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  DOG TREATS  

• NIU closes out its 2024 non-conference schedule at home versus UMass on Saturday as the teams meet for the third time. The teams last played in 2012 and 2013 with the Huskies scoring 63 points in each game behind 2024 NIU and MAC Hall of Fame quarterback Jordan Lynch.     
• The Huskies fell to NC State, 24-17, last Saturday in Raleigh despite a dominant performance by the Huskie defense as four turnovers, including two inside the NIU two-yard line, contributed to 14 Wolfpack points.
• Senior running back Antario Brown posted his ninth career 100-yard rushing game at NC State with 114 yards on a career high 28 carries. He enters the UMass game with 2,878 career rushing yards and needs 39 to move past Joel Bouagnon and Chad Spann into 10th place on the Huskies' all-time rushing chart.   
• Neither Buffalo (184 yards) nor NC State (171) gained more than 200 yards of total offense against the Huskie defense, marking the first time since 2005 that NIU has held opponents below that number in back-to-back games. 
• NIU now has held 13 of its last 17 opponents over the last two seasons to 24 points or less, including all four of its 2024 foes. 
• The Huskies are one of just five teams in the country to surrender less than 1,000 yards to its opponents so far in 2024, joining Tennessee, Ohio State, Missouri and Penn State.
• Defensive tackle Devonte O'Malley leads the Huskies with 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks while defensive end Roy Williams collected his second sack of the year and leads all defensive linemen in tackles with 15. O'Malley's 16.5 career sacks are tied for eighth at NIU all-time.  
• NIU's 2024 roster includes 32 seniors, sixth-most in the FBS. Twenty of those seniors have spent their entire careers as Huskies, which is the third highest total in the country. 
• Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU leads the FBS in one-score games played with 58. NIU is 28-30 in those games. 
• With its win at Notre Dame, NIU earned its 19th "Boneyard Win", which are defined as wins over teams from "power" leagues and national independents. NIU has recorded three boneyard wins in the last four seasons under head coach Thomas Hammock , adding to a legacy that dates back to 1983. 
• NIU's win at fifth-ranked Notre Dame on September 7 marked the first time a Mid-American Conference team defeated a team ranked in the top five of a national poll.

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  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  

Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-2-5
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 50/21
Starters Returning/Lost: 22/7
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 613-529-51
2023 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 7-6/5-3/2nd (West)
Last Bowl Game: 2023 Camellia Bowl (NIU 21, Arkansas State 19)
Bowl Appearances (FBS): 15
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 9, 2021
MAC Championships, Last: 6, 2021

2024 Schedule & Results
 

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  MINUTEMEN FOOTBALL FACTS  

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Don Brown (Norwich, 1977)
Record at UMass/Years: 48-43/8
Career Record/Years: 100-69/15
2023 Record: 3-9
Conference Record/Finish: n/a
Location: Amherst, Mass.
Enrollment: 27,850
Conference: Independent
Colors: Maroon, White and Black 
Stadium: McGuirk Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf/17,000
President: Dr. Javier Reyes
Athletic Director: Ryan Bamford
Athletics Website: UMassAthletics.com
Twitter: @UMassFootball

2024 Schedule & Results
 

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  NIU-UMASS SERIES  

Overall: NIU leads 2-0
In DeKalb: NIU leads 1-0
In Amherst/Foxboro: NIU leads 1-0
Streak: NIU, 2
First Meeting: Nov. 3, 2012; NIU 63, UMass 0 (H)
Last Meeting: Nov. 2, 2013: NIU 63, UMass 19 (A)
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-UMASS ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK

• Watch the NIU-UMass game on CBS Sports Network, the Huskies' 20th appearance on the network all-time.
• NIU is playing on an over-the-air network for the third time this season. 
• NIU is 7-12 all-time in games broadcast on CBS Sports Network, including an 0-2 mark a year ago. 
• Carter Blackburn (play-by-play) and Luke Kuechly (analyst) will be on the call for CBSSN.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network coverage for the UMass game begins 30 minutes before kickoff, at 10:30 a.m. (CT), on 94-9 WDKB in DeKalb.
• Hear the broadcast on mobile devices via the free NIU Huskies mobile app or on TuneIn, or stream online on 949wdkb.com. 
• Longtime Huskie Sports Network sideline reporter Andy Garcia is making his NIU play-by-play debut in 2024 in his new role as "Voice of the Huskies" while analyst Mark Lindo is in his 40th consecutive season calling NIU football. Terry Bonadonna is in his first year as the sideline reporter.

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Fans are invited to attend the one-hour weekly show every Wednesday throughout September and October at Noon at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy).
• Hear the show live on 94-9 WDKB, on the NIU Huskies app and on TuneIn, or stream on 949wdkb.com.
• Host Andy Garcia interviews NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock each week, along with Huskie players and special guests. 

NIU WEEKLY ON YOUTUBE

• New host Terry Bonadonna talks NIU football, basketball and more with the Huskie head coaches and administrators, including a weekly visit during football season from head coach Thomas Hammock. Get all the latest news and updates in this fast-paced show.
• Watch new episodes on the NIU Athletics Official 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  

NON-CON FINALE: NIU and UMass face off on October 5th in Huskie Stadium in the final non-conference game of 2024 for the Huskies as they look to even their non-league record on the year. This is UMass' last season as an independent as the Minutemen join the Mid-American Conference beginning in 2026.   

HOME SWEET HOME: NIU has won nearly 70 percent of its games played in Huskie Stadium since 2003 with an 82-38 (.683) record at home in 21-plus seasons. 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's all-time record at Huskie Stadium is 184-118-2 for a .608 all-time winning percentage.

SERIES HISTORY: Saturday's game is the third all-time between NIU and UMass. The Huskies defeated the Minutemen in a home-and-home Mid-American Conference series in 2012 and 2013 behind Hall of Fame quarterback Jordan Lynch. NIU shut out UMass 63-0 at home on November 3, 2012 and put up another 63 points the next season in Foxboro, Mass. in a 63-19 win. NIU lost just one regular season game over those two seasons.  

LAST WEEK: The Huskies dropped a 24-17 decision at NC State despite an outstanding performance by the NIU defense, which held the Wolfpack to 171 yards of total offense and 1-of-11 on third downs. The Huskie offense turned the ball over four times, including one fumble that was recovered in the end zone for a NCSU touchdown and another that was recovered on the two-yard line to set up the eventual game-winning TD. Antario Brown led the Huskies with 114 rushing yards on 28 carries.

MOVING ON UP: With the win at Notre Dame, Thomas Hammock passed Bill Mallory and Jerry Ippoliti for seventh place on the Huskies' all-time coaching wins chart with a memorable 26th victory.  Hammock's 61 games coached over the last five-plus seasons rank seventh all-time at NIU. He is the 23rd head coach in NIU's 123-year college football history. 

CLOSE CALLS: Three of NIU's four games this season have been decided by one score of less with a two point win at Notre Dame, a three-point loss in overtime to Buffalo and last week's seven point decision at NC State. Eight of NIU's 13 games a year ago, including the Camellia Bowl win, were within that margin, a trend that predates Thomas Hammock's tenure as head coach. Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU leads the FBS in one-score games played, ahead of Texas (54) and Eastern Michigan (53).
 
One-Score Record Since 2015
1.     NIU    58 (28-30)
2.     Texas    54 (24-30)
3.     Eastern Michigan    53 (27-26)
T4.     Iowa State    49 (19-30)
T4.     North Carolina    49 (21-28) 
T6.     Nebraska    48 (13-35)
T6.     Oklahoma State    48 (31-17)
8.     Tulsa    47 (21-26)
T9.     Kansas State    46 (22-24)
T9.     Navy    46 (23-23)

In 61 games under Thomas Hammock since 2019, 37 games, including 24 MAC contests have been decided by one score. Included in those 36 games are four overtime games. 

SENIOR-LADEN: After fielding one of the youngest teams in the country in 2021, NIU's 2024 roster includes 32 seniors, which ranks tied for sixth-most nationally (see chart). Even more rare is the fact that of those 32 seniors, 20 have played their entire careers at NIU, a number that ranks third in the nation behind only Stanford and Navy,

Seniors Who Have Played Entire Career at Same School (min. 15)
    Stanford - 23
    Navy - 23
    NIU - 20
    Bowling Green - 17
    Iowa - 17
    Oklahoma State - 16
    Eastern Michigan - 15

CLASS BREAKDOWN: While the senior class is one of the largest in college football, NIU's current 122-person 2024 roster also includes 46 players - 39 true freshmen - who are in their first year as Huskies. The breakdown of players by year with the program:
Year 6 - 4
Year 5 - 12
Year 4 - 17
Year 3 - 17
Year 2 - 27
Year 1 - 46

GAME CAPTAINS: NIU is naming its captains on a game-by-game basis in 2024. Captains for the UMass game are defensive tackles Devonte O'Malley and Skyler Gill-Howard, offensive lineman J.J. Lippe and specialists Kanon Woodill and Tom Foley. 

ROLLING DEEP: Through the first three games in 2024, 74 players have seen action for the Huskies. Twenty players, includng three true freshmen and four transfer newcomers, have made their NIU debuts. Transfers Christian Fuhrman (LB) and Jake Appleget (TE) are among the six first-time starters along with redshirt freshman safety Santana Banner and defensive linemen and Jalonnie Williams.  Skyler Gill-Howard made his first career start versus Western Illinois while wide receiver Cam Thompson has been in the starting line-up each of the last two games.

ADDED TO THE BONEYARD: With its 16-14 victory over Notre Dame on September 7, NIU added its 19th Boneyard Win to its ledger. "Boneyard Wins" date back to 1983 and are defined as wins over teams from "power" leagues, as well as independents like Notre Dame and (formerly) BYU. NIU has added three bones to the yard in the last four seasons under Thomas Hammock.  

MADE HISTORY: NIU's win over fifth-ranked (AP Poll) Notre Dame team was its first victory over a Top 10 team in school history. The Huskies also became the first Mid-American Conference team to defeat a team ranked in the Top Five of a major poll. Prior to Sept. 7, NIU's last win over a ranked team was on Nov. 3, 2015, a 32-27 win over No. 20 Toledo. and its last win over a ranked non-conference foe was a 19-16 win over No. 21 Alabama on Sept. 20, 2003. The win was the Huskies' seventh all-time over a ranked opponent in 41 games.

IN OT: NIU is 10-6 in overtime games following the Huskies' 23-20 OT loss to Buffalo on September 21. NIU has now played an overtime game in four consecutive seasons. Prior to the Buffalo game, the Huskies had won five of their last six overtime contests. The game was NIU's first overtime game at home since 2017 and its first home overtime loss since Oct. 15, 2016 in a three OT affair versus Central Michigan. The Huskies' overtime history includes three wins over ACC teams (2002 Wake Forest, 2003 Maryland, 2023 Boston College).   

ON THE OFFENSE

WORKHORSE: Senior running back Antario Brown recorded his first 100-yard rushing game of 2024 - and the ninth of his NIU career - with 114 yards on 28 carries to lead the Huskie offense at NC State. Brown accounted for all but six of the Huskies' net 120 rushing yards in the game and added an 11-yard reception. His 28 carries were a career high. 

DUAL THREAT: Through four games, Antario Brown leads NIU in both rushing (355) and receiving (204) yards. He is one of only two players in the Football Bowl Subdivision to lead his team in both categories, along with Air Force's Cade Harris. A proven star as a runner, Brown has become a true dual threat in 2024 with eight catches for 204 yards after entering the season with 59 career receiving yards on 13 catches. In addition to his 83-yard touchdown catch and run at Notre Dame, he had a 43-yard grab to help set up Kanon Woodill's second field goal in that game. Brown's average of 25.5 yards per catch ranks fourth in  the country. 

BIG GAME, BIG PLAY: With 126 receiving yards at Notre Dame, Antario Brown became the first NIU running back to post a 100-yard receiving game since 2006 when Huskie great Garrett Wolfe totaled 114 receiving yards (to go with 171 rushing yards) at Ohio State. Brown's 83-yard touchdown in the first quarter tied for the eighth longest pass play in school history and was the Huskies' longest pass play since 2008 (Chandler Harnish to Nathan Palmer, 8-30-08 vs. Minnesota) and the second longest reception by a running back ever at NIU. Brown added 99 rushing yards on 20 carries to total 225 all-purpose yards despite sitting out the fourth quarter.

MOVING ON UP: Antario Brown ran for two touchdowns versus Buffalo for his fifth career multiple TD game, giving him 24 for his career. He needs two rushing TDs to move past Thomas Hammock into 10th place on that list. With 2,878 yards, Brown needs 39 yards to move into the Huskies' all-time Top 10 for rushing yards. The senior ranks eighth among active FBS backs in career rushing yards and in yards per rush (6.0).

BETTER THAN AVERAGE: Antario Brown, a 2023 first team All-MAC selection who was named to the preseason watch lists for the Doak Walker (RB), Maxwell (MVP), Walter Camp Player of the Year and Senior Bowl, passed the 3,000 yard mark in career all-purpose yards following the Buffalo game and has 559 on the season with 355 rushing and 204 receiving to average 139.8 yards per game. 

THEY'VE BEEN AROUND: NIU's five starting offensive linemen have a combined 192 games of experience (all as Huskies) with 134 starts. The group includes a pair of sixth-year Huskies in J.J. Lippe and Logan Zschernitz, fifth-year players John Champe and Evan Buss and the "youngster" Evan Malcore, in his third season at NIU. The Huskies' streak of six consecutive games without giving up a sack, dating back to the 24-0 win over Western Michigan on November 14, 2023, was broken at NC State. The offensive line is coached by the newest member of the Huskies coaching staff, Luke Meadows, who is in his first season at NIU.

Player - Games Played/Games Started
John Champe - 49/32
J.J. Lippe - 43/38
Logan Zschernitz - 43/37
Evan Buss - 40/16
Evan Malcore - 17/11
Total - 192/134

CHEESEHEADS: NIU's five 2024 starting offensive linemen - seniors J.J. Lippe (Milwaukee), Logan Zschernitz (Spencer), Evan Buss (Kimberly) and John Champe (Brookfield) plus redshirt sophomore Evan Malcore (Sun Prairie) - all hail from Wisconsin, carrying on a long tradition of Huskie linemen from the Badger state. The tradition includes names like Manitowoc native Doug Free (2003-06), a 10-year pro for the Dallas Cowboys (2007-16) and Green Bay product and current NFL OL Max Scharping (2014-18). Overall, eight of the 10 offensive linemen on the Huskie two-deep are Wisconsinites.

DISTRIBUTION: Through four games, 14 Huskies have caught passes. Eleven players caught at least one pass versus Western Illinois, while Ethan Hampton connected with eight players on his 10 completions at Notre Dame and had completions to nine players versus both Buffalo and NC State. Tight end Grayson Barnes leads all NIU players with 11 catches, while Antario Brown's 193 receiving yards are tops on the team. Four running backs, a fullback, three tight ends and six wide receivers have registered catches so far in 2024.
 
STEPPING UP: In the last two games, receivers Cam Thompson and Andrew McElroy have become valuable assets to the NIU offense. Thompson, a redshirt sophomore who transferred to NIU prior to the 2023 season, and made a pair of catches for 10 yards in limited action a year ago, ranks second on the 2024 roster with nine receptions, while his two touchdown catches lead the team. Six of his nine catches (for 81 yards) have come in the Huskies' last two games. McElroy is new to the roster this year after transferring from St. Thomas. He has made six catches in the last two games for 89 yards, including a 42-yard catch to set up the Huskies' second touchdown at NC State, and has eight grabs for 107 on the year.  

STARTING STRONG: After winning the starting quarterback job during fall camp, redshirt junior and local product Ethan Hampton opened the season with a near perfect passing day versus Western Illinois, completing 18-of-20 passes for 328 yards and five touchdowns, setting a single game school record for single game passing efficiency rating (310.3) in the process. He followed up that performance by engineering NIU's historic victory over Notre Dame with 198 passing and 21 rushing yards, a passing TD and no interceptions.

BEEN A WHILE: Hampton's 328 yard passing day versus Western Illinois was the first 300-yard game by a Huskie passer in 30 games, since November 3, 2021 when Rocky Lombardi threw for a school record 532 yards against Kent State. Hampton also became just the seventh NIU QB all-time to throw five or more touchdown passes in a game, and the first since Nov. 1, 2011 when Chandler Harnish threw six TD passes in a classic game at Toledo. 

MAC-COLADE: Hampton became the first Huskie quarterback since 2021 to be named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week when he collected the award following the Western Illinois game. He was named to the Davey O'Brien "Great 8" list after the Notre Dame game with 198 passing and 21 rushing yards.  

YARDS AND YARDS: NIU's 706 yards of total offense versus Western Illinois were the third-most in a single game in school history, and the most since a 710-yard outburst against Ball State on Nov. 15, 2011 in a 41-38 win and an 806-yard game versus Fresno State on Oct. 6, 1990.   

SPECIAL INTEREST

LONG DISTANCE: NIU kicker Kanon Woodill's 50-yard field goal in the fourth quarter at NC State was the longest of the Huskie senior's career as he became the ninth player in school history to make a field goal of 50 yards or longer. Previously, Woodill's longest field goal was a 49-yard shot at Toledo in 2023. He is now 6-of-9 on three-pointers this year and 20-of-29 for his career. 

ON THE BLOCK: NIU defensive tackle Cade Haberman earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after making two of the biggest plays of the Notre Dame game on special teams. Haberman blocked field goals at the end of each half, including the 62-yard potential game-winner as time expired. He is the first Huskie to block two kicks in a game since Jalen McKie blocked a field goal attempt and a PAT at Nebraska in 2019. 

WOODILL FOR THE WIN: Kicker Kanon Woodill accounted for 10 of NIU's 16 points at Notre Dame with a PAT and three field goals, including the game-winning 35-yard kick with 31 seconds to play. He also made threes from 42 and 21 yards to give NIU a 13-7 halftime lead. The game-winner was the second of Woodill's Huskie career. While filling in for starter John Richardson in 2021, Woodill made a 26-yard field goal with 54 seconds to play to give NIU a 39-38 win at Central Michigan. The Army ROTC cadet has made three field goals in a game three times - in 2021 at Central Michigan, versus Ohio in a 23-13 NIU win last season and at Notre Dame.

DETAILING THE DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: In addition to the yardage total, NC State gained just 63 rushing yards on 27 carries, the fewest rushing yards by a Huskie opponent since Western Michigan managed just 24 yards on Nov. 14, 2023. The Wolfpack's 108 passing yards were one more than Buffalo's 107 the week prior. NC State was 1-of-11 on third downs and punted eight times in the game. The last NIU opponent to gain fewer yards than NCSU's 171 was Akron, which earned just 145 yards on October 26, 2019 in a 49-0 NIU win. 

BACK-TO-BACK: For the second consecutive game, the Huskie defense held its opponent to less than 200 yards of total offense as NC State gained just 171 yards last Saturday, one week after Buffalo totaled only 184 yards. It has been 20 seasons since NIU held its opponent to less than 200 yards of total offense in back-to-back games. In 2005, the Huskies gave up 174 yards to Eastern Michigan on Oct. 15 and followed that up by holding Kent State to 195 yards on Oct. 22.

COULD HAVE BEEN LESS: Outside of Buffalo's two touchdown plays (a 46-yard pass and a 36-yard run), the Bulls had just 102 yards in the game. Similarly, after NC State scored on a 64-yard touchdown drive on its first possession of the game, the Wolfpack gained just 107 yards the rest of the game. 

ELITE D: The Huskies' season defensive stats and national ranking back up their status as an elite defense in 2024, topped by the No. 7 ranking nationally in total defense. NIU is one of only five FBS teams in the country to hold its opponents to less than 1,000 yards of total offense through games of September 28. The others: Tennessee, Ohio State, Missouri and Penn State. 
 

Category	Avg,/No.	National Rank	MAC Rank
Total Defense	234.8	7	1
Rushing Defense	89.3	17	1
Passing Efficiency Defense	115.95	34	2
Passing Yards Allowed	145.5	10	1
Scoring Defense	19.0	39	1
First Downs Defense	54	5	1

STILL STINGY: NIU has held 13 of its last 17 opponents - and every team in 2024 -  to 24 points or less, including a season-low 14 by Notre Dame. In nine of those 13 games, NIU foes scored 20 points or fewer. Over the last seven games, only Kent State scored more than 24 points on NIU in a 37-27 Huskie win in the 2023 regular season finale.

RUSHING TRENDS: Buffalo and NC State became the second and third teams in the last two seasons to defeat NIU while rushing for less than 150 yards as they totaled 77 and 63 yards on the ground, respectively. NIU opponents have been held to 150 or less yards on the ground 12 times in the last 17 games and the Huskies are 9-3 in those games, including a 6-0 mark when opponents rush for 101-150 yards. NIU is 0-5 when giving up more than 151 yards on the ground.

FORCE IN THE MIDDLE: Senior defensive tackle Devonte O'Malley, who was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week following the Notre Dame game, has 16.5 career quarterback sacks to rank tied for eighth at NIU all-time. He is tied for 21st among active FBS players. At Notre Dame, he recorded a pair of quarterback sacks for minus 22 yards, three tackles for loss, four solo stops and a forced fumble, becoming the first Huskie to win the Nagurski weekly award since eventual NFL first round draft choice Larry English in 2007. 

SACK MAN: NIU junior defensive end Neveah Sanders sacked Buffalo quarterback C.J. Ogbonna three times for losses of 19 yards and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Huskies. A third down pass rushing specialist who had a pair of sacks in 13 games last year, Sanders is the first Huskie since 2018 (Sutton Smith vs. Western Michigan) to record three sacks in a game.

BACK AND BETTER?: While NIU returned nine starters on defense in 2024 and a pack of players with extensive experience, the Huskies' 2024 defense has featured four new starters in redshirt freshman safety Santana Banner, defensive linemen Cade Haberman and Jalonnie Williams and transfer linebacker Christian Fuhrman. Through four games in 2024, NIU has fielded the same starters on defense with one exception as Skyler Gill-Howard started the season opener versus Western Illinois in place of Devonte O'Malley at defensive tackle. 

OF NOTE

SWEET FEET: Former Wisconsin and NFL running back James White, who played eight seasons and won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, is with the Huskies this season in a player personnel and student-athlete development role. White, an Illinois resident, is in the office during the week as a resource for the players. NIU head coach Thomas Hammock was White's position coach for three seasons at Wisconsin.

PULLING RANK: On September 8 following its win over Notre Dame, NIU entered the Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time since December 8, 2013 with a number 25 national ranking and 114 points. NIU climbed to No. 23 the next week after the Huskies' open date. This year marked the earliest in the season that NIU cracked the Top 25. NIU spent 11 consecutive weeks in at least one of the polls in 2013.

MAC PRESEASON POLL: In the first year since the East and West divisions were eliminated, NIU tied with Bowling Green for third place in the MAC Coaches Preseason Poll. Under the MAC's new scheduling format, the Huskies are scheduled to play Bowling Green and Toledo every year and in fact, NIU's next two games are at BG (Oct. 12) and versus Toledo (Oct. 19). NIU will also take on Miami in Oxford in 2024.

HUSKIE GRADS: There are 18 players on the Huskie roster who are already college graduates, including all four senior members of the starting offensive line, eight players listed as first team on the current NIU depth chart and another six on the two-deep. 

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Last week, NIU offensive lineman J.J. Lippe was named a semifinalist for the 2024 Campbell Trophy. Lippe, who has become one of the top leaders on the Huskie team, has earned both his undergraduate and graduate degrees in business from NIU over the past five years. A member of the Captain's Council, the NIU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Marketing Student Advisory Board, he also found time to complete a pair of internships.