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  DOG TREATS  

• The NIU Huskies play a home game for the first time in 25 days when they play host to Akron on Wednesday, November 13 in Huskie Stadium. 
• NIU and Akron meet for the third straight season but for just the 19th time all-time, the fewest of any Mid-American Conference opponent. The Huskies own a 12-6 edge in the all-time series.
• The Huskies have won seven of the last eight games between the teams dating back to 2009. Akron broke NIU's six-game series winning streak in 2022 with a 44-12 win in DeKalb; the Huskies claimed a 55-14 win at Akron a year ago.    
• The Huskies are coming off a 42-28 victory over Western Michigan in Kalamazoo. NIU turned a season-high three interceptions by the Huskie defense into 21 points, freshman Telly Johnson Jr. led a potent rushing attack with 141 yards on 23 carries and Cam Thompson scored on a 91-yard kickoff return.  
• Johnson and Thompson collected MAC Co-Player of the Week honors on offense and special teams, respectively, becoming the sixth and seventh different Huskies to earn MAC player of the week honors this year.  
• Only one opponent -  Ball State on October 26 - has converted more than three third downs against the Huskie defense in 2024 after Western Michigan converted just twice in 10 attempts. NIU opponents are converting just 25.2 percent on third down, the second lowest rate in the FBS behind only Tennessee's  24.3 mark.  
• Santana Banner, Jaden Dolphin and Nate Valcarcel recorded interceptions at Western Michigan, NIU's first three-interception game since the 2023 win over Ohio. Banner's INT - off a fake punt attempt - was the first of his career; Dolphin recorded his second career INT, while Valcarcel leads NIU with two on the year. 
• NIU has held 17 of its last 22 opponents over the last two seasons to 25 points or less, including eight of its nine 2024 foes. Western Michigan became the first 2024 opponent to breach the 25-point barrier last week.
• The Huskies held MAC leading rusher Jaden Nixon to 95 yards on 12 carries, with just 29 yards on 11 carries minus an early 66-yard touchdown run. NIU has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in its last 13 games, dating back to the 2023 game at Central Michigan.   
• 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 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).
• 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.

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  NIU SCHEDULE & RESULTS  

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  ZIPS' FOOTBALL FACTS  

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Joe Moorhead (Fordham, 1996)
Record at Akron/Years: 6-27/3
Career Record/Years: 50-52/9
2023 Record: 2-10
Conference Record/Finish: 1-7/5th-East
Location: Akron, Ohio
Enrollment: 19,218
Conference: Mid-American
Colors: Blue and Gold 
Stadium: InfoCision Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf/30,000
President: R.J. Nemer
Athletic Director: Charles Guthrie
Athletics Website: GoZips.com
Twitter: @AkronZips

Akron Schedule & Results
 

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  NIU-AKRON SERIES  

Overall: NIU leads 12-6
In DeKalb: NIU leads 6-3
In Akron: NIU leads 6-2
In MAC Games: NIU leads 9-2
Streak: NIU, 1
First Game: NIU 31, UA 18 (Oct. 29, 1966) - H
Last Game: NIU 55, UA 14 (Oct. 7, 2023) - A
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-AKRON ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK

• Watch the NIU-Akron game on CBS Sports Network as NIU makes its 21st appearance on the network all-time.
• NIU is playing on an over-the-air network for the fifth time this season. 
• NIU is 8-12 all-time in games broadcast on CBS Sports Network, including a victory over UMass at Huskie Stadium earlier this season. 
• Jason Knapp (play-by-play) and Brock Vereen (analyst) will be on the call for CBSSN.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network coverage for the Akron 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).
• The final two shows of the regular season are set for the next two Fridays, on November 15th and 22nd, beginning at Noon (CT). 
• 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 each week. 

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  

DAWGS AFTER DARK: NIU plays host to Akron in its lone weeknight home game of the season on Wednesday, November 13. The Huskies are home for the first time in 25 days, since the October 19 Homecoming contest versus Toledo.   

SERIES HISTORY: NIU owns a 12-6 advantage in the all-time series with Akron and have won seven of the last eight 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; the Huskies turned the tables with a 55-14 victory at Akron last year. NIU has won six of the nine games played in DeKalb, and nine of 11 games played as MAC foes.  Among current MAC opponents, NIU has faced only Buffalo (16 games) fewer times than the Zips. 

THE LAST MEETING: The Huskie offense used explosive plays to score 55 points, led by Antario Brown's four touchdown runs of 45-plus yards, while the NIU defense held Akron to 253 yards, 107 rushing, in a dominating 55-14 win at Akron in the last game between these teams on Oct. 7, 2023. Brown gained 280 of NIU's 380 rushing yards on the day, Gavin Williams had a pair of short TD runs set up by Trayvon Rudolph long plays and Rocky Lombardi completed touchdown passes of 64 and 34 yards. Tied 7-7 after one quarter, the Huskies scored the next six touchdowns to break the game open as NIU cruised to the 41 point road win. 

LAST TIME OUT: NIU turned a season-best three interceptions into touchdowns, Cam Thompson scored on a 91-yard kickoff return and the Huskies used a 21-point third quarter outburst to earn a 42-28 Mid-American Conference win over Western Michigan Wednesday night in Kalamazoo. Running backs Gavin Williams and Telly Johnson Jr. each scored twice as the Huskies handed the Broncos their first league loss as Johnson finished with 141 yards on 23 carries.  

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: In 38 seasons as a member of the Mid-American Conference, the Huskies are 167-121-2 all-time. The Huskies own a winning percentage of .634 (137-79) versus MAC foes since re-joining the league in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 80-35 (.696) 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.

HOME SWEET HOME: NIU has won nearly 70 percent of its games played in Huskie Stadium since 2003 with an 83-39 (.680) 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 185-119-2 for a .608 all-time winning percentage.

AT HOME IN THE MAC: In 38 seasons of MAC play dating back to 1975, NIU is 89-55-1 (.617) all-time at home in league games, including a 71-35 (.670) mark in Huskie Stadium versus league opponents since rejoining the league in 1997.  In 55 MAC home games since 2009, the Huskies are 43-18 (.705). 

CLOSE CALLS: Five of NIU's nine 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    60 (28-32)
2.     Eastern Michigan    56 (28-28)
3.     Texas    55 (24-31)
T4.     Iowa State    51 (20-31)
T4.     Nebraska    51 (14-37)
6.     North Carolina    50 (21-29) 
T7.     Oklahoma State    49 (31-18)
T7.     Kansas State    49 (23-25)
9.     Tulsa    48 (22-26)
10.     Navy    46 (23-23)

In 66 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 (54 games played), LB Jaden Dolphin (52), DT Devonte O'Malley (54), Demond Taylor Jr. (56) and TE Tristen Tewes (52) - have now played in more than 50 games for NIU with 14 more who have seen action in at least 40 games. Offensive lineman J.J. Lippe leads all current players with 43 career starts in 48 games played, followed closely by fellow OL Logan Zschernitz (48 GP/42 GS), O'Malley (54/42) and defensive end Ray Thomas (47/41). Thomas saw his first action of 2024 at Ball State after returning from injury.

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, a three OT loss to Central Michigan.  

ON THE OFFENSE

TELLY TIME: Playing in just his second game, freshman Telly Johnson Jr. rushed for 141 yards on 23 carries with a pair of rushing touchdowns in NIU's win at Western Michigan after replacing starter Antario Brown, who went down midway through the first quarter. Johnson's 141 rushing yards were the most by a Huskie back in a game this season and the TDs - of 6 and 26 yards - were the first of his career. He was named the MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week. Johnson carried six times for 48 yards at Ball State in his first collegiate action.  

DUAL THREAT: Senior running back Gavin Williams, who transferred to NIU from Iowa in 2023,  also stepped up at WMU with a rushing and a receiving touchdown, 42 rushing yards on eight carries and three catches for 22 yards. With the 42 rushing yards, Williams became the 46th player in school history to reach the 1,000-yard mark at NIU. Including his 212 receiving yards, he has 1,230 career all-purpose yards and six touchdowns.  

TWO MINUTE: The 2024 Huskies have been effective in "two-minute" situations, scoring in the final minutes of a half eight times, including four times in the last three games. 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. Last week, quarterback Ethan Hampton directed a 12-play, 60-yard drive, hitting Gavin Williams who scored from five yards out, to give the Huskies a 21-14 halftime lead.
 
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    
at WMU: Williams 5 pass from Hampton (Woodill PAT), 2nd 0:09 (12-60, 1:45) - 21-14

RUDOLPH RE-EMERGES: Senior Trayvon Rudolph caught six passes for 74 yards at Western Michigan, including four for 34 yards on NIU's two-minute drive before halftime, and is now tied with Cam Thompson atop the Huskie receiving charts with 25 catches.  Rudolph's performance at WMU came on the heels of a seven-catch game at Ball State as he has returned to form after leaving the NC State game with an injury and missing the UMass and Bowling Green games. With 1,930 career receiving yards, Rudolph needs 70 receiving yards to become the ninth 2,000-yard receiver in school history and is five receptions away from the NIU Top 10.  Following the WMU game when he totaled 87 all-purpose yards, Rudolph has 3,742, 10th at NIU all-time. 

HAMPTON & HOLST: The Huskies have used two quarterbacks in 2024 as junior Ethan Hampton and redshirt freshman Josh Holst have each started games. Hampton won the job coming out of preseason camp and started the first six games of the season, then was injured at Bowling Green. Holst, who saw action versus both Western Illinois and UMass (10/5), came in 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 in the 17-7 NIU win. A walk-on from Marengo, Illinois, Holst started the Toledo and Ball State games, with Hampton returning to action versus the Cardinals to complete 18-of-33 passes for 168 yards as the Huskies were forced to come from behind. With Holst sidelined due to injury last week, Hampton started and played the entire game at Western Michigan, completing 13-of-16 passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. 
 
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 eight of the Huskies' nine games this year. With Buss out for the Toledo game, redshirt freshman Thomas Paasch (Green Bay) made his first career start at right tackle. Overall, eight of the top 10 offensive linemen on the 2024 Huskie two-deep are Wisconsinites as Paasch and Matthew Schooley (Wisconsin Rapids) are rotating in at different times in the game. 

EXPERIENCE UP FRONT: NIU's five starting offensive linemen have a combined 216 games of experience (all as Huskies) with 160 starts. 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 and rank in the Top 20 in the FBS in fewest sacks allowed with 10 in nine games.
Player - Games Played/Games Started
John Champe - 54/37
J.J. Lippe - 48/43
Logan Zschernitz - 48/42
Evan Buss - 45/21
Evan Malcore - 22/16
Total - 216/160

AB 3K: Antario Brown became the ninth Huskie to gain 3,000 career rushing yards 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. 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 scored on runs of 34 and 6 yards at Ball State 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). 

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

TO THE HOUSE: After Western Michigan scored on the opening possession of the second half, Cam Thompson put the Huskies ahead to stay with a 91-yard kickoff return touchdown, the first by a Huskie since current teammate Trayvon Rudolph scored on a 100-yard kickoff return versus Bowling Green on October 16, 2021. 

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Thompson is averaging 34.8 yards on six kickoff returns in 2024. NIU now has two returns of 89 yards or longer on the season as Jaylen Poe took a kick back 89 yards to the four-yard line versus UMass (Oct. 5) to earn a spot on the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll. It is the first time since Huskie great Tommylee Lewis scored on kickoffs of 100 and 95 yards (in the same game versus Toledo) in 2011 that NIU has had two returns of at least 89 yards in the same season. 

MOMENTUM CHANGER: For the second straight game, redshirt freshman safety Santana Banner made a big play on special teams when he intercepted WMU punter Ryan Millmore's pass attempt from the NIU 42 amd returned it 29 yards, then was tackled out of bounds. The play came with NIU trailing 7-0 and led to the Huskies' first touchdown. The interception was NIU's first in three games, since Nate Valcarcel's fourth quarter INT at Bowling Green. 

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 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' nine 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 with an average of 1.33 field goals made per game. The senior has made a career high 12-of-18 threes in 2024 and his 59 points lead NIU. Woodill is 26-of-38 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 and Hunter Higham of Hawai'i, who caught a two-point conversion pass versus Northern Iowa on September 21, are the only FBS long snappers to score this season. 

ON THE BLOCK: NIU defensive tackle Cade Haberman earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after making two big plays versus Notre Dame. 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

PICK 'EM: NIU intercepted three passes at Western Michigan, doubling its season total. Santana Banner collected his first career interception when he picked off the WMU punter on a fake attempt; linebacker Jaden Dolphin made his second career INT - and first since 2021 - to set up a Huskie touchdown and Nate Valcarcel picked off his second pass of the season, and fifth of his career, deep in NIU territory to stop a Western Michigan drive. NIU's last three-interception game was 14 games ago versus Ohio in 2023. 

STILL STINGY: Western Michigan became just the fifth team in the last two seasons (22 games), and the first Huskie opponent in 2024, to score more than 25 points against NIU.  The last team to surpass the 25-point threshold was Kent State in a 37-27 NIU win in the 2023 regular season finale. This year, opponents are averaging 18.8 points per game. NIU leads the MAC and ranks 19th nationally in scoring defense. 

THIRD AND NO: Western Michigan converted twice on 10 third down tries last Wednesday, the seventh time this season NIU has held an opponent to three or less third down conversions. NIU ranks third in the country in opponents' third down conversion percentage with a 25.2 percent rate behind only Utah (.238) and Tennessee (.242). Only Ball State (10-of-18) and UMass (5-of-14) on third downs have converted more than three times on third down this season. Both NC State (1-of-11) and Bowling Green (1-of-13) were held to one conversion.  

ELITE D: While Ball State and Western Michigan were able to accumulate yards on the ground against the Huskies in the last two games, NIU continues to lead the league and rank among the Top 25 teams in the FBS in most defensive categories. Through nine games, the Huskies have given up just 17 touchdowns - less than two per game - on defense.  
 

Category	Avg,/No.	National Rank	MAC Rank
Total Defense	287.7	8	1
Rushing Defense	121.3	37	2
3rd Down Conv. Defense	.252	3	1
Passing Yards Allowed	166.3	11	1
Scoring Defense	18.8	19	1
First Downs Defense	145	7	1
Quarterback Sacks	2.67	28	1

RUSHING TRENDS: NIU opponents have been held to 150 or fewer yards on the ground 15 times in the last 22 games and the Huskies are 11-4 in those games, including an 8-1 mark when opponents rush for 101-150 yards. NIU's win over Western Michigan last week marked its first in the last two seasons (seven games) when giving up more than 150 rushing yards. 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 24 times in the Huskies' nine games this year, or less than three times per game. Teams have scored on 18-of-24 trips inside the red zone - the 19th lowest percentage in the FBS - with 10 of those scores (42 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: In nine games, NIU opponents have 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. 

BY COMPARISON: In holding opponents to 287.7 yards and 18.8 points through nine games, the Huskie defense is reaching levels that have not been achieved by NIU in recent years. The last time a Huskie defense held opponents below 300 yards a game was in 2008 when opponents averaged 298.5 yards per game. To find a lower average yards by opponents for a season, you have to go back 54 seasons to 1972 when opponents averaged 255.2 yards per game. Similarly, the 2008 NIU defense gave up 18.0 points per game, the last time opponents averaged less than the 18.8 NIU is currently giving up. 

WELCOME BACK: The deepest unit on the Huskie defense got deeper versus Ball State with the return of defensive end Ray Thomas, the 2023 NIU team leader in tackles. Thomas made three tackles and broke up a pass at Ball State and had four tackles, two solo, at Western Michigan. He missed the first seven games of the season while rehabbing a lower body injury. Thomas led all FBS defensive linemen in tackles with 74 a year ago; he ranks second among current Huskies with 192 career stops while his 20.5 career tackles are first.      

TRENCH MOB: With the addition of Ray Thomas, 11 players, including five seniors, five juniors and redshirt freshman Mark Hensley, are playing significant snaps on the defensive line rotation for NIU in 2024.  They have accounted for 23 of the Huskies' 24 sacks and accumulated 39 tackles for loss. 

BURLSWORTH NOMINEE: Former walk-on Skyler Gill-Howard, who transferred to NIU from Upper Iowa prior to the 2022 season, is NIU's 2024 nominee for the Burlsworth Trophy, which goes to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on. Gill-Howard leads all NIU defensive linemen in tackles with 39 on the year and is second on the team in tackles for loss. He has made six tackles in three of NIU's last four games, including at Bowling Green when he also had a pair of sacks, three tackles for loss to earn MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week honors. Head coach Thomas Hammock has 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, leads NIU in sacks (5.5) and tackles for loss (7) and has made 31 tackles, just four shy of his career high. He has recorded a sack in four of the Huskies' last five games and made a career high seven tackles at Ball State. O'Malley ranks seventh at NIU all-time with 19.5 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.

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.

DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: NC State gained just 63 rushing yards on 27 carries, the fewest rushing yards by a Huskie opponent since Western Michigan managed 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.

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 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.  

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.