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  HUSKIE BITES  

• After a thrilling, last-minute win over Georgia Tech to claim its 17th "Boneyard Victory" all-time last Saturday in Atlanta, NIU welcomes the Wyoming Cowboys to Huskie Stadium to open its 57th season in the facility. 
• Tyrice Richie made a diving catch of Rocky Lombardi's two-point conversion pass in the back of the end zone with 38 seconds to play, giving the Huskies a 22-21 win in the season opener. Richie's catch came after Lombardi hit Clint Ratkovich with a three-yard touchdown pass after engineering a near-perfect two-minute drive. 
• Huskies Harrison Waylee (144 yards on 27 carries), Lance Deveaux Jr. (13 tackles) and Matt Ference (41.0 avg. on 7 punts) collected MAC West Division Player of the Week honors Monday as NIU swept the weekly awards. 
• NIU's last-minute comeback was its first since a 30-29 win over Buffalo in the 2018 MAC Championship Game. In that game, the Huskies scored the game-winning touchdown with 1:09 to play on a 35-yard pass from Marcus Childers to D.J. Brown as NIU staged a 19-point rally in the last 15:17 of the game.
• NIU and Wyoming last met in Laramie on Sept. 3, 2016 in a three-overtime game that ended at 2:34 am Mountain Time after a torrential rainstorm interrupted play. The Cowboys' Josh Allen scored on a seven-yard run to give Wyoming a 40-34 victory. 
• After allowing friends and family only in the stands for its two November home games and playing with no fans at all for the 2020 home finale, NIU welcomes fans at full capacity to Huskie Stadium with masks required in indoor spaces. 
• Twelve players made their NIU debuts at Georgia Tech, including transfers Lombardi (Michigan State), Ratkovich (Western Illinois) and tight end Miles Joiner (Youngstown State) - who also caught a touchdown pass at Georgia Tech. Seven Huskies made their first career starts.
• With players retaining their eligibility from a year ago, NIU's 2021 roster features 87 players classified as "freshmen." That group includes 44 newcomers, 33 "COVID" (second year) freshmen and 10 redshirt freshmen.    
• NIU head coach Thomas Hammock, a two-time first team CoSIDA Academic All-American who rushed for over 1,000 yards to lead the Huskies in both 2000 and 2001, begins his third season as head coach at his alma mater.     

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  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  

Head Coach: Thomas Hammock (NIU '02)
Record at NIU/Years: 6-13/1
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: 593-507-51
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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  WYOMING FACTS  

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year):  Craig Bohl (Nebraska/1982)
Record at Wyoming/Years: 39-44/Eight
Career Record/Years: 143-76/19
2020 Record:  2-4
Mountain West Conference Record/Finish: 2-4/Ninth
Location: Laramie, Wyo.
Enrollment: 11,829
Conference: Mountain West, Mountain 
Colors: Brown and Gold 
Stadium: War Memorial Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /29,181
President: Edward Seidel
Athletic Director: Tom Burman
Athletics Website:  gowyo.com
Twitter: @wyofootball
Ticket Information: 307-766-7220

Wyoming Schedule & Results
 

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  NIU-WYOMING SERIES  

Overall: Wyoming leads 1-0
In Laramie: Wyoming leads 1-0
In DeKalb: First Meeting
Streak: Wyoming, 1
Last Game: 2016: NIU 34, WYO 40 - 3OT (A)
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-WYOMING ON ESPN+

• The NIU-Wyoming game will be available on ESPN+, ESPN's direct to consumer video platform, accessible via the ESPN App available on both iOS and Android devices, desktop and TV-connected devices (e.g. Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV).
• ESPN+ is available at a cost of $6.99/month or $69.99/year and can be used on up to five streaming devices simultaneously.
• Anthony Lima (play-by-play) and Thomas Davis (color analyst) will be on the call for ESPN+ Saturday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network broadcast for the Wyoming game begins at Noon (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 completes his 36th consecutive season, 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 every Monday at Noon at El Jimador Mexican Grill in DeKalb (260 E. Lincoln Hwy).
• Listen live on the NIU Huskies mobile app and hear the show Monday at 7 p.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb.
• 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. 
• Watch new episodes on the NIU Athletics YouTube Channel on Thursday nights. 
• 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.com. 
• Archived videos and highlights, replays of some of the greatest games in school history and special features are also available 24/7 on YouTube.

NEW! 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  

HOME OPENERS:  Since 1969, NIU is 28-22 in home openers at Huskie Stadium, with two home openers played at Soldier Field not included in that total. The Huskies dropped a league game to Buffalo in its November 2020 season opener with its last home opening win in 2019 over Illinois State.  

HOME SWEET HOME: With a 71-27 (.724) record at home since 2003, NIU's all-time record at Huskie Stadium stands at 178-110-2 for a .617 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). 

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 return to a full 12-game slate in 2021. The Huskies faced their five MAC West foes and played one crossover game versus the East Division in 2020. While teams across the country saw games cancelled due to COVID-19, NIU went through the entire season without one player contracting the coronavirus.  

LAST WEEK: The Huskies stunned Georgia Tech when Tyrice Richie's diving catch of Rocky Lombardi's two-point conversion pass with 38 seconds left gave NIU a 22-21 lead. After the Jackets' last second field goal attempt was blocked, NIU had a season-opening Boneyard Win. Harrison Waylee ran for 144 yards on 27 carries to power the Huskie offense, and Lombardi completed touchdown passes to Miles Joiner and Clint Ratkovich. Lance Deveaux Jr. led a stout performance by the NIU defense with 12 tackles as NIU made two fourth down stops and forced three punts to go along with three Georgia Tech missed field goals.  

ADDING TO THE BONEYARD:  With its win over Georgia Tech, NIU claimed its 17th "Boneyard Win," which are ?wins over prominent opponents and teams from leagues now designated as "Power 5." The Boneyard tradition began in 1983 with a win over Kansas and NIU has collected nine Boneyard Wins in the last 12 years. The victory at Georgia Tech was its third Boneyard Win over an Atlantic Coast Conference team, with the first two claimed at home in 2002 and 2003 over Wake Forest and former ACC member Maryland, respectively. 
 
MAC SWEEP: NIU made a clean sweep of the MAC West Division Player of the Week honors after the win over Georgia Tech as freshman tailback Harrison Waylee earned the Offensive Player of the Week honor, senior linebacker Lance Deveaux Jr. was named the Defensive Player of the Week and senior punter Matt Ference collected the Special Teams honor. It was the first "sweep" of the MAC Weekly awards for NIU since Sept. 24, 2004 when Garrett Wolfe (offense), Javan Lee (defense) and Chris Nendick (special teams) were winners after NIU's 34-17 victory over Bowling Green. NIU did not have a player win a MAC Weekly award in 2020. 

RALLY DOGS: The last time NIU rallied from behind to score a touchdown to win in the waning moments of a game was the 2018 MAC Championship game versus Buffalo, when NIU overcame a 19-point deficit en route to a 30-29 win in Detroit. The winning score came on a 35-yard pass from Marcus Childers to D.J. Brown with 1:09 to play. Kicker John Richardson hit game-winning field goals in the final minute (or less) to defeat both Ohio and Toledo in 2019. 

LATE NIGHT FIRST DATE: The first - and only - previous meeting between NIU and Wyoming was a three overtime thriller headlined by current NFL veterans Kenny Golladay (NIU) and Josh Allen (Wyoming) that did not end until 2:34 am Mountain Time thanks to a torrential rain storm that interrupted play. Allen's seven-yard touchdown scramble ended the game after the Huskies missed a field goal to start the third OT, giving the Cowboys a 40-34 win. While Allen passed for 245 yards and two TDs with 70 rushing yards, NIU quarterback Drew Hare and Golladay put on a show of their own. Hare threw for 329 yards on 23-of-39 passing with three TDs while Golladay caught 10 passes for 144 yards and two scores and added six rushes for 82 yards and a rushing TD. NIU scored on a 19-yard Hare to Shane Wimann connection with 1:13 to play in regulation to send the game to overtime. 

THEY REMEMBER: Two current Huskies were on the 2016 NIU team the last time these teams met as Brayden Patton was a true freshmen who watched the game from DeKalb during his redshirt season. Linebacker Lance Deveaux Jr. played in eight games during the 2016 season, but did not see his first playing time until the third game of the year. He did make the trip to Laramie.  

LAND OF LINCOLN LEADERS: Since 2010, NIU is the winningest of the three FBS program in Illinois with a .643 winning percentage and a 92-51 record. Northwestern comes in with a 79-59 record for a .572 win percentage over the last 11 seasons, while Illinois is 48-85 (.361). The Huskies defeated Northwestern in the teams' most recent meeting in 2014, and dropped a 28-22 decision to Illinois in 2010 the last time those teams met. NIU has played in eight bowl games and a record seven MAC Championship games during the same time span.

NIU vs. THE MOUNTAIN WEST: NIU meets a team from the Mountain West for the first time in four seasons, since dropping a 34-28 decision at San Diego State on Sept. 30, 2017. The Huskies' record versus teams that currently comprise the Mountain West Conference is 9-13 with the last win a 38-30 decision over UNLV on Sept. 5, 2015. The Huskies have dropped their last four games to Mountain West opponents, including a loss to Boise State in the 2015 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. 

COACHING CONNECTION: Wyoming offensive coordinator Tim Polasek is no stranger to DeKalb as he spent the 2013 season on the Huskie sidelines coaching the NIU tight ends and fullbacks. He has also been on the opposite sideline as a member of the Iowa coaching staff when NIU and the Hawkeyes faced off in 2018.  

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 under Hammock that NIU has selected captains prior to the season. 

MAKING HIS WAY(LEE): Harrison Waylee's career long 35-yard run for a touchdown at Georgia Tech was just the start as the second-year freshmen accounted for 144 of NIU's 165 rushing yards in the game. Waylee's run put the Huskies up 7-0 in the first quarter as he ran 27 times en route to his career-best game. Waylee has three consecutive 100-yard games after rushing for 114 and 122 yards in the last two games of 2020 versus Toledo and Western Michigan, respectively.    

ALL THE RECORDS: Fifth-year punter Matt Ference already holds nearly every NIU season and career punting record. His 272 career punts have traveled just under 6.5 miles (that's 11,281 yards). Nearly a third of his punts (88) have forced opponents to start inside their own 20 yard line and he picked up his fifth MAC Player of the Week honor this week after twice pinning Georgia Tech inside its 10-yard line. The only single season record left standing is Andy Dittbenner's 2007 mark for single season average (43.5). 

'BACKER IS BACK!: In just the second game he has played since 2018, linebacker Lance Deveaux Jr. made a career high 13 tackles to lead a strong defensive effort versus the Yellow Jackets and earn his first MAC Player of the Week honor. After suffering a season ending injury prior to the 2019 season, Deveaux went down again in practices between the first and second games last year. Now he is back as the "elder statesman" and team captain for the NIU defense. He made a career high 67 stops in 2018.
 
IMPACT TRANSFERS: Safe to say that transfers Rocky Lombardi (Michigan State), Clint Ratkovich (Western Illinois) and Miles Joiner (Youngstown State) made quite an impact in their first game as Huskies. Lombardi threw a pair of touchdown passes - one each to Joiner and Ratkovich - and the game-winning two-point conversion pass to Tyrice Richie with 38 seconds to play. Lombardi directed the picture perfect two-minute drive while completing 11-of-17 passes for 136 yards on the night.

NEW TO NIU: All told, NIU brought in eight transfers for 2021. In addition to the three above, Braxton Chapman (Youngstown State) and Nate Valcarcel (South Dakota) saw action on special teams at Georgia Tech, while linebacker Dayven Shinhoster (Nebraska-Kearney), defensive tackle Jalen Pinkney (UCF) and quarterback Ryan Yost (Wagner) all made the trip to Atlanta. 

FIRST-TIMERS: Seven players made their first career starts for NIU at Georgia Tech. On offense, transfers Rocky Lombardi (QB) and Miles Joiner (TE) were joined by third-year redshirt freshmen Messiah Travis (WR) and J.J. Lippe (OG) in making their first NIU starts. On defense, second-year freshmen Devonte O'Malley (DT) and Eric Rogers (CB) were first-time starters along with redshirt junior DE Michael Kennedy. 

DEBUT-DOGS: Twelve players hit the field for the first time as Huskies Saturday in Atlanta. True freshmen CB JaVaughn Byrd and DT Cade Haberman played in the game, while COVID-19 freshmen Jack Hugunin (DT), Ivan Davis (DE), Jacob Waskow (DT punt team) and Jeremiah Howard (WR spec teams) also saw game action for the first time. Five of the Huskies' eight transfers - with Nate Valcarcel (S, South Dakota) and Braxton Chapman (RB, Youngstown State) contributing on special teams. 

FR.-C: NIU's roster includes 33 "COVID" or second year freshmen, designated as Fr.-C on NIU printed materials. The team's 87 total "freshmen" includes 2020 and 2021 high school grads, as well as redshirt freshmen who played in four or less games in 2019. The 33 2020 high school grads started their collegiate careers without a traditional preseason, going through online classes and with no fans in the stands. Eighteen COVID-19 freshmen saw action during NIU's six-game 2020 season, and six started four or more of the Huskies' games. 

WALK-ON U: Thomas Hammock has made a habit of rewarding players who walk-on to the Huskie program with scholarships. The list of former walk-ons includes players like senior punter Matt Ference, holder of nearly every NIU punting record, and current impact players like Nick Rattin, Devonte O'Malley, Trayvon Rudolph and Jordan Gandy. During 2021 preseason camp, offensive lineman Matthew Schooley and tailback Mason Blakemore were awarded scholarships. They join a long and distinguished list of NIU players from the past that arrived as walk-ons including 2010 MAC MVP Chad Spann and NFL veteran Rashaan Melvin.
 
SACK STORY: NIU's four sacks at Georgia Tech were the most by the Huskie defense since the 2018 MAC Championship game win over Buffalo - a span of 18 games. Five different Huskies were in on the sacks, including solo efforts by Daveren Rayner, Pierce Oppong and Dillon Thomas. On the other side of the line, NIU did not give up a sack to the Jackets, the first time since the 2019 Toledo game (Nov. 13) that the Huskies did not surrender a sack. 

NO (NIU) ATTEMPTS: NIU entered the season without a single quarterback on the roster who had completed a pass as a Huskie. Of the five quarterbacks on the 2021 roster, two are first-year freshmen (Ethan Hampton and Jeffery Lowery) and two are transfers (Rocky Lombardi, Michigan State and Ryan Yost, Wagner). Second-year freshman Dustin Fletcher is the only quarterback who was on the Huskie roster in 2020. He played in three games a year ago but was used primarily as a runner (16 carries, 99 yards) and was sacked on his only pass attempt.

HE'S NO ROOKIE: Quarterback Rocky Lombardi came to NIU as a well-seasoned veteran with nine starts in 22 games over the last 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.

SUPER SENIOR: Wide receiver Tyrice Richie returns for his third year at NIU after a breakout season in 2020 led to first team All-MAC honors. In 17 career games, Richie became the 36th player in school history to pass the 1,000-yard mark in receiving yards. He totaled nearly 600 receiving yards in NIU's six games last year and led the MAC in catches per game with 8.8. With 100-yard games versus Ball State, Western Michigan and Toledo, Richie was the first NIU player since Darrell Hill in 2001 to post three consecutive 100-yard receiving games and was the first player since current New York Giants receiver Kenny Golladay with four 100-yard games in a season. 

SUCCESS STORY: Tyrice Richie achieved another milestone as he is NIU's 2021 nominee 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. 

LINE IT UP: The five players who started the last three games of 2020 for the NIU offensive line are all back in 2021, led by center Brayden Patton, a Rimington Trophy candidate who has started at guard and center during his Huskie career. He is flanked by third-year freshman Logan Zschernitz and second-year freshman John Champe at guard, with third-year freshman J.J. Lippe also challenging for a spot in the middle. Marques Cox - a 16-game starter at tackle - and Nolan Potter, who earned his first starts last year, are the projected tackles.   
  
ELDER STATESMEN: Of the 14 players listed as linebackers on the NIU roster, 12 are freshmen and three of those (Eddie Jackson, Jaden Dolphin, Daveren Rayner) are returning or "COVID" freshmen. Sixth year senior Lance Deveaux Jr. and third year sophomore Nick Rattin are the clear leaders of the room with 194 combined tackles, 119 by Deveaux in 34 career games. 

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 who already has two degrees. The list is topped by punter Matt Ference, who is currently pursuing his third degree from NIU. 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.