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  DOG TREATS  

• NIU takes on MAC West foe Eastern Michigan in its final Saturday home game of 2023. Both teams enter the game looking for their third consecutive win. 
• Eastern MIchigan is the Huskies' oldest MAC opponent. NIU owns a 35-16-2 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1927. The Huskies have won each of the last two meetings between the teams. 
• NIU won its second consecutive game last week with a 23-13 Homecoming victory over Ohio, snapping the Bobcats' five-game winning streak. The Huskies shut out OU in the second half while outgaining them 191-66.
• Huskie defensive backs Cyrus McGarrell, Nate Valcarcel and JaVaughn Byrd intercepted Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke on three consecutive fourth-quarter drives to seal the win, giving NIU seven interceptions on the year. 
• Sophomore kicker Kanon Woodill, a member of the NIU ROTC program, was named MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week after kicking field goals of 31, 37 and 32 yards in the second half with his 11 points in the game providing the winning margin against Ohio.  
• Over the last three games, NIU has recorded 19 plays of 25 yards or longer after getting just five long plays in non-conference play. The Huskies have seven rushing, seven passing and five returns of 25-plus yards versus MAC opponents with 10 different players accounting for those plays.
• Senior defensive end Ray Thomas continues to lead NIU - and all MAC defensive linemen - in tackles with 40 on the year. The Racine, Wis. native has 150 career tackles. He is one of five current Huskie defenders with more than 100 career tackles.  
• The "Voice of the Huskies" - radio play-by-play broadcaster Bill Baker - will retire following the 2023 football season, his 44th behind the mic for NIU. The Eastern Michigan game will mark Baker's 515th NIU football broadcast. 
• Defensive tackle James Ester has been named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which annually goes to the top scholar-athlete in college  football.
• Over the last 15 years - since 2008 - every freshman class has left NIU with at least one MAC Championship. The Huskies' five MAC Championship game victories are more than any other current league member and NIU has made a record nine appearances in the game.  
• Of the 85 scholarship players on NIU's 2023 roster, 21 came to NIU as walk-ons. The group includes starters Nate Valcarcel (S), Devonte O'Malley (DT), Jaden Dolphin (LB). Brock Lampe (FB) and Trayvon Rudolph (WR/KR).   

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  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-2-5
First Year of Football: 1899
2022 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 3-9/2-6/6th
All-Time Record: 607-525-51
Last Bowl Game: 2021 Tailgreeter Cure Bowl (Coastal Carolina 47, NIU 41)
Bowl Appearances (FBS): 14
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 9, 2021
MAC Championships, Last: 6, 2021
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 49/27
Starters Returning: 17 (8 offense, 7 defense, 2 specialist)
Starters Lost: 11 (4 offense, 6 defense, 1 specialist)
 

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  EAGLES' FACTS  
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Chris Creighton (Kenyon, 1991)
Record at Eastern Michigan/Years: 50-64/10th
Career Record/Years: 189-110/27th
2022 Record: 9-4
Conference Record/Finish: 5-3/T-1st-West
Location: Ypsilanti, Mich.
Enrollment: 16,324
Conference: Mid-American
Colors: Green and White 
Stadium: Rynearson Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf/30,200
President: James M. Smith, Ph.D.
Athletic Director: Scott Wetherbee
Athletics Website: EMUEagles.com
Twitter: @EMUAthletics

EMU Schedule & Results

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  NIU-EMU SERIES  
Overall: NIU leads 35-16-2
In Ypsilanti: NIU leads 17-8-1
In DeKalb: NIU leads 18-8-1
In MAC Games: NIU Leads 25-6-2
Streak: NIU, 2
First Meeting: EMU 25, NIU 6 (10/8/27) - A
Last Meeting: NIU 39, EMU 10 (10/15/22) - A
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: EASTERN MICHIGAN AT NIU ON ESPN+

• The NIU-Eastern Michigan game will be streamed on ESPN+, accessible via the ESPN App available on both iOS and Android devices, desktop and TV-connected devices (e.g. Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV).
• Subscriptions to ESPN+ are available on both a monthly and annual basis and can be used on up to five streaming devices simultaneously.
• Doug Sherman (play-by-play) and Forrest Conoly (color analyst) will be on the call for ESPN+ Saturday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network coverage for the EMU game begins 90 minutes before kickoff, at 1 p.m. (CT), on 94-9 WDKB with the Toyota Pre-Game Tailgate Show.
• Coverage on NIU network affiliate SportsFan AM 1330 and on The Varsity Network app begins 30 minutes before the game, at 2 pm (CT).
• Hear the broadcast on mobile devices via the free NIU Huskies mobile app or The Varsity Network app. 
• Bill Baker is in his 44th and final season (see note) as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo is alongside for the the 39th consecutive season, while Andy Garcia is in his 11th year on the sidelines. 

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Fans are invited to attend the one-hour weekly show each Wednesday at 6 pm. 
• The show is held at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy).
• Listen live on the NIU Huskies or The Varsity Network mobile app and hear the show live on 94-9 WDKB and on SportsFan AM 1330 in Rockford.
• Host Andy Garcia welcomes NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock each week, along with Huskie players and special guests. 

NIU WEEKLY ON YOUTUBE

• Host Andy Garcia talks NIU football, basketball and more with the Huskie head coaches and administrators, including a weekly spotlight on Huskie Football. Get all the latest news and updates in this fast-paced 30 minute show.
• Also, hear from Huskie legend Bill Baker in each episode with a special "Looking Back with Bill Baker" segment.  
• Watch new episodes on the NIU Athletics YouTube Channel on Thursdays. 

NIU ATHLETICS ON YOUTUBE

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, special features, game highlights, NIU Weekly and more.
• Subscribe for FREE and click the bell to be notified every time NIU posts a new video.
• Search "NIU Athletics" on YouTube or go to YouTube.com/NIUAthleticsOfficial. 
• 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  

BACK-TO-BACK: NIU plays at home for the second consecutive week and looks for its third straight win when MAC West foe Eastern Michigan comes to Huskie Stadium on Saturday, October 21. Kickoff of the 53rd meeting in the series is at 2:30 p.m.   

HAPPY HOMECOMING: NIU scored on a pair of long plays and got three second half field goals from Kanon Woodill while the Huskie defense limited Ohio to one touchdown and 254 yards of total offense to secure a 23-13 win over the Bobcats on NIU's 116th Homecoming last week. NIU picked off Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke on three consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter as the defense shut out OU in the second half to give the Huskies their second consecutive victory. 

DOGS 'N BIRDS: NIU holds a 35-16-2 advantage in the all-time series with EMU and is 21-4 versus the Eagles since 1998, including a 39-10 win in Ypsilanti last year for its second straight series win. The Huskies are 17-8-1 in games played in DeKalb. The Eagles are NIU's oldest MAC foe as the series goes all the way back to 1927, with annual meetings from 1947-1961 before becoming league opponents. The teams then played every year from 1977-87, and have now met in each of the last 27 seasons since NIU came back to the MAC in 1997. The Huskies are 27-6-2 versus Eastern Michigan in their two stints in the MAC.

IN THE DOGS' HOUSE: NIU has won more than two-thirds of its games played in Huskie Stadium since 2003 with a 77-36 (.681) record at home over the last 20 years, NIU's all-time record at Huskie Stadium is 185-120-2 for a .606 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).

THE LAST TIME: NIU defensive tackle James Ester tipped and intercepted a pass at the goal line for a first quarter touchdown, and the Huskie defense limited EMU to 29 rushing yards and a 2-of-13 mark on third down conversions in a 39-10 NIU win in Ypsilanti on October 15, 2022. Offensively, Harrison Waylee and Antario Brown combined for 244 yards rushing yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries, many coming out of a direct snap formation, whlie kicker John Richardson was four-of-four on field goals.   

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: Now in their 38th overall season as a member of the Mid-American Conference, the Huskies are 166-120-2 all-time in league play. The Huskies are 131-75 (.636) versus MAC foes since re-joining the league in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 75-30 (.714) against the MAC with three undefeated campaigns, two one-loss seasons, seven division championships, including a run of six-straight (2010-15). NIU originally competed in the MAC from 1975-85.

AT HOME IN THE MAC: In 37 seasons of MAC play dating back to 1975, NIU is 91-52-1 (.635) all-time at home in league games, including a 69-32 (.683) mark in Huskie Stadium versus league opponents since rejoining the league in 1997.  In 51 MAC home games since 2009, the Huskies are 41-13. 

MAC WEST MARK: Since the MAC went to divisional play in 1997, NIU is 80-52 (.606) versus teams from the MAC West, including a 43-21 mark in the division since 2010 for a 67.2 winning percentage. The Huskies earned two of their three wins on the year versus MAC West teams a year ago and dropped a two-point decision at Toledo in their only meeting versus a West team so far in 2023.

LAND OF LINCOLN LEADERS: Since 2010, NIU is the winningest football program among Illinois' seven Division I football programs. The Huskies are 1-1 versus in-state FBS programs with a 2014 win over Northwestern and a 2010 loss at Illinois, and are 4-1 versus in-state FCS opponents over the last 12 seasons, including wins over Illinois State (2019) and Eastern Illinois (2022) under Thomas Hammock. 

Illinois' Division I Schools Since 2010

Team	W	L	Pct.
NIU	106	68	.609
Illinois State	93	62	.600
Northwestern	86	81	.515
Southern Illinois	72	81	.470
Eastern Illinois	59	92	.391
Illinois	64	100	.390
Western Illinois	52	100	.342

HUSKIE LEGEND: The 2023 season marks the 44th and final year behind the mic for the "Voice of the Huskies," legendary play-by-play man Bill Baker. Baker will call his 515th NIU football game this week, and has missed just one game since making his NIU debut when the Huskies faced Long Beach State in Anaheim, Calif. on Sept. 5, 1980. He also has called more than 1,200 NIU basketball games – including several years when he called both men's and women's games. Baker, who ranks tied for sixth in longevity for FBS play-by-play voices, was honored during halftime of the Huskies' 2023 home opener versus Southern Illinois on Sept. 9 and a special tribute video can be seen on the NIU Athletics Official YouTube Channel. 

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: NIU senior defensive tackle James Ester was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation award which annually recognizes the top football scholar-athlete in the nation and is selected from across all divisions of college football. A two-time All-MAC selection and three-year team captain with 94 career tackles and 17.0 tackles for loss, Ester earned his bachelor's degree in communications last May with a 3.333 GPA and is currently pursuing his master's in sports management.

DOMINATING SECOND HALF D: The Huskies won the Ohio game with a dominant defensive performance in the second half, including three fourth-quarter interceptions that thwarted any hopes of a Bobcat comeback. Ohio scored 13 points, gained 12 first downs and totaled 188 yards of offense in the opening half with 81 rushing and 107 passing yards. After halftime, the Bobcats made three first downs, did not score and gained just 66 yards on 22 plays, including 14 yards on six rushing plays. 

PICK THREE: Cyrus McGarrell, Nate Valcarcel and JaVaughn Byrd picked off Ohio quarterback Kurtis Rourke on three consecutive possessions in the fourth quarter, removing any chance of a Bobcat comeback. NIU had not intercepted three or more passes in a game since October 21, 2017 versus Bowling Green, a span of 70 games. Rourke had thrown just two interceptions on the season prior to that quarter. McGarrell's interception was the first of his career, Byrd recorded his second INT of the year and of his career and Valcarcel collected his team-leading third pickoff of 2023.

RISING TO THE CHALLENGE: Defense wasn't the only side of the ball to excel at Ohio, facing the No. 4 ranked defense in the Football Bowl Subdivision, the Huskies become the first team to score a touchdown on the Bobcats in the first quarter and in the third quarter, scored more points than any previous opponent and totaled 130 rushing, 172 passing and 302 total yards. Entering the game, OU opponents were averaging 11.8 points, 73.7 rushing and 235.7 total yards per game.  

CLEAN, COMPLIMENTARY FOOTBALL: NIU did not commit a turnover in Saturday's win over Ohio, its second consecutive turnover-free game. The Huskies came away with wins in both games. In addition, NIU was flagged for just one penalty in the Ohio game, a season low. 

COMFORT ZONE: The Huskie offense has found its comfort zone since beginning Mid-American Conference play three weeks ago at Toledo. Over the last three games, NIU is averaging 37 points per game, 232 rushing and 207 passing yards for a total of 439 yards per game. After scoring eight touchdowns through the first four games of 2023, four in the season opening win at Boston College, NIU has put 14 TDs on the board versus Toledo, Akron and Ohio.  The breakdown: 
 

	Last 3 Games	First 4 Games
Points/Game	37.0	15.8
Rush Yards/Game	232.0	105.5
Pass Yards/Game	207.0	180.0
Total Yards/Game	439.0	285.5
Touchdowns	14	8

GOING LONG: Over the last three games, NIU has recorded 19 plays of 25 yards or longer after getting just five such plays during non-conference play. The Huskies have seven rushing, seven passing and five returns of 25-plus yards versus MAC opponents. Ten different players have accounted for those plays in MAC play with Antario Brown's five rushing plays leading the way. Rocky Lombardi has hit five different receivers for at least a 25-yard pick-up; Nate Valcarcel has both a long fumble (50 yards) and interception (33) return, while Trayvon Rudolph's three long plays include a rush (36), a reception (42) and a kickoff return (48). NIU has scored eight touchdowns on long plays over the last three games and has 10 on the year. (See box page 4)

DEE-TERMINED: The NIU defense continues to show that its turnaround from 2022 is legit. The Huskies held Ohio to 254 yards of total offense, the fourth opponent this season to finish with less than 300 yards. SIU (217 yards), Tulsa (281) and Akron (253) also did not reach the 300-yard mark. The last NIU team to hold at least four opponents to less than 300 yards was the 2017 Huskies. NIU also limited Ohio to 95 rushing yards, the second opponent this season with less than 100 (SIU, 73) and only one team has gained fmore than 200 yards passing against the Huskies. Tulsa's 102 passing yards on 8-of-20 completions marked the lowest yardage total by a Huskie opponent since Akron threw for 51 yards in a 49-0 NIU win on Oct. 26, 2019. 

TURNOVER MACHINE: NIU safety Nate Valcarcel extended his turnover streak to four games after snaring his third interception of the season versus Ohio. Valcarcel, who ranks tied for fourth on the team in tackles with 27, made his first career interception in the first quarter at Tulsa, had a 50-yard fumble recovery and return for a touchdown at Toledo and recorded his second INT in the second half at Akron. Valcarcel's three interceptions this season are the most by a Huskie since Juwuan Johnson picked off five passes in 2017.    

DOING ITS PART: Ohio became the fourth Huskie opponent in 2023 to record two touchdowns or less as the Bobcats managed just one TD and two field goals. Akron, Tulsa and SIU each reached the end zone twice. The Huskies are currently ranked ninth nationally in passing yards allowed, 17th in pass efficiency defense and 23rd in total defense. NIU's defensive numbers are the best in head coach Thomas Hammock's tenure. 
 

Year	Total Defense	Pass Efficiency Defense	Passing Yards Allowed	Scoring Defense
2019	385.8	140.7	219.3	28.3
2020	382.5	155.0	199.5	37.5
2021	430.0	142.0	190.0	33.5
2022	426.0	182.3	289.0	33.5
2023	320.4	111.4	166.4	22.4

KANON THE KICKER: Sophomore kicker Kanon Woodill accounted for 11 of NIU's 23 points versus Ohio, hitting all three of his field goal attempts and two PATs, to earn MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Woodill's second-half kicks - of 31, 37 and 32 yards - turned a 14-13 NIU lead into a 23-13 marginas he successfully handled the winds of DeKalb. He has now made five-of-six field goals and been perfect on extra points since taking over placekicking duties in the Tulsa game. 

OFFENSIVE OUTBURST: The Huskie offense had a breakout game with 55 points, 571 yards of total offense and 380 rushing yards at Akron on October 10. NIU's 55 points were the most scored by a Thomas Hammock led Huskie team, and the most since NIU scored 63 points versus Ball State on Nov. 9, 2017 in a 63-17 win. The Huskies last gained more than 571 yards in 2021 when they totaled 663 yards at Kent State in a loss. NIU's 380 rushing yards were the most by a Huskie team in 109 games, since rushing for 433 yards versus Miami (Ohio) on Oct. 18, 2014, a 51-41 NIU win.  

TO THE HOUSE: Antario Brown's career high 280 rushing yards came on just 13 carries  at Akron included touchdown runs of 66, 58, 46 and 50 yards to earn MAC West Offensive Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career. His 280 yards tied Kentucky's Ray Davis (vs. Florida) for the most by a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) player in a game this season. His total rushing yards were the most by a Huskie in 10 years, since Jordan Lynch ran for 321 yards versus Western Michigan on Nov. 26, 2013.  Brown recorded the most rushing yards for a NIU running back since Garrett Wolfe set the school record with 353 yards versus Ball State on Sept. 30, 2006. Brown became just the sixth player in NIU history to run for 280 or more yards in a single game, joining Garrett Wolfe, LeShon Johnson, Michael Turner and quarterback Stacey Robinson.

RECORD BREAKER: With an average of 21.5 yards on 13 carries (280 yards) at Akron, Antario Brown broke the 34-year-old NIU record for the highest yards per rush in a single game (minimum 10 carries). The previous record of 17.6 yards per carry was set by quarterback Stacey Robinson, who gained 281 yards on 16 carries with five touchdowns in a 56-3 NIU win over Cincinnati on Nov. 18, 1989. Brown's 160-yard second quarter ranks as the second-most yards gained in a quarter by a Huskie, trailing only a 173-yard quarter (2nd) by Stacey Robinson versus Fresno State on Oct. 6, 1990.  

SWISS ARMY KNIFE: Junior fullback Brock Lampe has been one of the most versatile players in the Huskie offense in 2023, effective as a lead blocker, ball carrier and receiver. At Akron, he cleared the way on nearly all of Antario Brown's touchdown runs. The junior has 12 rushes for 50 yards on the season with eight of his carries coming on third and short and all resulting in a first down or a touchdown, including a season-long 11-yard run versus Ohio. Three of his five catches have gone for 12 yards or more, with a season-long 26-yard reception at Toledo.

31 TACKLERS: Thirty-one different players were credited with tackles in NIU's 55-14 win over Akron with back-ups and many Huskies who often only see time on special teams taking advantage of their opportunity to have career days. Cornerback Cyrus McGarrell, who played just one half, made a career high five tackles, doubling his season output. Linebacker Quinton Urwiler, who came into the game with one stop, tied McGarrell for second on the team with five tackles. Reserves Jordan Monroe, Jacob Waskow and R.J. Myles made their first tackles of the season while multiple others set career highs.  

RUDOLPH'S RETURN: Wide receiver/kickoff return man Trayvon Rudolph has come back from a 2022 knee injury to account for 345 all-purpose yards, including 157 receiving on 18 catches and 137 on five kickoff returns for a 27.4-yard average. He has nine carries for 51 yards. Rudolph has made at least three catches in each of the last four games. In 27 career games, the junior has 83 receptions for 1,281 yards.

SET UP MAN: Wide receiver and kickoff returner Trayvon Rudolph recorded three long plays that led to Huskie touchdowns at Akron with 42-yard over-the-shoulder catch to the Akron three-yard line, which Gavin Williams cashed in for a touchdown on the next play. Rudolph returned a kickoff 48 yards to the 50, then picked up 36 yards on a rush to the Akron two-yard line, with Williams scoring three plays later. He led NIU with three catches for a season-high 58 yards and 141 all-purpose yards.
   
TOPPING THE TACKLE CHART: Defensive end Ray Thomas' 11 tackles versus Tulsa, including seven solo stops and four assists, a tackle for loss and half a sack, put the senior in select company. The last Huskie defensive lineman to make at least 11 tackles in a game was Ken Bishop, a 2013 first team All-MAC selection who had 11 versus Toledo (11-20-13). The last NIU defensive lineman to total more than 11 tackles in a game was two-time MAC MVP and NFL first round draft choice Larry English, who recorded 12 tackles, forced a fumble and had a NIU record five sacks at Idaho (9-22-07). Thomas currently leads the Huskies in tackles with 40, including 20 solo stops.

SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION: After two seasons playing a hybrid tight end/wide receiver position, redshirt sophomore and former walk-on George Gumbs made the transition to defensive end following 2023 spring practices. Through seven games, he leads NIU in sacks (3.5) and in tackles for loss (5.0) and has made 25 tackles while starting the last two games. He recorded sacks in the SIU (1.5), Nebraska and Akron games and made a season and career high six tackles versus Tulsa. 

WALK IT ON: NIU has a long tradition of awarding scholarships to walk-ons who have gone on to make a significant impact on the team and 2023 is no exception. The current NIU roster includes 21 players who started their NIU careers without a scholarship. Eight of those are playing significant roles on the 2023 team, including starters Devonte O'Malley (DT), Jaden Dolphin (LB), Nate Valcarcel (S), Brock Lampe (FB) and Trayvon Rudolph (WR/KR) as well as DE George Gumbs, who leads NIU in sacks, tight end Tristen Tewes and safety Muhammad Jammeh.

GRADS: NIU's 2023 roster includes 16 players who have already earned their undergraduate degrees  either at NIU or from another institution. The complete list with school and major.

Pos.    Name    School (Earned Degree)    Major
CB Gabe Amegatcher (Nebraska-Kearney) Major: General Studies; Minors: Construction Management, Mathematics
LB Keshon Artis (Virginia Tech) Major: Business Information Technology
TE Chris Carter (Howard) Major: Strategic, Legal & Management Communications
DT James Ester (NIU) Major: Communication, Media Studies
RB Kendrell Flowers (South Carolina State) Major: Family & Consumer Sciences
P Tom Foley (NIU) Degrees: B.S. in Accountancy; M.S. Finance
LB DaRon Gilbert (Lafayette) Major: Economics; Minor: Anthropology & Sociology
LB Tyler Jackson (Lamar) Majors: Industrial Engineering and Business
QB C.J. Jordan (Idaho) Major: Psychology; Minor: Communication
OL J.J. Lippe (NIU) Major: Leadership & Management
QB Rocky Lombardi (Michigan State) Major: History
WR Davis Patterson (Notre Dame College) Major: Strategic Communications & Public Relations
OT Nolan Potter (NIU) Major: Organizational & Corporate Communications
WR Kacper Rutkiewicz (NIU) Major: General Emphasis
DT Demond Taylor Jr. (NIU) Major: Communication, Media Studies
TE Tristen Tewes (NIU) Major: Environmental Studies

NOT PLAYING FAVORITES: Huskie QBs have had no shortage of targets in 2023 as 14 different players have caught passes, nine have made at least five catches and eight players are averaging 10 or more yards in receiving per game. Six players are averaging more than 10 yards per catch. Seven wide receivers, five running backs and two tight ends have been on the receiving end of NIU's 117 completions.

GAME EXPERIENCE: The 2023 Huskies bring plenty of experience to the field with 19 players on the roster who have seen action in at least 30 games during their NIU careers, and another 10 who have played in at least 20 games. There are 11 Huskies who have started 20 or more games. Offensive tackle Nolan Potter (50 games/37 starts) and James Ester (43 games/36 starts) top the list of both games played and starts on either side of the ball.

YOUTH MOVEMENT ON THE LINE: While the Huskies were set to return one of the most experienced offensive line groups  in the country with six players who brought a combined 118 career starts into the season, injuries have resulted in a pair of newcomers - redshirt sophomore Drew Hoth and redshirt freshman Evan Malcore - making their way into the rotation, specifically at tackle. Hoth saw his first action as a Huskie as the starting left tackle at Nebraska and started the Tulsa, Toledo and Ohio games. At Akron, Malcore, who had been rotating in at both right and left tackle during the previous five games, made his first start and played most of the game on the left side.
 
LONGEST DRIVE: Trayvon Rudolph's six-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter versus Tulsa came on the 20th play of a drive that began 11 minutes and three seconds earlier. The drive was the longest recorded by a FBS team this year in both number of plays and in time. Quarterback Ethan Hampton led the 75-yard drive, that included 15 rushing and five passing plays. The Huskies converted on third down three times and on fourth down twice, including on the touchdown pass. NIU last had a drive of over 10 minutes versus Bowling Green on October 25, 2008 with a 17-play, 80-yard, 10:06 drive culminating in a Chad Spann touchdown run.  

FILLING THE BONEYARD: With its 27-24 overtime win over Boston College in the 2023 season opener, NIU earned its 18th "Boneyard Win," defined as wins over prominent opponents and teams from leagues now designated?as "Power 5." The Boneyard tradition began in 1983 and NIU has collected 10 Boneyard Wins in the last 15 years, including in back-to-back games versus ACC opponents and in 2017 at Nebraska. All-time, the Huskies have Boneyard Wins over teams from the ACC (4), SEC (1), Big 12 (5) and Big Ten (7), as well as over independent BYU. 

LEADERS OF THE PACK: Five players were named 2023 permanent team captains. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi, offensive tackle Nolan Potter, safety C.J. Brown, linebacker Jaden Dolphin and defensive tackle James Ester were chosen in voting by the Huskie team. Lombardi and Ester were named captains for the third consecutive season, while Potter is in his second year in the role. They will be joined by a different teammate selected each game.

WATCH-LISTED: Five Huskies were named to preseason watch lists in 2023. Running back Antario Brown earned a spot on the Doak Walker Award Watch List for the second consecutive year. Wide receiver/return man Trayvon Rudolph was on the Paul Hornung Award list, while defensive tackle Devonte O'Malley and offensive tackle Nolan Potter were named to the Bronko Nagurski and Outland Trophy lists, respectively. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi earned a spot on the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List. 

DOGS IN OT: NIU's season opening win at Boston College in overtime marked the Huskies' 10th OT win, improving its all-time overtime record to 10-5. The Huskies have now won five of their last six overtime games after its four-game winning streak in OT was snapped at Ball State last year. NIU is 4-3 in overtime games on the road and is 1-0 in neutral site OT games. The Huskies have won three of four overtime games versus non-conference opponents and are 7-4 when MAC games go to extra periods.  

PUNTING PROWESS: Huskie punter Tom Foley was named to the "Ray's 8" weekly honor roll by the Ray Guy Award after averaging 50.0 yards on four punts at Toledo, including a season-long 64-yard punt. At Akron, he averaged 49.0 yards on two punts with a 62-yard boot that pinned the Zips at their four-yard line. Foley's season average is up to 40.6 yards per punt, he has seven punts of 50 yards or longer and 12 of his 32 punts have forced opponents to start inside their 20-yard line.   

THIS & THAT: With a seven-yard receiving and a two-yard rushing touchdown at Boston College, running back Antario Brown became the first NIU back to score touchdowns both receiving and rushing in the same game since Jordan Huff versus Ball State in 2017 (Nov. 9) .... Huskie kicker Kanon Woodill is a member of the ROTC program at NIU who has been collecting patches from cadets he has taken time to meet at the Huskies' road games ... Justin Lynch, who rushed for 84 yards on eight carries versus Tulsa, including runs of 30 and 29 yards, will sit out the rest of the 2023 season while redshirting. The decision to redshirt Lynch, who moved to running back following spring practices, was made prior to the season ... Devin Lafayette forced fumbles versus both Tulsa and Toledo, becoming the first player in six seasons to force a fumble in back-to-back games ... NIU's 17 pass completions versus Nebraska went to a school (FBS) record 13 different receivers.  

NEXT: The Huskies will take next Saturday off as the transition to the Tuesday night #MACtion schedule provides a "mini-bye" and 10 days between games. NIU returns to action on Halloween night, Tuesday, October 31 at Central Michigan and will play on the following two Tuesdays as well.