Huskies Host Cardinals in Annual Trophy Game Wednesday

NIU and Ball State Renew Battle for the Bronze Stalk

Football November 7

Huskies Host Cardinals in Annual Trophy Game Wednesday

NIU and Ball State Renew Battle for the Bronze Stalk

HUSKIE BITES

NIU plays its first game in Huskie Stadium in 25 days when the Huskies take on Ball State in the Battle of the Bronze Stalk on Wednesday, November 10.
NIU saw its five-game winning streak snapped at Kent State as the Golden Flashes claimed a 52-47 victory in a contest that featured 1,345 yards of total offense, 63 first downs and 171 offensive plays.
Huskie freshman Trayvon Rudolph broke the Mid-American Conference and NIU records for receiving yards in a game with 309 yards on 14 catches at Kent State; his total ranks 18th all-time in NCAA history (FBS).
NIU and Ball State meet for the 49th time all-time, and for the 25th consecutive season, every year since 1997. NIU owns a 24-22-2 edge in the all-time series, but Ball State has won each of the last two games, including a 31-25 win in Muncie in 2020.
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, 50 have seen action for NIU in 2021 and 32 are listed on the two-deep this week.
A nation-leading seven of the Huskies' nine games in 2021 have been decided by one score; NIU won the Georgia Tech, Toledo and Central Michigan games by scoring in the last minute of play.
Four different NIU players have run for 100 or more yards in a game eight times this season with freshmen accounting for seven of those performances; Jay Ducker recorded his third consecutive 100-yard rushing game and has run for 494 yards in the Huskies' last three games.
Quarterback Rocky Lombardi broke the NIU school record for passing yards at Kent State by completing 33 of 57 passes for 532 yards and three touchdowns. The previous record was held by Phil Horvath, who threw for 486 yards versus Akron on Sept. 24, 2005.
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. He is one of three former NIU players on the football coaching staff.

NIU FOOTBALL FACTS
Head Coach: Thomas Hammock (NIU '02)
Record at NIU/Years: 11-16/3rd
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: 598-510-51
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)

BALL STATE FOOTBALL FACTS
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Mike Neu  (Ball State/1994)
Record at Ball State/Years: 27-38/Sixth
Career Record/Years: 81-83/12th
2020 Record: 7-1
Mid-American Conference Record/Finish: 5-1/First
Location: Muncie, Ind.
Enrollment: 21,597
Conference: Mid-American, West Division (MAC)
Colors: Cardinal and White
Stadium: Scheumann Stadium
    Surface/Capacity: Astro Turf /22,500
President: Geoffrey Mearns
Athletic Director: Beth Goetz
Athletics Website: ballstatesports.com
Twitter: @ballstatefb

Ball State Schedule & Results

NIU-BALL STATE SERIES
Overall: NIU leads 24-22-2
In Muncie: NIU leads 13-10
In DeKalb: BSU leads 12-11-2
In MAC Games: Tied 18-18
Streak: BSU, 2
First Meeting: Oct. 4, 1941 - BSU 6, NIU 6 (H)
Last Meeting: Nov. 18, 2020 - BSU 31, NIU 25 (A)

FOLLOW THE HUSKIES

TV: NIU-BALL STATE ON ESPN2

Watch the NIU-Ball State game on ESPN2, as NIU appears on the network for the second straight week.
The Huskies will make their 38th all-time appearance on ESPN2, the most of any ESPN Network, and are 24-13 in games broadcast on the network.
The Huskies have had at least one game broadcast on ESPN2 every season since 2008.
Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Rocky Boiman (analyst) will be on the call for ESPN2 Wednesday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

The Huskie Sports Radio Network broadcast for the Ball State 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.

NOTING NIU

TROPHY GAME: For the 14th consecutive year, NIU and Ball State will play for "The Bronze Stalk," a traveling trophy designed specifically for this rivalry in honor of the farming community locales of both institutions. DeKalb artist Renee Bemis designed the trophy, which depicts a cornstalk. In 13 Bronze Stalk games, NIU is 10-3, although Ball State has claimed the trophy in each of the last two seasons.

SERIES HISTORY: NIU leads the all-time series with Ball State 24-22-2, and the Huskies have won 10 of the last 12 games between the teams. Ball State snapped NIU's 10-game winning streak – the longest such streak in series history – with a 27-20 victory at Huskie Stadium last year. NIU has won 17 of the 22 games with Ball State since 1999, with the Cardinals winning 16 of 17 games between 1974-98.

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.

HOME SWEET HOME: With a 74-28 (.725) record at home since 2003, NIU's all-time record at Huskie Stadium stands at 181-111-2 for a .619 all-time winning percentage. During that stretch, the Huskies have had 15 winning records at home and five undefeated seasons in DeKalb (2003, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013). NIU is 3-1 at home so far this season.

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: NIU is 160-112-2 all-time in Mid-American Conference play. The Huskies are 124-67 (.649) in league action since re-joining the MAC in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 69-22 (.758) against the MAC with three undefeated campaigns, two one-loss seasons, seven division championships, including a run of six-straight. The Huskies are in their 36th season as a member of the league in 2021, including an initial stint from 1975-85.

AT HOME IN THE MAC: In 36 seasons of MAC play dating back to 1975, NIU is 89-46-1 (.658) all-time at home in league games, including a 67-27 (.713) mark in Huskie Stadium versus league opponents since rejoining the league in 1997. In 47 MAC home games since 2009, the Huskies are 39-8 with four of those losses in the last two seasons.

NIU VS. MAC WEST: Since the MAC went to divisional play in 1997, NIU is 77-47 versus teams from the MAC West, including a 40-16 mark in the division since 2010. The Huskies are 3-0 against divisional foes this year with wins over Eastern Michigan, Toledo and Central Michigan.

MIDWEEK MACTION: NIU is 23-10 in league games played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays since 2010, including a 13-7 mark in MACtion road games.

HOOSIER COACH(ES): The Huskie ties to Indiana go beyond the roster as NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock was raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana and came to NIU as a player out of Bishop Luers High School, while NIU defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Jordan Gigli is also a Fort Wayne and Bishop Luers product. Tight ends coach Jason Onyebuagu is a native of Indianapolis who was recruited to NIU by Hammock out of Warren Central High School.

INDIANANS: The NIU roster includes six players from Indiana, including starting center Brayden Patton (Elletsville) and his back-up, freshman Pete Nygra (North Indianapolis). Linebacker Daveren Rayner (Indianapolis) returned to action last week after missing the previous four games due to injury. Huskie reserves Jeremiah Howard (Merrillville), Isaac Hatfield (Georgetown) and Brendan Carr (Hanna) are also Hoosier state products.

LAST TIME OUT: 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 last Wednesday (Nov. 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.

RARE OCCURRENCE: NIU second-year freshman Trayvon Rudolph, a high school quarterback, recorded just 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 for receiving yards in a game. Rudolph's 309 yards rank as the 18th highest total recorded in a FBS game and are the most by any FBS player in 2021 while his 328 all-purpose yards (including 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 th entire six game season.

RECORD SETTER: Quarterback Rocky Lombardi joined Trayvon Rudolph in the Huskie record book as the Michigan State transfer 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 (Sept. 24) 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 (including his 22 rushing yards) are the most in the nation in a game this year, with his 532 passing yards third.

ON THE RISE: How do 663 yards of total offense, specifically the 532 passing yards, on 96 plays affect your stats? NIU entered the Kent State game averaging a respectable 398.4 yards of total offense per game and 165.5 passing yards per game. Going into Wednesday's game versus Ball State, NIU is averaging 206.2 yards per game passing, an increase of 40.7 yards. Overall, the Huskies' offense is now averaging 427.6 yards, up 29.2 yards per game.

THREE-GAME STRETCH: Freshman Jay Ducker has recorded three consecutive 100-yard rushing days after gaining 101 yards on 19 carries at Kent State while adding the first two touchdowns of his Huskie career. The Nebraska native has averaged 164.7 rushing yards over the last three games with 494 total yards on 83 carries for a 5.95 yards per carry average. He leads NIU in rushing with 579 yards on 107 carries.

DUCK DUCK: Jay Ducker followed up his 33-carry, 210-yard rushing day versus Bowling Green (10/16) by running for 183 yards on 31 carries at Central Michigan. 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. His 393 total yards in back-to-back games has also not been done since Lynch followed up the WMU game with 126 yards in the MAC Championship game versus Bowling Green.

BACKS ARE FRESH: When you say "next man up" in the Huskie running backs room, it is no cliché - the backs, yards, carries and yes, freshmen, keep on coming. Second year freshman Harrison Waylee started the first five games of the season and gained 574 yards on 101 carries before going down in the first half versus Eastern Michigan. Enter true freshman Antario Brown, who gained 101 yards in the second half versus EMU, then got his first career start and carried the ball 24 times for 93 yards at Toledo. Brown started and played the first series versus Bowling Green before giving way to second year freshman Jay Ducker. He ran for 210 yards on 33 carries in the win over Bowling Green, then gained 183 yards on 31 rushes at Central Michigan. He added another 100-yard game, and scored the first two rushing touchdowns of his Huskie career, last week at Kent State.

IMPRESSIVE AVERAGE: Take away 32 yards lost in "TEAM" rushes this year, as well as the 18 yards on six carries earned by NIU receivers on the ground, and the Huskie "backs" - Harrison Waylee, Jay Ducker, Rocky Lombardi, Clint Ratkovich, Antario Brown, Mason Blakemore and Erin Collins - are averaging 5.0 yards per carry on the ground this year.

100-YARD HABIT: Four different NIU players have run for 100 or more yards in a game eight times this season. Seven 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. Freshman Jay Ducker has run for 494 yards over the last three games, with 210 and 183 yards versus Bowling Green and Central Michigan, respectively, and 101 at Kent State .

RUNNIN' WITH THE PACK: Despite being held to a season low 131 rushing yards on 39 carries at Kent State, NIU is still rushing for more than 220 yards per game to rank second in the MAC and 14th in the country going into the Ball State game. The last time NIU's total rushing yards, yards per carry and yards per game approached the level of this year's team was in 2016 when NIU finished the season with a rushing average of 239.8 yards per game.NIU's season-high 319 yards on 59 carries versus Bowling Green marked its first 300-yard rushing game since Oct. 21, 2017.

AIR ATTACK: Versus Bowling Green on October 16, the Huskies completed just 4-of-8 passes for 38 yards in a 34-26 win over the Falcons. In the two games since, Rocky Lombardi has thrown for 883 yards on 51-of-85 passing (60 percent) with six touchdowns and no interceptions. He has hit Trayvon Rudolph for a 75-yard touchdown in each of the last two games. After earning his second MAC West Offensive Player of the Week honor with a 348-yard passing day at Central Michigan, he bettered that by 184 yards to break the school record at Kent State.

DYNAMIC DUO: Wide receivers Trayvon Rudolph and Tyrice Richie accounted for 307 of NIU's 351 receiving yards at Central Michigan with Rudolph catching six passes for 160 yards and Richie making eight catches for 147 yards. Rudolph's day included receptions of 75 and 46 yards, while Richie had a 50-yard grab. The last time NIU had two 100 yard receivers in the same game was on October 12, 2019 versus Ohio by Cole Tucker (118 yards) and Mitchell Brinkman (100).

ULTRA-BACK: Senior fullback Clint Ratkovich, a grad transfer from Western Illinois, leads the Huskies in touchdown with nine and has scored in six different games. Ratkovich scored a pair of rushing TDs at Kent State, giving him seven rushing and two receiving scores on the season. Ratkovich also ranks fourth on the team in rushing (240 yards) and catches (8), is sixth in all-purpose yards (340) AND has made two tackles on special teams. The strongest player on the team, he scored a season-high three rushing TDs versus Wyoming and is the Huskies' top blocking and short yardage back.

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 35-game starter and super senior Brayden Patton 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. Sophomore tackles Marques Cox and Nolan Potter man the edges. Behind this group, the Huskies rank fourth nationally in fewest sacks allowed with opponents collecting just six sacks to date, while clearing the way for eight 100-yard rushing games and 221.3 rushing yards per game.

FOURTH DOWN FORTUNES: The Huskie offense 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, and is eight of nine on fourth down in the last two weeks.
On the season, NIU has converted 80 percent (16-of-20) of its fourth down tries, the top percentage among all FBS teams with 20 or more attempts. The Huskies' conversion percentage ranks third overall and is tops among MAC teams. NIU is tied for 25th in the FBS in fourth down attempts, and is tied for eighth 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-19 fourth down tries for a 36.8 percent conversion rate, one of the top 20 marks in FBS football and the best in the MAC.

LONG DRIVES: And we don't mean in yards. Twelve of NIU's scoring drives have lasted at least five minutes, including four drives lasting seven minutes or longer. 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 21 drives of 10 plays or more on the season. The Huskies had five drives of 10 or more plays at Central Michigan and another four at Kent State.

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. All three defenders started at Kent State, the second consecutive starts for Byrd and Nelson-Douglas. Brown drew the starting running back starts at Toledo and versus Bowling Green. Byrd and Haberman have played in every game this season, Nelson-Douglas in six games and Louis Frye has seen action in five 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 spots - both defensive tackles, linebacker and cornerback - have starters in their third year (redshirt freshmen or sophomores) along with true and "COVID" freshmen.

AND YOUNGER: Last week at Kent State, NIU's starting defense featured three true freshmen (DT Cade Haberman, LB Makhi Nelson-Douglas and CB JaVaughn Byrd), three second year freshmen (ROV Jaden Dolphin, S C.J. Brown and S. Jordan Hansen) and third-year players Jordan Gandy (CB), James Ester (DT) and Demond Taylor Jr. (DT). Sixth-year senior Lance Deveaux Jr. and redshirt junior Dillon Thomas rounded out the starting 11.

RED ZONE O: NIU ranks third in the nation in red zone offense with a .971 (33-of-34) success rate. The Huskies have scored 20 touchdowns and made 13 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 on the same drive.

CARDIAC HUSKIES: NIU has played in seven one-score games in 2021, and is tied with Oklahoma with five one-score wins. Three of the Huskies' wins have come on late game-winning scores. The Huskies scored a touchdown and a two-point PAT with 38 seconds to play to defeat Georgia Tech, 22-21, beat Toledo, 22-20 with a John Richardson 29-yard field goal with 26 seconds on the clock and saw Kanon Woodill make a 26-yard field goal with 54 seconds to play at Central Michigan. Versus Georgia Tech, NIU drove 80 yards in nine plays and 2:04 for the score, while the Toledo game-winning drive went 60 yards in nine plays and 3:02. The Woodill field goal finished a 12-play, 62-yard drive that took 5:02.

TAKING A PASS: While rushing for 319 yards on 59 carries versus 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.

NATIVE SON: After missing four games after an injury sustained versus Maine, junior wide receiver Cole Tucker returned to the line-up at Kent State and caught five passes for 60 yards. One of QB Rocky Lombardi's top targets before going down, Tucker recorded a 100-yard receiving day versus Maine with four catches for 114 yards to become the 37th player in school history to record 1,000 receiving yards. The DeKalb native and Huskie legacy athlete now has 1,089 career receivng yards on 86 catches to rank 34th all-time at NIU.

SUPER SENIOR: With 44 catches for 540 yards in 2021, senior Tyrice Richie has accounted for nearly a third of NIU's catches. 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 he made a diving grab of a two-point conversion pass with 38 seconds to play to give NIU the upset victory at Georgia Tech. He has caught at least one pass 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.

HE'S NO ROOKIE: Quarterback Rocky Lombardi came to NIU as a seasoned veteran 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.

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 13-of-15 field goal attempts in 2021, including a school record tying five field goals - and the game-winner - at Toledo. He is a perfect 23-for-23 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 26 games as NIU's full-time kicker (since 2019), John Richardson is climbing the NIU career kicking charts. His 34 field goals made and 169 points scored rank eighth at NIU all-time while his 42 field goal attempts are 10th. He is 34-of-42 all-time on field goals for an .809 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 (5.0) 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 42 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 65 and made at least seven stops in seven of the eight games he has started, with a season high 10 in his first start of the year versus Wyoming.

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 third-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.

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 .642 winning percentage and a 97-54 record. Northwestern comes in with a 81-64 record for a .559 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.

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