---

  DOG TREATS  

• NIU travels to Akron for just the 18th meeting all-time between the Zips and Huskies and will play in the Rubber City for the first time since 2018. 
• Akron is the first of three MAC East foes the Huskies will face in 2023; NIU welcomes Ohio to Huskie Stadium for next Saturday's (Oct. 14) 116th Homecoming game and closes out the regular season at Akron neighbor Kent State. The Huskies are 31-9 versus the MAC East since 2008. 
• At Toledo last week, NIU scored a season-best 33 points while the Huskies' 444 yards of total offense were the most in 11 games, since the double overtime game at Ball State on October 1, 2022. 
• Running back Antario Brown gained a season high 152 yards on 16 carries at Toledo, highlighted by an 80-yard run to the UT five-yard line to set up the Huskies' first touchdown. 
• NIU safety Nate Valcarcel scored the Huskies' first defensive touchdown of 2023 with a 50-yard fumble retur, one week after making his first career interception versus Tulsa. 
• Huskie punter Tom Foley earned a nod on "Ray's 8" list of top performers by the Ray Guy Award by averaging 50.0 yards on four punts at Toledo, while kicker Kanon Woodill connected from 32 and a career-long 49 yards. 
• Senior defensive end Ray Thomas leads NIU - and all MAC defensive linemen - in tackles with 31. 
• Ten different Huskies caught passes at Toledo, the second game this year at least 10 players have caught a pass in game after NIU broke the school (FBS) record as 13 players caught passes at Nebraska. 
• 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 Toledo game will mark Baker's 513th NIU football broadcast. 
• NIU defensive tackle James Ester last week was 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 five starters.   

---

  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: 605-525-51
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)
 

---

  ZIPS' FACTS  
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Joe Moorhead (Fordham/1996)
Record at Akron/Years: 3-14/2
Career Record/Years: 47-39/8
2022 Record: 2-10
Conference Record/Finish: 1-7/6th-East
Location: Akron, Ohio
Enrollment: 19,218
Conference: Mid-American
Colors: Blue and Gold 
Stadium: InfoCision Stadium-Summa Field
Surface/Capacity: AstroTurf/30,000
President: Dr. Gary L. Miller
Athletic Director: Charles Guthrie
Athletics Website: GoZips.com
Twitter: @AkronZips

Akron Schedule & Results

---

  NIU-AKRON SERIES  
Overall: NIU leads 11-6
In DeKalb: NIU leads 6-3
In Akron: NIU leads 5-2
In MAC Games: NIU leads 8-2
Streak: Akron, 1
First Meeting: NIU 31, Akron 18 (10-29-66)
Last Meeting: Akron 44, NIU 12 (11-26-22)
 

---

  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU AT AKRON ON ESPN+

• The NIU-Akron 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.
• Anthony Lima (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 Akron 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 10:30 am (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.

---

  NOTING NIU  

RETURN TO OHIO: The NIU Huskies head to Ohio for the second straight week with a 2:30 pm (CT) game at Akron on Saturday, October 7. NIU, which plays at Akron for just the eighth time, faces its first MAC East foe of 2023. The Zips are coming off back-to-back overtime losses at Indiana (in 4 OT) and at Buffalo. 

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: Now in their 38th overall season as a member of the Mid-American Conference, the Huskies are 164-120-2 all-time in league play. The Huskies are 129-75 (.632) versus MAC foes since re-joining the league in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 73-30 (.708) 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.

SERIES HISTORY: NIU owns an 11-6 advantage in the all-time series with Akron and have won six of the last seven meetings with the Zips. Akron broke NIU's six game series winning streak with a 44-12 win in DeKalb in the 2022 season finale. NIU and the Zips will play in Akron for just the eighth time, and for the first time since 2018, a 36-26 Huskie win. The Huskies have won five of the previous seven games played in the Rubber City, including three straight dating back to the Zips' 48-42 overtime win over NIU during the 2005 regular season. 

THE LAST TIME: In the 2022 season finale, Akron scored 20 second quarter points to take a 20-6 lead and cruised to a 44-12 win at Huskie Stadium. The Zips limited NIU to four John Richardson field goals on the day as the Huskie offense could not get untracked with back-ups, including true freshmen, starting at quarterback and running back. The Huskies were held to 89 yards rushing on 38 carries and finished with 261 yards of total offense, while Zips' quarterback Jeff Undercuffler completed 21-of-32 passes for 312 yards. 

INFREQUENT FOE: The 2023 game is just the 18th all-time between NIU and Akron, including the 2005 MAC Championship game in Detroit. Among current MAC opponents, NIU has faced only Buffalo (15 games) fewer times than the Zips. The Huskies have not played in InfoCision Stadium under Thomas Hammock, one of two MAC stadiums he has not visited as the Huskies' head coach. 

NIU ON THE MAC ROAD: The Huskies are 25-14 in conference road games since 2013 and 89-100-1 all-time in league games away from Huskie Stadium for a 47 percent win percentage. A year ago, NIU posted a 2-2 road record versus MAC opponents with wins at Eastern Michigan and at Western Michigan, a double overtime loss at Ball State and a seven-point defeat at Ohio.

DIVISION HOPPING: NIU has won 27 of its last 35 regular season games versus MAC East opponents and is 31-9 versus MAC East teams since 2008, with three of those losses in 2022 - to Ohio, Miami and Akron. The Zips are the first MAC East foe for NIU this season with upcoming contests versus Ohio (Oct. 14 in Huskie Stadium) and at Kent State (Nov. 25 at Kent State). The Huskies are 5-3 versus the East in MAC title games since 2010, defeating Ohio (2011), Kent State (2012, 2021), Bowling Green (2014) and Buffalo (2018), while falling to Miami (2010) and Bowling Green (2013 & 2015).

NIU vs. the current MAC East (regular season since 2008) 
Buffalo    7-1    
Bowling Green    4-0
Kent State    5-1    
Miami    3-3
Akron    6-1    
Ohio    3-3

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 513th 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. 

ABOUT LAST WEEK: Trailing by margins as large as 14 and 15 at Toledo, the Huskies kept clawing back before a final drive fell short of field goal range and the Rockets secured a 35-33 win at the Glass Bowl. NIU scored a season high 33 points, including 26 in the second half, and gained 444 yards of total offense with Antario Brown recording his first 100-yard rushing game of the season and Rocky Lombardi throwing for 258 yards and two touchdowns. NIU got a defensive score by Nate Valcarcel on a 50-yard fumble recovery and return, but Toledo got a pair of big play TDs - on 42 and 68 yards passes - and recovered a Huskie fumble at their two-yard line.

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	104	68	.605
Illinois State	92	61	.601
Northwestern	85	81	.512
Southern Illinois	71	80	.470
Eastern Illinois	59	90	.396
Illinois	63	99	.389
Western Illinois	52	98	.347

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Last week, NIU senior defensive tackle James Ester was named a semifinalist for the 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 86 career tackles and 16.0 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.

SEASON HIGHS: The Huskies scored a season-high 33 points at Toledo and NIU's 444 yards of total offense were the most in 12 games, since compiling 526 yards in a 2OT game last year at Ball State. The 444 yards were more than in any game last season except the BSU contest.  

ON THE RUN: Running back Antario Brown invigorated the Huskie rushing attack with an 80-yard run to the five-yard line to set up NIU's first touchdown at Toledo and     finished the game with a season-high 152 yards on 16 carries. Brown recorded his first 100-yard rushing day of the season and the fourth of his NIU career. 

GOING LONG: NIU tallied 17 plays of 10 yards or longer last week at Toledo in its best offensive performance of the year with six runs and 11 passes. Six plays went for 20 or more yards, including an 80-yard run by Antario Brown and five completions of 21 to 28 yards from Rocky Lombardi to five different receivers.  

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. Lampe has 11 carries for 39 yards on the season with seven of his carries coming on third and short and all resulting in a first down or a touchdown. His four catches have gone for 12, 16, 9 and 26 yards, the last at Toledo last week 

TOP PERFORMER: 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. Two of his punts pinned NIU inside the 20. Foley's season average is up to 40.1 yards per punt, he has six punts of 50 yards or longer and 10 of his 27 punts have forced opponents to start inside their 20-yard line.   

DRIVE STOPPERS: NIU linebacker Devin Lafayette and safety Nate Valcarcel have been a part of forcing opponent turnovers in each of NIU's last two games. Lafayette has forced fumbles versus both Tulsa and Toledo, becoming the first player in six seasons to force a fumble in back-to-back games. Nate Valcarcel picked up the Toledo fumble and returning it 50 yards for the Huskies' first defensive score of the season. The previous week, Lafayette's forced fumble stopped a Tulsa drive at the NIU six-yard line. That play came after Valcarcel had recorded his first career interception earlier in the first quarter.   

DOING ITS PART: Through five games, NIU opponents are averaging 26.0 points, 170 passing yards and less than 350 total yards per game. The Huskies held both Tulsa and SIU to two touchdowns apiece. NIU is currently ranked 15th in passing yards allowed, 49th in pass efficiency defense and 52nd in total defense. NIU's defensive numbers are the best in head coach Thomas Hammock's tenure through the first four games. 
 

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	347.2	124.2	170.6	26.0

PASSING D: The Huskies continue to rank among the nation's best pass defenses, NIU is first in the MAC and 15th nationally in passing yards allowed. Toledo is the only opponent to throw for more than 200 yards versus NIU this year. Of the Rockets 281 passing yards, 110 came on just two plays. The Huskies gave up a season low 102 passing yards while holding Tulsa to 8-of-20 completions (40.0 percent), the lowest yardage total by a Huskie opponent since Akron threw for 51 yards in a 49-0 NIU win on Oct. 26, 2019. Versus Tulsa, NIU held an opponent to less than 10 completions for the first time in 39 games, since Akron completed seven passes in 26 attempts in 2019.
 
TRANSFER to WALK-ON to TOP TACKLER: Safety Nate Valcarcel has developed into another of the walk-on success stories that have become so prevalent in the Huskie program. Valcarcel came to NIU as a transfer from South Dakota in the summer of 2021 and spent two seasons contributing primarily on special teams. He entered the 2023 season with 15 career tackles in 26 games, earning a scholarship during 2023 spring practices, when he was named NIU's most improved player on defense. As a starter at safety, he led NIU with nine tackles at Nebraska, made his first career interception versus Tulsa and scored on a 50-yard fumble recovery and return at Toledo.    

GROUP EFFORT: The NIU defense has relied on its depth in 2023 with 24 different players seeing significant snaps, including 10 defensive linemen, four linebackers, six safeties and four cornerbacks. Twelve different Huskies have collected tackles for loss, eight have been in on a sack and another eight have pass break-ups. Through five games, 12 players have made at least 10 tackles and seven have accrued 20 stops.

GOOD COMPANY: 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 NIU defensive lineman to register double digit tackles was consensus All-American Sutton Smith with 10 stops in the 2018 MAC Championship win over Buffalo (11-30). The last Huskie defensive lineman to tally at least 11 tackles in a game was defensive tackle 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? 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 31, including 18 solo stops.   

SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION: After two seasons playing a hybrid tight end/wide receiver position for NIU, redshirt sophomore George Gumbs made the transition to defensive end following 2023 spring practices. He saw his first action at the position in the season opener at Boston College and recorded his first career sacks with 1.5 takedowns versus Southern Illinois. Gumbs added a sack and forced a fumble at Nebraska and now leads NIU in quarterback sacks with 2.5, is second in tackles for loss with 3.5 and has made 17 tackles on the season. 

TWICE AS NICE: In 49 games under Thomas Hammock, the Huskies have attempted 25 two point conversions and been successful on 12, including a two-for-three mark in 2023. Trayvon Rudolph connected with quarterback Rocky Lombardi versus SIU and Ethan Hampton completed a pass to Billy Dozier at Nebraska, while Rudolph's attempt at Toledo was knocked down. NIU is 2-for-4 on two-point attempts rushing and is 10-of-21 passing on two-pointers since 2019. Rudolph's completed conversion pass was the second of his career in four attempts. Huskie two-pointers year-by-year under Hammock. 
 

Year	Games	Run	Pass	Total
2023	5	0-0	2-2	2-2
2022	12	1-3	3-5	4-8
2021	14	0-0	3-7	3-7
2020	6	1-1	1-3	2-4
2019	12	0-0	1-3	1-3
Total	49	2-4	10-21	12-25

SCHOOL RECORD: NIU's 17 pass completions versus Nebraska went to a school (FBS) record 13 different receivers. The catches were made by eight wide receivers, three tailbacks, a fullback and a tight end. No player caught more than two passes with Davis Patterson's two catches for 30 yards leading the way. 

NOT PLAYING FAVORITES: While senior Kacper Rutkiewicz leads the way on NIU's receiving stats with 19 catches for 249 yards, including a career high six-catch, 139-yard day versus Southern Illinois. Huskie QBs have had no shortage of targets in 2023 as 14 different players have caught passes, seven have made more than five catches and eight players are averaging over 10 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 92 completions.

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

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.

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.

THEY'RE ALL HUSKIES NOW: Transfers are a way of life in college football in 2023 and NIU added 16 new transfers this offseason to the eight returnees who started their collegiate careers elsewhere. NIU attracted players from nearly every level of college football from junior colleges to "Power 5" and Group of 5 schools, HBCUs, FCS, Division II and Division III. Eighteen of the 24 total transfer Huskies have played and nine, including two specialists, have started at least one game in 2023. Last week at Toledo, five of the Huskies' 11 starters on offense and two on defense began their collegiate careers elsewhere. The list of transfers who have played with returning players in bold and career NIU games started under GS. 
 

No.	Name	Pos.	Elig.	GS	Hometown (Previous School
16	Gabriel Amegatcher	CB	Sr.-R		Romeoville, Ill. (Nebraska-Kearney
81	Grayson Barnes	WR	Jr.		Rocklin, Calif. (American River CC)
11	Chris Carter	TE	Jr.	1	Detroit, Mich. (Howard)
12	Cam'Ron "Shaad" Dabney	CB	Jr.		Atlanta, Ga. (Kansas)
98	Tom Foley	P	Jr.-R	15	Peoria, Ill. (Minnesota)
23	DaRon Gilbert	LB	Sr.	3	Detroit, Mich. (Lafayette)
58	Skyler Gill-Howard	DT	So.-R		Milwaukee, Wis. (Upper Iowa)
0	Tyler Jackson	LB	Sr.-R		Alief, Texas (Lamar)
12	Rocky Lombardi	QB	Sr.-R	18	Clive, Iowa (Michigan State)
5	Justin Lynch	RB	Jr.	3	Chicago, Ill. (Temple)
9	Davis Patterson	WR	Sr.-R		Arlington, Va. (Notre Dame College)
37	Joey Rattin	LB	Jr.		Palatine, Ill. (Upper Iowa)
8	Kacper Rutkiewicz	WR	Sr.	1	Mount Prospect, Ill. (Illinois State)
28	Nevaeh Sanders	DE	Jr.		Flint,Mich. (Iowa Western CC)
30	Jake Seibert	K	So.R	3	Cincinnati, Ohio (Ohio State)
32	Quinn Urwiler	LB	Jr.-R		Mooseheart, Ill. (North Dakota)
9	Nate Valcarcel	S	Jr.	3	Greenfield, Wis. (South Dakota)
21	Gavin Williams	RB	Jr.-R		Altoona, Iowa (Iowa)

GAME EXPERIENCE: The 2023 Huskies bring plenty of experience to the field with 18 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 10 Huskies who have started 20 or more games. Offensive tackle Nolan Potter (48 games/35 starts) and James Ester (41 games/34 starts) top the list of both games played and starts on either side of the ball.

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 is the longest recorded by any team in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) 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, and began with nine consecutive runs. 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.  

ON THE LINE: The Huskies returned one of the most experienced offensive line groups  in the country as they began the year with 118 career starts among the six players who started at least six games a year ago. However, 32-game starter Logan Zschernitz has yet to play in a game in 2023, and tackle Evan Buss - with 13 career starts - has missed the last three games. Redshirt sophomore Drew Hoth saw his first action as a Huskie as the starting left tackle at Nebraska and now has three starts for NIU. Right tackle Nolan Potter, a sixth-year senior, leads all current Huskie players with 35 career starts and 48 games played. Guards J.J. Lippe (26 starts/31 games played) and John Champe (20/37) along with sophomore center Pete Nygra (16/20) make up the rest of the unit with redshirt freshman Evan Malcore in the rotation at tackle.  
 
RETURN RECEIVERS: Huskie receivers Kacper Rutkiewicz and Trayvon Rudolph have been pulling double duty as the Huskies' primary punt and kickoff returners, respectively.  Rutkiewicz has already surpassed NIU's 2022 team total for punt return yards with four returns for 37 yards, a 9.2 average. The Huskies finished the 2022 season with six total punt returns for 13 yards. Rutkiewicz' 19-yard return in the second quarter versus SIU was NIU's longest since Tyrice Richie's 23-yard punt return versus Toledo in 2021. Rudoph has returned three kickoffs for 72 yards for a 24.0-yard average. He already ranks sixth on NIU's all-time charts for kickoff returns (51), kickoff return yards (1,240) and KOR average (24.3).

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. 

THE POWER OF THREE: Over the years, good things have happened for NIU Football in years that have ended in the number "3". 

• The 1963 Huskies finished 10-0, won the Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and were voted College Division National Champions by the Associated Press.
• In 1983, NIU won its first Mid-American Conference Championship and finished the season with a 10-2 record after winning its first bowl game as a "Major College" (now FBS) program.
• In 1993, NIU running back LeShon Johnson - a native of Haskell, Oklahoma - led NCAA Division I-A in rushing with 1,976 yards on 327 carries with 2,028 all-purpose yards to become the first consensus All-American in school history; Johnson finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting.  
• The 2003 Huskies defeated No. 15 Maryland (20-13 OT), No. 21 Alabama (19-16) and Iowa State (24-16) to open the season and were ranked as high as No. 12 in the country (AP) behind eventual All-Pro running back Michael Turner. 
• Quarterback and Heisman finalist Jordan Lynch finished third in voting for the Trophy in 2013. He earned AP All-America honors after leading NIU to an undefeated regular season, setting NCAA quarterback records for rushing (1,920) and touchdowns (23).

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 Watch 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, 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.  

NEW FACES: NIU welcomed four new members to the Huskie coaching staff in 2023. Cornerbacks coach D.J. Bland, tight ends coach Cory White, linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Adam Breske, and running backs coach and passing game coordinator Wesley Beschorner are the newest members of the NIU staff. Bland joined the Huskies from Eastern Illinois, White was at San Diego and Breske came to NIU from Washington State. Beschorner was the head coach at Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the last three seasons.

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) .... NIU punter Tom Foley punted a career high nine times at Nebraska for a 40.9 yard average with three punts inside the 20 and four of 50 yards or longer ... the Huskies' 2023 roster includes players from 18 different states stretching from coast to coast, as well as Canada.Huskie kicker Kanon Woodill is a member of the ROTC program at NIU ... 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. 

NEXT: NIU begins a two-game October homestand on Saturday, October 14 when the Huskies take on Ohio in the school's 116th Homecoming game. NIU's homecoming celebration is the oldest in the state of Illinois and one of the oldest in the country. Kickoff of the game has been pushed back to 3 pm (CT) to accommodate an ESPNU broadcast. The following week, Eastern Michigan comes to Huskie Stadium.