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FB24 - Cam Thompson at Ball State
Michael Hickey

NIU Opens Weeknight #MACtion Schedule in Kalamazoo

Huskies and Broncos Kickoff at 6 pm (CT) Wednesday on ESPN2

October 31

 
FB24 - Game Notes Header (WMU)

  DOG TREATS  
  • After a 10-day "mini-bye", a midweek #MACtion match-up with Western Michigan is next for NIU. 
  • NIU has won each of the last two meetings with WMU, scoring a 24-21 come-from-behind win in 2022 and a 24-0 shutout victory at home a year ago. Overall, the Broncos own a 27-22 advantage. Five of the last eight games between the teams have been decided by one possession or less.    
  • The Huskies are coming off a tough 25-23 loss at Ball State as Kanon Woodill's 47-yard field goal with 15 seconds to play gave NIU its first lead of the game at 23-22. Ball State completed passes of 34 and 5 yards before making a 52-yard field goal, their fourth of the game with two seconds on the clock. 
  • NIU leads the MAC and is among the top 20 teams in the FBS in six defensive categories (as of 10/27), and is Top 10 in third down conversion defense (25.7 percent), total defense (274.9 yards) and passing yards allowed (164.8). Ball State became the first team to convert more than three third downs against the Huskies last week. 
  • NIU has held 17 of its last 21 opponents over the last two seasons to 25 points or less, including all eight of its 2024 foes. The Huskies are one of just four FBS teams that has not allowed an opponent to score more than 25 points in 2024 entering this weekend's action.
  • Running back Antario Brown became the ninth 3,000-yard rusher in school history and the first since Jordan Lynch (2009-13) on a 34-yard touchdown run last week at Ball State. Brown is the first Huskie running back to join the 3,000-yard club since NIU all-time leader Garrett Wolfe (2004-06).
  • Sophomore Cam Thompson has become one of the Huskies' most reliable receivers and currently leads NIU with 25 catches for 372 yards and three TDs after making 13 catches for 208 yards in the last two games, including eight grabs for 128 yards - both career highs - last week at Ball State.
  • NIU has blocked three field goals in 2024, the most by the Huskies since 2019, after Santana Banner's block in the fourth quarter at Ball State.  
  • Redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Holst came on for injured starter Ethan Hampton at Bowling Green and led NIU to a 17-7 win, then handled all of the QB duties in NIU's 13-6 loss to Toledo. He got the start at Ball State, before Hampton came on to operate the offense during the comeback attempt.
  • Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU leads the FBS in one-score games played with 60, including five in 2024. NIU is 28-32 in those games. 

2024 NIU Schedule & Results
 

  BRONCOS' FOOTBALL FACTS  
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Lance Taylor (Alabama, 2003)
Record at Western Michigan/Years: 9-11/2
Career Record/Years: Same
2023 Record: 4-8
Conference Record/Finish: 3-5/T-4th-West
Location: Kalamazoo, Mich.
Enrollment: 18,191
Conference: Mid-American
Colors: Brown and Gold 
Stadium: Waldo Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf/30,200
President: Dr. Edward B. Montgomery
Athletic Director: Dan Bartolomae
Athletics Website: WMUBroncos.com
Twitter: @WMUBroncos

WMU Football Schedule & Results
 

  NIU-WMU SERIES  
Overall: WMU leads 27-22
In DeKalb: NIU leads 13-12
In Kalamazoo: WMU leads 15-9
In MAC Games: NIU leads 20-18
First Meeting: Sept. 23, 1950 - WMU 40, NIU 13 (A)
Streak: NIU, 2
 

  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  
TV: NIU-WESTERN MICHIGAN ON ESPN2
  • The NIU-Western Michigan game will air on ESPN2 and will be accessible via the ESPN App available on both iOS and Android devices, desktop and TV-connected devices (e.g. Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV).
  • NIU makes its fourth appearance on a network broadcast this year, its first on an ESPN outlet. 
  • The Huskies last played on ESPN2 on Sept. 24, 2022 at Kentucky; the WMU game marks NIU's 41st appearance on ESPN2.  
  • Lowell Galindo (play-by-play) and Fozzy Whitaker (analyst) will be on the call for ESPN2 Wednesday.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK
  • The Huskie Sports Radio Network coverage for the Western Michigan game begins 30 minutes before kickoff, at 5:30 p.m. (CT), on 94-9 WDKB in DeKalb.
  • Hear the broadcast on mobile devices via the free NIU Huskies mobile app, 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 this Wednesday at Noon at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy).
  • Beginning next week, the show will be held on Fridays through November 22nd.
  • 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 or anytime. 

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  
BACK IN #MACTION: NIU takes on Western Michigan in Kalamazoo on Wednesday, November 6 in the first of three weeknight November #MACtion games.  

SERIES HISTORY: Western Michigan holds a 27-22 advantage in the all-time series, and owns a 15-9 edge in games played in Kalamazoo, although the Huskies have won the last two meetings. Five of the last eight games between the teams have been decided by one possession or less. WMU won 14 of the first 15 games of the series between 1950 and 1982, while the Huskies are 16-7 versus the Broncos since 2001, including a seven-game winning streak between 2009-2015. NIU's 2022 win over WMU was its first at Waldo Stadium since 2014.

THE LAST MEETING: A year ago in DeKalb, Antario Brown ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns, Dane Pardridge returned a punt for a touchdown and the NIU defense recorded four sacks and seven tackles for loss in a 24-0 Huskie win on Senior Night. NIU held the Broncos to 206 yards and 11 first downs, and to 24 rushing yards on 18 carries. 

LAST TIME OUT: Jackson Courville made a 52-yard field goal with two seconds on the clock, giving Ball State an improbable 25-23 win over NIU in Muncie. Courville's fourth field goal of the game erased the 23-22 lead that the Huskies had claimed just 13 seconds prior on Kanon Woodill's 47-yard field goal. Antario Brown scored on runs of 34 and 6 yards and Ethan Hampton hit Cam Thompson for a 54-yard touchdown as NIU came back from a 19-7 deficit. BSU took advantage of four Huskie turnovers.

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: In 38 seasons as a member of the Mid-American Conference, the Huskies are 166-121-2 all-time. The Huskies own a winning percentage of .633 (136-79) versus MAC foes since re-joining the league in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 79-35 (.693) against the MAC with three undefeated campaigns, two one-loss seasons and eight division championships, including a run of six-straight (2010-15). NIU originally competed in the MAC from 1975-85.

ON THE MAC ROAD: NIU is 1-1 on the road in the MAC this year with a 17-7 win at Bowling Green (October 12) and a 25-23 loss at Ball State (October 26). The Huskies are 28-16 in conference road games since 2013 and 92-102-1 all-time in league games away from Huskie Stadium for a 47.4 percent win percentage. The Huskies are 2-2 overall on the road this year with a win at No. 5 Notre Dame and a loss at NC State in non-conference action. NIU is 10-11 on the road versus league opponents under Thomas Hammock. 

GAME CAPTAINS: NIU is naming its captains on a game-by-game basis in 2024. Captains for the Western Michigan game are defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard, offensive linemen J.J. Lippe, linebacker Joey Rattin and defensive tackle Jacob Waskow.

CLOSE CALLS: Five of NIU's eight games this season have been decided by one score or less with three determined by three points or fewer. Eight of NIU's 13 games a year ago, including the Camellia Bowl win, were within that margin, a trend at NIU that predates Thomas Hammock's tenure as head coach. Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU's 60 one-score games played leads all FBS teams, with Texas and Eastern Michigan's 55 a distant second.  

One-Score Record Since 2015
1.     NIU    59 (28-31)
T2.     Eastern Michigan    54 (28-26)
T2.     Texas    54 (24-30)
T4.     North Carolina    50 (21-29) 
T4.     Iowa State    50 (20-30)
T6.     Nebraska    49 (14-35)
T6.     Oklahoma State    49 (31-18)
T8.     Tulsa    47 (21-26)
T8.     Kansas State    47 (23-24)
10.     Navy    46 (23-23)

In 65 games under Thomas Hammock, 39, including 26 MAC contests, have been decided by one score. Included in those 39 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

STAYING POWER: Five players - OG John Champe (53 games played), LB Jaden Dolphin (51), DT Devonte O'Malley (53), Demond Taylor Jr. (55) and TE Tristen Tewes (51) - have now played in more than 50 games for NIU with 12 more who have seen action in more than 40 games for the Huskies. Offensive lineman J.J. Lippe leads all current players with 42 career starts in 47 games played, followed closely by fellow OL Logan Zschernitz (47 GP/41 GS), O'Malley (53/41) and defensive end Ray Thomas (46/41). Thomas saw his first action of 2024 last week at Ball State after returning from injury. 

MICHIGAN MEN: The 2024 NIU roster features six players from Michigan including a trio of safeties, two defensive ends and tight end Chris Carter. Flint products Santana Banner (S) and Nevaeh Sanders (DE), Detroit natives Muhammed Jammeh (S) and Carter (TE), plus defensive end Ivan Davis of Canton and true freshman safety Joshua Tillman from Waterford make up the Huskies' Michigan contingent with all except Tillman in starting, back-up or special teams roles this season.

FAMILIAR NAME: Sycamore native Dan Sabock, who spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons on the NIU coaching staff, is in his first season coaching special teams at Western Michigan. Sabock was a graduate assistant at NIU in 2017 before being elevated to a full-time assistant role in 2018. His father, Mike, spent 24 years on the NIU sidelines as an assistant coach and his brother, Kevin, was a member of the Huskie team from 2008-12.

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.  

ON THE OFFENSE

AB 3K: Antario Brown became the ninth Huskie to gain 3,000 career rushing yards last week at Ball State, passing the mark on his 34-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He is the first player since quarterback Jordan Lynch (2009-13) to surpass the 3,000-yard mark and the first running back since all-time rushing leader Garrett Wolfe (2004-06) to join the club. He needs 117 yards to move past Charles Talley (1993-96) into eighth place. Brown ranks ninth among active FBS backs in career rushing yards. 

IN THE (END) ZONE: After going down to injury during the UMass game, missing the Bowling Green game and seeing limited carries versus Toledo, Antario Brown made the most of his 11 carries at Ball State. He scored on runs of 34 and 6 yards to record his third and fourth rushing touchdowns of the season, and the 25th and 26th of his career, moving him past NIU head coach Thomas Hammock into 10th place on the NIU career rushing TDs list. Brown has 28 total touchdowns including receiving scores against Boston College (2023) and Notre Dame (2024). 

CAM CAN: Cam Thompson, a redshirt sophomore who transferred to NIU prior to the 2023 season, is the Huskies' leading receiver with 25 catches for 372 yards and three touchdowns after making 13 catches for 208 yards in the last two games. Thompson caught a career-best five passes for 80 yards versus Toledo (10/19), then bettered those totals at Ball State (10/26). He caught eight passes for 128 yards against the Cardinals, with a career long 54-yard touchdown catch and run, the longest pass play for NIU since Antario Brown's 86-yard receiving score at Notre Dame (9/7). 

TWO MINUTE: The 2024 Huskies have been effective in executing the "two-minute" offense, scoring in the final minutes of a half seven times in eight games, including in both the second and fourth quarters at Ball State. Four times, Kanon Woodill has finished those drives with field goals, including the game-winner at Notre Dame, the game-tying kick versus Buffalo to send the game to overtime and the kick to give NIU the lead at Ball State.
 
Game: Scoring Play, Quarter Time (Plays-Yards, TOP) - NIU-Opp
vs. WIU: Rudolph 43 pass from Hampton (Woodill PAT), 2nd 0:40 (4-60, 0:44) - 34-3
at ND: Woodill 35 FG, 4th 0:31 (11-31, 5:24) - 16-14
vs. Buffalo: Woodill 27 FG, 4th 0:24 (13-66, 3:04) - 20-20
at NC State: Thompson 6 pass from Hampton (Woodill PAT), 2nd 1:45 (9-75, 3:10) - 14-17
vs. Toledo: Woodill 37 FG, 2nd 0:00 (9-60, 1:16) - 6-7    
at Ball State: Thompson 54 pass from Hampton (Woodill PAT), 2nd 1:12 (6-75, 0:39) - 14-19
at Ball State: Woodill 47 FG, 4th 0:15 (12-50, 1:36) - 23-22    

NEXT MAN UP: Quarterback Josh Holst stepped in for an injured Ethan Hampton in the second quarter of the Bowling Green game and completed 10-of-14 passes for 89 yards and ran eight times for 47 yards, leading NIU to three scoring drives and recording the lone Huskie touchdown of the game on a 22-yard run. A walk-on from Marengo, Illinois, Holst was in a three-way battle for the starting job entering fall camp after leading the NIU "compete" team last year and impressing during spring drills. Prior to the BG game, Holst played one series the previous week versus UMass and saw action late in the season opener versus Western Illinois.
 
CHEESEHEADS: NIU has started the same five offensive linemen - seniors J.J. Lippe (Milwaukee), Logan Zschernitz (Spencer), Evan Buss (Kimberly) and John Champe (Brookfield) plus redshirt sophomore Evan Malcore (Sun Prairie) - in seven of the Huskies' first eight games this year. With Buss out for the Toledo game, redshirt freshman Thomas Paasch (Green Bay) made his first career start at right tackle. NIU's  long tradition of Huskie linemen from the badger state includes players 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 top 10 offensive linemen on the 2024 Huskie two-deep are Wisconsinites.

EXPERIENCE UP FRONT: NIU's five starting offensive linemen have a combined 211 games of experience (all as Huskies) with 155 starts. The group has started seven of NIU's eight games in 2024, all except the Toledo game. Sixth-year Huskies J.J. Lippe and Logan Zschernitz lead the unit along with fifth-year seniors John Champe and Evan Buss. Left tackle Evan Malcore is in his third season at NIU.  The Huskies lead the MAC in fewest sacks allowed with 10 in the Huskies' eight games.

Player - Games Played/Games Started
John Champe - 53/36
J.J. Lippe - 47/42
Logan Zschernitz - 47/41
Evan Buss - 44/20
Evan Malcore - 21/15
Total - 211/155

SLINGING IT: Redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Holst threw 46 passes versus Toledo in his first career start. Holst was 15-of-25 passing through the first three quarters of the game before finishing 22-of-46 for 210 yards. The 46 pass attempts tie for the 10th most thrown by a Huskie QB in a single game and are the most since then redshirt freshman Ethan Hampton threw 49 passes versus the Rockets on Oct. 8, 2022.

IN A RUSH: The Huskies finished the UMass game with 367 yards on 54 carries, averaged 6.8 yards per rush and threw just two passes after the 9:15 mark of the second quarter. It was the most rushing yards for NIU since the 2023 Akron game (35-380) and the seventh time NIU has run for 300 or more yards under head coach Thomas Hammock. Three Huskies - running backs Gavin Williams (125) and Jaylen Poe (98) and quarterback Ethan Hampton (64) - gained at least 60 yards, the first time that has happened since Nov. 23, 2021. 

STRONG START: Redshirt junior quarterback Ethan Hampton opened the season with a near-perfect passing day versus Western Illinois to earn MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Hampton completed 18-of-20 passes for 328 yards and five touchdowns, setting a single game school record for single game passing efficiency rating (310.3) and becoming just the seventh NIU QB to throw five or more touchdown passes in a game. He followed that performance by engineering NIU's historic victory over Notre Dame with 198 passing and 21 rushing yards, a passing TD and no interceptions to earn a spot on the Davey O'Brien Great 8 list. 

SPECIAL INTEREST

BUILDING BLOCKS: Santana Banner's blocked field goal in the fourth quarter at Ball State was the third field goal block of the season for NIU, the most field goals blocked by the Huskies since 2019. That season, NIU blocked five total kicks, including a punt, a PAT and three field goals. 

BUSY MAN: NIU kicker Kanon Woodill has made field goals in six of the Huskies' eight games and in every game decided by one score or less. His 47-yard field goal with 15 seconds to play at Ball State gave the Huskies a 23-22 lead. He accounted  for all six of NIU's points versus Toledo, and has recorded four multi-field goal games to rank  third in the MAC and 24th in the FBS with an average of 1.50 field goals made per game. The senior has made a career high 12-of-17 threes in 2024 and his 53 points lead NIU. Woodill is 26-of-37 on threes in 19 career games as the starting kicker. 

THEY COME IN THREES: NIU kicker Kanon Woodill kicked three field goals - of 46, 21 and 27 yards - to account for nine of the Huskies' 17 points in the win over Bowling Green. The Army ROTC cadet has made three field goals in a game twice this season and four times in his career. At Notre Dame, Woodill made threes from 42 and 21 yards to give NIU a 13-7 halftime lead, then booted the game-winning 35-yard kick with 31 seconds to play in the 16-14 win. Woodill's other three field goal games were last year versus Ohio and in 2021 at Central Michigan, when he also kicked the game-winner in the final minute. 

UNCOMMON: At Bowling Green, long snapper Isaac Hatfield scored the first points of his career by catching a pass from tight end Grayson Barnes on a two-point conversion attempt, giving the Huskies a 14-7 lead to start the fourth quarter. Hatfield joins Hunter Higham of Hawai'i, who caught a two-point conversion pass versus Northern Iowa on September 21, as the only FBS long snappers to score this season. 

BIG RETURN: Redshirt freshman Jaylen Poe recorded the longest kickoff return by a Huskie since 2021 with an 89-yard return to the four-yard line versus UMass to earn a spot on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll. The play - the 17th longest kickoff return in school history - set up the Huskies' game-sealing score and was the longest for NIU in three seasons, since Trayvon Rudolph scored on a 100-yard kickoff return versus Bowling Green on October 16, 2021.  

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.  

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. 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; the last player to block two field goals in a SEASON was George Rainey in 2013. 

DETAILING THE DEFENSE

STINGY: NIU is one of four FBS teams to hold its opponents to 25 points or less in every game this season along with Texas A&M, Tennessee and Notre Dame. Over the last two seasons (21 games), only  four teams have scored more than 25 points against NIU. Over the last 11 games, Kent State is the only team to score more than 25 points against the Huskies, that in a 37-27 NIU win in the 2023 regular season finale. Opponents are averaging 17.6 points per game versus the Huskies in 2024 as NIU owns the No. 15 scoring defense in the country. 

ELITE D: The Huskie defense is playing at an elite level in 2024. Six of eight opponents have gained less than 300 yards and NIU is ranked seventh in the country in total defense. NIU currently leads the MAC in seven defensive categories and is ranked in the Top 20 defenses in the FBS in six. Through eight games, the Huskies have given up just 13 touchdowns on defense.  
 
Category Avg,/No. National Rank MAC Rank
Total Defense 274.9 7 1
Rushing Defense 110.1 23 1
3rd Down Conv. Defense  .257 4 1
Passing Yards Allowed 164.8 10 1
Scoring Defense 17.6 15 1
First Downs Defense 124 17 1
Quarterback Sacks 2.88 16 1

THIRD AND NO: NIU ranks fourth in the country in opponents' third down conversion percentage as Huskie foes are converting at a 25.7 percent rate. Before Ball State went 10-of-18 on third downs last week, only one Huskie opponent - UMass - had converted more than three times on third down this season. One week after Bowling Green converted just 1-of-13 third downs, Toledo went 2-for-15 on third down conversions. NC State was also held to 1-of-11 on third downs.  

RUSHING TRENDS: NIU opponents have been held to 150 or fewer yards on the ground 15 times in the last 21 games and the Huskies are 11-4 in those games, including an 8-1 mark when opponents rush for 101-150 yards. NIU is 0-6 when giving up more than 150 yards on the ground over the last two seasons. 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 with just 77 and 63 rushing yards, respectively.

STOP RIGHT THERE: NIU opponents have reached the Red Zone (20 yard line) just 20 times in the Huskies' eight games this year, or less than three times per game. Teams have scored on 15-of-20 trips inside the red zone - tied for the 21st lowest percentage in the FBS - with only seven of those scores (35 percent) for touchdowns. Opponents have been held to field goals eight times. For comparison, in the last three seasons, NIU opponents' touchdown percentage from the red zone has been 58 (2023), 68 (2022) and 69 (2021) percent.

ON THAT NOTE: Overall, in eight games, NIU opponents have already attempted 20 field goals, more than all of last season when they made 14-of-19 threes. NIU opponents attempted 21 field goals in 2022 and in 2019 and 23 in 14 games in 2021.   

WELCOME BACK: The deepest unit on the Huskie defense got even deeper last week with the return of the 2023 NIU team leader in tackles, defensive end Ray Thomas. Thomas made three tackles and broke up a pass at Ball State in his 2024 debut after missing the first seven games of the season while rehabbing a lower body injury.  Thomas, who led all FBS defensive linemen in tackles with 74 a year ago, is second on the current roster with 188 career stops while his 20.5 career tackles for loss lead all current Huskies.      

TRENCH MOB: With the addition of 2023 leading tackler Ray Thomas, 11 players, including five seniors, five juniors and redshirt freshman Mark Hensley, are playing significant snaps as part of the defensive line rotation for NIU in 2024.  Seven have at least one sack and the group has accounted for 22 of the Huskies' 23 sacks and accumulated 36 tackles for loss. Six players have made at least 16 tackles. 

COMPLEMENTARY FOOTBALL: The Huskie offense's ability to hold onto the ball - NIU ranks eighth in the country in time of possession at 33:07 minutes per game - along with the defense's third down efficiency, has led to less time on the field for the defense. Ball State converted 10-of-18 third downs versus the Huskies last week and ran 75 plays, the most by an opponent this season. That snapped of streak of 14 straight games where NIU opponents ran less than 70 plays in a game.

SACK PARTY: The Huskies recorded a season high six sacks at Bowling Green with all six by NIU defensive linemen, led by Skyler Gill-Howard's career best two. Roy Williams' sack and caused fumble was recovered by Jalonnie Williams for a Huskie turnover. Jalonnie Williams added his first sack of 2024, with Cade Haberman and Devonte O'Malley each contributing a sack. The last time the Huskies had at least six sacks in a game was on Nov. 9, 2022 versus Western Michigan in a 24-21 NIU win.

IMPACT LEADER: Former walk-on Skyler Gill-Howard, who transferred to NIU from Upper Iowa prior to the 2022 season, leads all NIU defensive linemen in tackles with 33 on the year after making six tackles with a sack, his fourth in the last three games, and 1.5 tackles for loss. He had a pair of sacks, three tackles for loss and led the Huskies with seven tackles, six solo, at Bowling Green to earn MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors. Head coach Thomas Hammock called Gill-Howard the best leader to play for him at NIU.   

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, made a career high seven tackles at Ball State and has 26 stops on the year. O'Malley, who is tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks this year, ranks eighth at NIU all-time with 18.5 career quarterback sacks. At Notre Dame, O'Malley recorded two sacks for minus 22 yards, three tackles for loss, four solo stops and a forced fumble, becoming the first Huskie since two-time MAC MVP Larry English in 2007 to win the Nagurski weekly award.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: 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. 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 the Wolfpack's 171 was Akron, which totaled 145 yards on Oct. 26, 2019 in a 49-0 NIU win. 

BACK-TO-BACK: NIU held both Buffalo and NC State to less than 200 yards of total offense, the first time in 20 seasons a Huskie team held back-to-back opponents to less than 200 yards. NC State gained just 171 yards, one week after Buffalo totaled only 184 yards. 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.

OF NOTE

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. See page seven for the complete list of NIU's Boneyard Wins.

MADE HISTORY: NIU's win over fifth-ranked Notre Dame 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. 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.

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, and the first time since 2013, that NIU cracked the Top 25. The Huskies spent 11 consecutive weeks in at least one of the polls during an undefeated regular season in 2013.

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: NIU offensive lineman J.J. Lippe has been 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.  

HALL OF FAMERS: A pair of Huskie football greats were inducted into the NIU Athletics Hall of Fame on October 18 during Homecoming festivities on the NIU campus. Two-time All-American, 2013 Heisman finalist and NCAA record-setting quarterback Jordan Lynch and first team All-American defensive back Jimmie Ward joined the elite club. Ward, a first round draft choice of the 49ers in 2014, was not able to attend as he is now with the Houston Texans in his 11th NFL season. 



 
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