Championship game. NIU has played Kent State more than any other MAC East team. 

EARLIER THIS YEAR: Despite school-record setting performances from quarterback Rocky Lombardi and Trayvon Rudolph (see notes below), NIU had its five-game winning streak halted at Kent State in a 52-47 defeat on Wednesday, November 3. The Huskies led 14-3 midway through the first quarter before KSU exploded for four second quarter touchdowns to take a 31-21 halftime lead and extended it to 38-21 in the third quarter before NIU closed the gap to 45-40 with back-to-back touchdowns by Jay Ducker and Clint Ratkovich, the latter with eight minutes to play. Kent State scored just 41 seconds later, though, and, after another Ratkovich TD for NIU, the Golden Flashes ran out the clock in the last five minutes.    

LAST TIME IN DETROIT: NIU completed a 19-point second-half comeback with a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Marcus Childers to D.J. Brown to give the Huskies a 30-29 win over Buffalo in the 2018 MAC Championship game. Childers' pass to Brown was his fourth TD pass of the game as he brought NIU back from a 29-10 third quarter deficit. All-American Sutton Smith made 10 tackles with two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss while fellow defensive end Josh Corcoran had a pair of sacks as the Huskies limited UB to seven points in the second half

A MAC CLASSIC: NIU and Kent State met in the 2012 MAC Championship game with a trip to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) on the line in just the second match-up between two ranked teams in the game's history. The Jordan Lynch-led Huskies prevailed 44-37 in double overtime to earn a bid to the FedEx Orange Bowl, the first BCS bid in MAC history. Lynch scored his third touchdown of the game in the second overtime, and NIU's Demetrius Stone intercepted Kent State QB Spencer Keith in the end zone to give the Huskies the win. Lynch ran for 160 yards on 36 carries and threw for 212 yards, while NIU held Kent State to 70 rushing and 260 total yards.  

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: Not including its eight MAC Championship game appearances, NIU is 162-113-2 all-time in Mid-American Conference play after completing its 36th season in the league in 2021. The Huskies are 127-68 (.651) in league action since re-joining the MAC in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 71-23 (.755) against the MAC with three undefeated campaigns, two one-loss seasons and eight division championships, including a run of six-straight (2010-15).

CARDIAC CANINES: NIU has played in NINE one-score games in 2021, including each of their last seven, and the Huskies have more "close" (eight points or less) WINS than any team in the country with seven. Six NIU games have been decided by six points or less this year.

THIS IS US: NIU has won more games decided by LESS than three points than any school in the country in 2021. In fact, with wins over Georgia Tech (1 point), Toledo (2), Central Michigan (1) and Ball State (1) by a combined five points (three one-point victories and one two-point win), the Huskies have the MOST one or two point wins by a FBS team in a season since Virginia won five games by that margin during a 9-4 campaign in 2007. Source: sports-reference.com/cfb.

NOTHING NEW: In three seasons under head coach Thomas Hammock, the Huskies have played in 18 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 7-2 in one-score games for a three-year record of 10-8. 

OVERTIME DRAMA: As if NIU's one- and two-point wins weren't exciting enough, the Huskies took it one step further at Buffalo with a 33-27 overtime victory over the Bulls. After NIU broke a 10-10 halftime tie with a pair of third-quarter scores, including on a 47-yard touchdown run by freshman Antario Brown, the Bulls twice came back to tie the game, including with a school record 55-yard field goal. After John Richardson's 38-yard field goal was - literally - blown wide left, the Huskie defense recovered a Buffalo fumble on the one-yard line in UB's overtime possession. NIU's Clint Ratkovich went 25 yards on the Huskies' first play of OT to end the game and give NIU its eighth win.      

THAT WAS DIFFERENT: While the Huskies have played plenty of close games (see previous notes), the Buffalo game was the first overtime contest of Thomas Hammock's tenure, and NIU's first overtime game since September 29, 2018. With the win at Buffalo, NIU is 9-4 in overtime games all time and has won four straight overtime contests.      

CLUTCH: Including the one-play overtime possession at Buffalo, the Huskies have put together eight "late" scoring drives to either win a game or to end a half, with less than a minute on the clock this season. NIU has recorded five game-winning scores with less than a minute to play - at Georgia Tech, at Toledo, at Central Michigan, versus Ball State and at Buffalo, the latter in overtime. 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
BUFF	OT	NA	Ratkovich 25 run	1-25-0:00

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.

BADGERS OVERLAP: NIU head coach Thomas Hammock and Kent State mentor Sean Lewis have some familiarity with each other as both were at the University of Wisconsin at the same time - Hammock as a graduate assistant at the beginning of his coaching career in 2003-04 and Lewis at the beginning of his time as a player in Madison as he arrived on campus as a freshman in the summer of  2004. 

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.

HEADING HOME: Six players from Detroit and the surrounding area have played significant roles for the Huskies this year, including a trio of starters. Nose tackle James Ester (Cass Tech), tight end Liam Soraghan (Divine Child HS) and safety C.J. Brown (Walled Lake Western HS) are the Huskie starters from the Detroit area, while senior Zhamaine March (East English Village Prep) and freshman Muhammad Jammeh (Renaissance HS) are regulars on special teams, and second year freshman defensive end Ivan Davis (Plymouth HS) sees action in NIU's third down defensive package.   

FOURTH QUARTER SCORING: NIU has outscored its opponents by 57 points in the fourth quarter and overtime with 128 points compared to 71 for its opponents at the end of games. The Huskies' top scoring quarter is the second (128 points) while NIU has totaled just 47 points in the opening period.    

NOT YOUR AVERAGE "FULLBACK": If there was any doubt about that (there wasn't), senior Clint Ratkovich erased that when he scored on a 96-yard run versus Western Michigan. Ratkovich's run - his team leading 13th touchdown of the season - was the longest by a Huskie in 87 years, since Reino Nori had a school-record 99-yard rushing TD versus Wisconsin-Whitewater on Nov. 17, 1934 Ratkovich's touchdown is tied for the fifth-longest rushing TD in FBS football this year.   

THE "RATDOG" ROLLS: Grad transfer fullback Clint Ratkovich leads the Huskies in touchdowns with 13 (11 rushing, 2 receiving) and has scored in nine games with seven rushing TDs in NIU's last five games and three multi-TD games. His 13 touchdowns are the most by a Huskie in a season since 2015 when Joel Bouagnon scored 18. He has had his top rushing games as Huskie in NIU's last two games with 75 yards on 11 carries, including the  25-yard game-winner on the first play of overtime, while providing key blocks on both of the Huskies' long TD runs. The MBA student who has accepted an invite to the 2022 East-West Shrine Bowl totaled 97 yards on four carries versus Western Michigan and has 574 all-purpose and 424 rushing yards on the season.  

WILD FOR 75: Trayvon Rudolph's 75-yard end around for a touchdown at Buffalo marked his THIRD 75-yard scoring play of 2021 and the Huskies' fourth score of exactly 75 yards this year. Against both Central Michigan and Kent State, Rudolph caught medium range passes and turned them into 75-yard touchdowns on the first play of drives after a fair catch on the kickoff. At Buffalo, he scored NIU's second 75-yard rushing touchdown as Harrison Waylee had a 75-yard run for a score early in the season versus Wyoming. 

1,000 CAREER AND 100 YARD GAMES: Three Huskie pass catchers have compiled six 100-yard receiving games in 2021 and with 80 receiving yards at Buffalo, Rudolph - a second year freshman - has joined teammates Tyrice Richie and Cole Tucker in NIU's 1,000-yard career receiving club. Rudolph put together a streak of three straight 100-yard receiving days versus Central Michigan, Kent State and Ball State, while Cole Tucker went over the century mark versus Maine and Ball State. Rudolph (6-160) and Tyrice Richie (8-147) accounted for 307 of NIU's 351 receiving yards at Central Michigan. 

BIG PLAY ABILITY: Trayvon Rudolph's 18.0 yards per catch average ranks 26th nationally and is eighth among players with at least 45 catches on the season. Rudolph's seven touchdown receptions in 2021 are the most by a Huskie since tight end Shane Wimann caught seven TD passes in 2017. Rudolph leads NIU in catches (46) and receiving yards (827) and is the 38th player  in school history - joining teammates Tyrice Richie and Cole Tucker - to tally 1,000 or more receiving yards in his career with a current total of 1,059 yards on 60 catches.   

IN THE NCAA RECORD BOOK: It doesn't take long to get to 1,000 career receiving yards when you get 309 in a single game, as second-year freshman Trayvon Rudolph, a high school quarterback, did at Kent State (on 14 catches). Rudolph recorded the 25th 300-yard receiving day in NCAA FBS history to break the Mid-American Conference and NIU single game records. His 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 in the FBS this year. He caught touchdown passes of 36, 75 and 34 yards in the game. 

RUDOLPH'S NIGHT: Trayvon Rudolph's 14 catches at Kent State tied him for second on the NIU all-time single game list and are the most by a Huskie since 2016, when current N.Y. Giants wide receiver Kenny Golladay made 14 grabs versus Toledo. He also became the first NIU player to record three receiving TDs in a game since Nathan Palmer versus Toledo in 2011 (Nov. 1). 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 Trayvon Rudolph in the Huskie record book following the Kent State game as he completed 33-of-57 passes for a school record 532 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Lombardi's 532 passing yards broke the NIU record of 486 yards, set by Phil Horvath versus Akron in 2005, by 46 yards as he became the first 500-yard passer in school history. His 57 attempts rank second all-time at NIU while his 33 completions are fifth. Lombardi's 554 yards of total offense (22 rushing) are the most in FBS this year, while his 532 passing yards are fourth. 

CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Rocky Lombardi is quietly putting together one of the top seasons by a passer in NIU history.  His 2,314 passing yards are currently ninth on the Huskie single seson charts and are the most by a NIU QB in a single season since 2014 (Drew Hare), his 173 completions are tied for 10th, while his 210.4 yards per game average ranks eighth. 
  
FOOTBALL FAMILY - BUT NOT THAT ONE: 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, leading the Spartans to wins over Michigan and Northwestern. 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. 

RUNNING FOR 100: Four different NIU players have run for 100 or more yards in a game 10 times this season. Nine of the 100-yard games have been notched by first or second year freshmen with Jay Ducker's five 100-yard games leading the way.   Harrison Waylee posted three 100-yard games early in the season (vs. Georgia Tech, Wyoming, Maine), Antario Brown went for 101 versus Eastern Michigan and quarterback Rocky Lombardi totaled 119 yards on the ground versus Maine. 
  
DUCK, DUCK, DUCK: Freshman Jay Ducker became the first Huskie since Joel Bouagnon in 2015 to record four consecutive 100-yard rushing games and how has run for more than 100 yards in five of the Huskies' last six games. He needs 112 yards to surpass the 1,000-yard mark for the season and record the 31st 1,000-yard rushing season in school history. He is 156 yards away from the Huskies' single season freshman rushing record set by Alllen Ross in 1977. Versus Bowling Green in a game he did not even start, Ducker ran for 210 yards, the most yards by a Huskie since Heisman finalist and quarterback Jordan Lynch gained 321 yards versus Western Michigan on November 26, 2013. Ducker followed that with 183 yards at Central Michigan and added the first two touchdowns of his Huskie career at Kent State. Ducker totaled 155-yards on 24 carries in the win over Ball State.    

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 38-game starter, at center who was the starter at left guard the last time NIU was in the MAC Championship game. Patton is flanked by a pair of redshirt freshmen (third year) guards in Logan Zschernitz and J.J. Lippe. Sophomore tackles Marques Cox and Nolan Potter man the edges. Behind this group, along with second-year freshman guard John Champe, the Huskies rank FIFTH nationally in fewest sacks allowed as opponents have just nine sacks on the season. The line has cleared the way for 10 100-yard rushing games by four different players, 29 rushing TDs and 231.5 rushing yards per game as the Huskies rank fifth nationally in rushing offense. 

GOING LONG: NIU has scored 20 touchdowns on plays of 25 yards or longer in 2021 and has totaled 51 long plays, the most in a single season since 2016. The total includes 19 plays of 40 yards or longer and 12 have gone for 50 yards or more. Trayvon Rudolph is the Huskies' long play leader with 24 plays of at least 25 yards - 16 passing, one rushing and seven kickoff returns. Eight of his nine touchdowns have come on long plays, including two catches and one rush for 75 yards and a 100-yard kickoff return. All four of freshman Antario Brown's long runs (of 47, 44, 41 and 37 yards) have gone for touchdowns. Thirteen different players have recorded a play of 25-yards or longer and nine have multiple long plays.

NO. 1 ON FOURTH DOWN: The Huskie offense ranks first in the nation (FBS) in fourth down conversion percentage this year, having been successful on 19-of-23 tries for an 82.6 rate.  NIU has converted 11 of its last 12 fourth down tries and each of its last nine fourth down attempts, dating back to the third quarter of the Central Michigan game. The Huskies were 4-for-4 on fourth downs at Kent State in November.  

THE LONG...: Sixteen of NIU's scoring drives have lasted at least five minutes, including seven drives lasting seven minutes or longer. The Huskies had a season-long seven minute 24 second drive in the fourth quarter at Buffalo to take a 27-24 lead. NIU also has 26 drives of 10 plays or more on the season. 

AND SHORT OF IT: Conversely, NIU has 20 scoring drives of less than 2:10 on the season, 16 of which have lasted five plays or less. In that group are seven one-play drives, three of 75 yards each courtesy of Trayvon Rudolph, the 96-yard run from the NIU four-yard line for a score by Clint Ratkovich versus Western Michigan, and Antario Brown's 47-yard run on the first play of a possession at Buffalo. NIU also had scoring drives of two and four plays in the regular season finale - with Brown scoring both TDs, from 44 and 41 yards out. Not included in the "short" drives list is the untimed, one-play, 25-yard drive on a Clint Ratkovich run that ended the Buffalo game in overtime.

DEBUTS: Eighteen true freshmen now have seen action in at least one game for NIU in 2021. Quarterback Ethan Hampton became the fifth true freshman to start a game for the Huskies this year when he started versus Western Michigan. He joined a group that includes tailback Antario Brown (2 starts), nose tackle Cade Haberman (1) and middle linebacker Makhi Nelson-Douglas (4). Cornerback JaVaughn Byrd leads all NIU true freshmen with five starts.     

YOUTH ON D: 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 upperclassmen - 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: NIU has scored on 93 percent (40-of-43) of its trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line this year to rank sixth in the country in Red Zone Offense. The Huskies' three "misses" have come on missed field goals (at Buffalo in a 20 mph wind, at Toledo on a poor snap after replay wiped out an apparent touchdown, and versus Western Michigan). The Huskies have scored 23 touchdowns and made 17 field goals in 43 trips in the Red Zone in 2021.  

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. 

GAME-WINNING KICKS: NIU redshirt sophomore kicker John Richardson 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 in 2021 won the Toledo (10-9) and Ball State (11-10) games by 22-20 and 30-29 scores, respectively, with field goals of 29 and 32 yards. 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). With Richardson out for the Central Michigan game, true freshman back-up Kanon Woodill made a 26-yard game-winner with 54 seconds to play. Woodill went 3-for-3 on field goals in the game. 

IRON MAN: NIU senior punter/holder Matt Ference has played in more games than any player in school history. The St. Louis native, who also owns nearly every NIU punting record, surpassed former offensive linemen Andrew Ness and Aidan Conlon by playing in his 57th career game versus WMU. Ference made his first appearance for NIU in the 2017 season opener versus Boston College (9-1) and has taken the field for every game since. He played 13 games in 2017, 14 in 2018, 12 in 2019, six in 2020 and all 12 this season. Ness, a center, and Conlon a guard, started every game for NIU from 2012-15. 

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 18-of-23 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 32-of-32 on PATs and leads NIU in scoring with 86 points. 

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.  

WALK-ON U: Of the 85 scholarship players currently on the roster, 15 started at NIU as walk-ons. The list includes punter Matt Ference, as well as Nick Rattin, Trayvon Rudolph and Jordan Gandy. During 2021 preseason camp and throughout the season, offensive lineman Matthew Schooley, tailback Mason Blakemore, 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.

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 ranks second on the team in quarterback sacks (3.0) and tackles for loss (5.5) despite entering the season without a single TFL or sack in his career. His 59 tackles, which rank tied for third on the team, 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 94 after setting his career highs in each of the last two games, including a team season high 14 tackles versus Western Michibgan after making 12 stops at Buffalo. He has at least seven tackles  in nine of the 11 games he has started. 
     
A START TO REMEMBER: 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. 

CLIMBING THE CHARTS: In 29 games as NIU's full-time kicker since the beginning of the 2019 season, John Richardson is climbing the NIU career kicking charts. His 39 field goals made and 193 points scored rank seventh and sixth at NIU all-time, respectively, while his 50 field goal attempts are eighth. He is 39-of-50 all-time on field goals for a .780 percentage which ranks second. 

TROPHY WIN: John Richardson kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired to give NIU a 30-29 win over Ball State on Nov. 10 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.      

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.

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.