NIU FOOTBALL 2022 POSTGAME NOTES
Vanderbilt at NIU – September 17, 2022
Huskie Stadium – DeKalb, Illinois
 
***NIU back-up quarterback Ethan Hampton threw his first career touchdown pass when he hit Kasper Rutkiewicz on a four-yard play in the second quarter to tie the game at 14.
 
***Hampton saw his first playing time since the 2021 regular season finale versus Western Michigan, which he started in place of Rocky Lombardi. After completing his first seven passes today, Hampton finished the game 12-of-19 with two touchdowns and one interception.  
 
***Cole Tucker's 70-yard touchdown catch and run in the third quarter was the longest of his career and the longest play by a Huskie this year. With two touchdown catches today for a total of three on the season, Tucker has tied his single season high for TD catches, set last year.
 
***NIU quarterbacks Rocky Lombardi and Ethan Hampton completed 14 consecutive passes until Hampton's eighth pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage at 10:06 of the third quarter.  Lombardi was 7-for-7 for 79 yards before leaving the game in the second quarter.
 
***Antario Brown's 51-yard second quarter touchdown run was the longest of his career. Brown recorded his eighth career touchdown and his third of the season.
 
***Kacper Rutkiewicz is tied for the Huskies' team lead with three touchdown catches after his four-yard grab from Hampton in the second quarter.
 
***Safety C.J. Brown finished with a team-leading 13 tackles, his season high and one off his single game career high of 14 stops. Brown also recorded a fumble recovery.
 
***NIU is now 0-5 versus Vanderbilt all-time and is 1-12 versus teams from the Southeastern Conference with the only win a 19-16 win over Alabama in 2003. The Huskies get another chance against a SEC opponent next week at Kentucky.
 
***Receiver Fabian McCray caught a career high three passes for 46 yards in the game, including a 33-yard reception to the one-yard line that set up NIU's first touchdown.