Football | November 17

 

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  DOG TREATS  

• The NIU Huskies travel to Oxford, Ohio for a Tuesday night match-up with Miami (Ohio). The teams will play for the Mallory Cup for the fourth time and meet for the 21st time overall.  
• The Mallory Cup was created to honor the late Bill Mallory, who coached both NIU and Miami to MAC Championships during a hall of fame career. The RedHawks have claimed each of the first three Mallory Cup games - in 2018, 2019 and 2022.
• Miami leads the all-time series 11-9 after winning the last three games over NIU, with all three one-score affairs. NIU has won five of the 10 games played in Oxford with its last win at Yager Stadium in 2015.   
• In the last meeting between the teams, NIU jumped out to a 10-0 lead before Miami came back to score 16 straight points behind quarterback Aveon Smith. Antario Brown rushed for 97 yards and scored on a career-long 86-yard carry in the third quarter. NIU out-gained Miami but was 0-for-9 on third down conversions; a turnover stopped the Huskies' late comeback attempt 
• NIU defeated Akron, 29-16, Wednesday at Huskie Stadium to earn its sixth win of 2024. With the win, the Huskies will play in a bowl game for the 15th time since 2003, more than any other MAC team. NIU has won six or more games in a season 19 times since 2000.    
• Senior wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph became the first NIU non-quarterback since Tommylee Lewis in 2011 to throw a touchdown pass and run for a touchdown in the same game.
• NIU has held 18 of its last 23 opponents over the last two seasons to 25 points or less, including nine of its 10 2024 foes.
• NIU opponents are converting just 26.3 percent of their third downs, the second lowest rate in the FBS behind only Utah. 
• NIU has not allowed a 100-yard rusher in its last 14 games, dating back to the 2023 game at Central Michigan.   
• Last week, Akron gained just 50 rushing yards, the fourth opponent this season NIU has held to less than 100 yards on the ground. Eight of the Huskies' 10 opponents this year have been held to less than 150 yards. 
• True freshman running back Telly Johnson Jr. has recorded back-to-back 100-yard rushing games, adding 107 yards versus Akron to the 141 he gained at Western Michigan which earned him MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors.
• NIU ranks first in the MAC in total offense (402.7 yards/game) and total defense (284.4) and is also No. 1 in the league in scoring defense, red zone defense, passing yards allowed and rushing offense.  

NIU Schedule & Results
 

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REDHAWKS' FOOTBALL FACTS  

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Chuck Martin (Millikin, 1990)
Record at Miami/Years: 62-66/11
Career Record/Years: 136-73/17
2023 Record: 11-3
Conference Record/Finish: 7-1/1st (East)
Location: Oxford, Ohio
Enrollment: 17,557
Conference: Mid-American
Colors: Red and White 
Stadium: Yager Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf/24,286
President: Dr. Gregory Crawford
Athletic Director: David Sayler
Athletics Website: MiamiRedhawks.com
Twitter: @MiamiRedHawks

Miami Schedule & Results

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  NIU-MIAMI SERIES  

Overall: Miami leads 11-9
In DeKalb: Miami leads 5-4
In Oxford: Series tied 5-5
In MAC Games: NIU leads 9-7
Streak: Miami, 3
First Game: Miami 48, NIU 0 (Oct. 3, 1970) - A
Last Game: Miami 29, NIU 23 (Nov. 16, 2022) - H
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-MIAMI ON ESPN

• Watch the NIU-Miami game on ESPN as NIU makes its 18th appearance on the network all-time.
• NIU is playing on an over-the-air network for the sixth time this season. 
• NIU is 9-8 all-time on ESPN, . 
• Matt Schumacker (play-by-play) and Dustin Fox (analyst) will be on the call for ESPN.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network coverage for the Miami game begins 30 minutes before kickoff, at 6:30 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 show of the regular season will be held on Friday November 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  

TROPHY GAME: NIU plays its final road game of the season, traveling to Oxford, Ohio for a Tuesday night meeting with the Miami RedHawks with the Mallory Cup on the line. The Huskies are looking to bring home the trophy, created in 2018 in honor of the late Bill Mallory, for the first time. 

HONORING A LEGEND: The 2024 game between NIU and Miami (Ohio) marks the fourth time the teams have played for The Mallory Cup, a trophy introduced in 2018 in honor of the late Bill Mallory, who coached both teams to MAC Championships during a hall of fame career. Mallory, who passed away in May of 2018, is the only coach to lead two league programs to MAC titles. He coached at NIU from 1980-83 and finished with a 25-19 record after leading the Huskies to the 1983 MAC Championship.

BOWL ELIGIBLE: NIU secured bowl eligibility with its win over Akron as the Huskies improved to 6-4 on the season. The Huskies are bowl eligible for the third time in the last four seasons and in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2017-18. NIU's 14 bowl appearances since 2003 (not including 2024) lead all MAC teams. The Huskies have won six games or more 19 times this century. 

SERIES HISTORY: Miami has won three straight games over NIU - in 2018, 2019 and 2022 - to take an 11-9 lead in the all-time series. The teams have split the 10 previous meetings in Oxford with NIU's last win at Yager Stadium in 2015. Prior to 2018, NIU had won seven of eight meetings from 2002 to 2015 with the lone exception a 26-21 Miami win in the 2010 MAC Championship game (Dec. 3, 2010) in Detroit. The first game in the series was played on Oct. 3, 1970, a 48-0 win by Miami. NIU's last victory was a 45-12 win in Oxford in 2015. 

THE LAST MEETING: After NIU took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter on a John Richardson field goal and 15-yard touchdown catch by tight end Liam Soraghan, Miami took advantage of Huskie miscues to take a 16-10 halftime lead. The Huskies scored on redshirt freshman quarterback Nevan Cremascoli's 53-yard touchdown pass to Kacper Rutkiewicz to re-take the lead before the RedHawks came back with 10 straight points. Antario Brown's 86-yard TD run brought NIU back within three, while Miami added a fourth-quarter field goal. The Huskies advanced to the MU 25 in the final five minutes but Cremascoli's final pass was intercepted at the 18-yard line and the RedHawks ran out the clock. 

LAST TIME OUT: Telly Johnson Jr. and Gavin Williams each eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark as NIU defeated Akron, 29-16, on a rainy Tuesday night at Huskie Stadium to earn its sixth win of the season. NIU held Akron to just 255 yards of total offense and shutout the Zips in the second half.  All four of NIU's touchdowns came on plays longer than 30 yards with Trayvon Rudolph accounting for one rushing (58 yards) and one passing (39 yards to Dane Pardridge) touchdown, Grayson Barnes scoring on a 32-yard reception and Williams icing the win with a 71-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. 

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: In 38 seasons as a member of the Mid-American Conference, the Huskies are 168-121-2 all-time. The Huskies own a winning percentage of .636 (138-79) versus MAC foes since re-joining the league in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 81-35 (.698) 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 2-1 on the road in the MAC this year with wins at Bowling Green (17-7, October 12) and Western Michigan (42-28, November 6) and a 25-23 loss at Ball State (October 26). The Huskies are 29-16 in conference road games since 2013 and 93-102-1 all-time in league games away from Huskie Stadium for a 47.7 percent win percentage. The Huskies are 3-2 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 11-11 on the road versus league opponents under Thomas Hammock. 

FRESH FACES: Running back Telly Johnson Jr. is not the only true freshman to earn playing time for NIU late in the 2024 season. Wide receiver La'Don Bryant, tight end Jason Fowler, offensive lineman Lane Mahnesmith and safety Taylor Powell have all made their Huskie debuts in the last two games. Seven true freshman - including wide receiver George Dimopoulos and kicker Austin Bullock, who have played in every game - have now seen action for the Huskies in 2024.  

CLOSE CALLS: Half of NIU's 10 games this season have been decided by one score or less with a difference of three points or fewer in three games. 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 Eastern Michigan and Texas next in line.

One-Score Record Since 2015
1.     NIU    60 (28-32)
2.     Eastern Michigan    56 (28-28)
3.     Texas    55 (24-31)
4.     Nebraska    52 (14-38)
T5.     Iowa State    51 (20-31)
T5.     North Carolina    51 (22-29) 
T7.     Oklahoma State    49 (31-18)
T7.     Kansas State    49 (24-25)
T7.     Tulsa    49 (22-27)

In 67 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 31 seniors, which ranks tied for seventh-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 (55 games played), LB Jaden Dolphin (53), DT Devonte O'Malley (55), Demond Taylor Jr. (57) and TE Tristen Tewes (53) - have now played in more than 50 games for NIU with five more Huskies slated to join that club this week as S Jordan Hansen, OL J.J. Lippe, S Nate Valcarcel, DT Jacob Waskow and OL Logan Zschernitz all currently sit at 49 games played. Lippe leads all current players with 44 career starts, followed by Zschernitz and O'Malley with 43 starts each. 

IN OT: NIU is 10-6 in overtime games after losing, 23-20, in OT to Buffalo on September 21. NIU has 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.  

DETAILING THE DEFENSE

ELITE D: NIU continues to lead the MAC and rank among the Top 25 teams in the FBS in most defensive statistical categories. Through 10 games, the Huskie defense has given up just 18 touchdowns - less than two per game - on defense.  
 

Category	Avg,/No.	National Rank	MAC Rank
Total Defense	284.4	7	1
Rushing Defense	114.2	26	2
3rd Down Conv. Defense	.263	2	1
Passing Yards Allowed	170.2	10	1
Pass Efficiency Defense	109.27	11	2
Scoring Defense	18.5	16	1
First Downs Defense	164	12	1
Quarterback Sacks	2.80	18	1

NO RUSH: For the fourth time this season, the NIU defense held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing as Akron gained a season-low 50 yards on 24 carries last week. NC State gained just 63 rushing yards on 27 carries on Sept. 28, while Buffalo totaled 77 yards on 37 runs. Western Illinois was held to 94 yards on 29 carries in the season opener.

RUSHING D RECORDS: NIU opponents have been held to 150 or fewer yards on the ground 16 times in the last 23 games and eight times in 2024. The Huskies are 12-4 in those games, including an 8-1 mark when opponents rush for 101-150 yards. NIU's win over Western Michigan marked its first in the last two seasons (seven games) when giving up more than 150 rushing yards. 

STILL STINGY: Western Michigan is the only team in 2024, and just the fifth team in the last two seasons (23 games), to score more than 25 points against NIU. Opponents are averaging 18.5 points per game versus NIU in 2024, the lowest season average since 2008 (18.0). NIU leads the MAC and ranks 16th nationally in scoring defense. 

THIRD AND NO: NIU has held seven of its 10 opponents in 2024 to three or less third down conversions. The Huskies rank second in the country in opponents' third down conversion percentage with a 26.3 percent rate behind only Utah (.241). Only Ball State (10-of-18),  UMass (5-of-14) and Akron (6-of-18) 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

SECOND HALF D: NIU shut out Akron in the second half last week, its second second half shut out of the season (Bowling Green) and the fourth time NIU has not allowed a touchdown in the second half. Opponents have scored just 76 points in the second half this year against NIU, or an average of 7.6 points per game. In addition to Akron and Bowling Green, Toledo and Ball State were held to field goals. Seven teams have been held to seven points or less in the second half, five have been held to one score, including Notre Dame and NC State. 

STOP RIGHT THERE: NIU opponents have reached the Red Zone (20 yard line) just 26 times in the Huskies' 10 games this year, or less than three times per game. Teams have scored on 19-of-26 trips inside the red zone - the 13th lowest percentage in the FBS - with only 10 of those scores (38 percent) for touchdowns. Opponents have been held to field goal attempts from inside the red zone 10 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 10 games, NIU opponents have attempted 21 field goals, more than all of last season when they made 14-of-19 threes in 13 games. Nine of NIU's 10 opponents have attempted at least one field goal in 2024 with Western Michigan the only exception.

BY COMPARISON: In holding opponents to 284.4 yards and 18.5 points through 10 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 18.5 NIU is currently giving up. 

WELCOME BACK: Defensive end Ray Thomas, the 2023 NIU team leader in tackles, returned to action at Ball State after missing the first seven games of the season while coming back from foot surgery. Thomas made his presence felt at Akron with a pair of sacks for 18 yards, his first of the season. He made three tackles and broke up a pass at Ball State and had four tackles, two solo, at Western Michigan. Thomas led all FBS defensive linemen in tackles with 74 a year ago; he has made 195 career stops and leads all current Huskies with 22.5 career tackles for loss.      

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 27 of the Huskies' 28 sacks and accumulated 43 tackles for loss. 

DUELING LINEBACKERS: The Huskies starting linebacking duo of Jaden Dolphin and Christian Fuhrman are tied atop the NIU tackle chart entering the Miami game with 48 tackles each. Fuhrman, a grad transfer from SEMO, leads in solo tackles by two (19-17) and tackles for loss by one (3.5-2.5), while Dolphin, who needs two stops to reach a team-leading 200 for his NIU career, has two pass break ups and an interception (at Western Michigan) to one PBU and one INT (at Notre Dame) for Fuhrman.  

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 with44 on the year and is second on the team in tackles for loss. He has made five or more tackles in four of NIU's last five 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 leads NIU in sacks (7) and tackles for loss (8.5) with 33 tackles. He has recorded a sack in five of the Huskies' last six games, including 1.5 last week versus Akron and is second in the MAC in sacks per game. O'Malley has moved up to  sixth on NIU's career sacks list with 21 and his seven sacks this season are the most by a Huskie since All-American Sutton Smith recorded 15 sacks in 2018. 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 be named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.

SACK PARTY AT BG: 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.

PICK 'EM: NIU intercepted three passes at Western Michigan to double 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. 

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.

ON THE OFFENSE

EXPLOSIVE: All four of NIU's touchdowns last week versus Akron came via the "big play," it's most long play scores since the 2023 Akron game. Wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph ran for a 58-yard touchdown and threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge. Grayson Barnes scored on a 32-yard catch and run on a fourth and two-play in the second quarter, and Gavin Williams secured the win with a career-long - and NIU season-long - 71-yard rush in the fourth quarter.

BIG PLAY TRAY: With his 58-yard touchdown run versus Akron, senior Trayvon Rudolph has now scored 11 touchdowns on plays of 30 yards or longer in his Huskie career, not including his 39-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge last week. Rudolph has 15 career touchdowns, 10 receiving, four rushing and one kickoff return. He is the first non-quarterback to throw a touchdown pass and score a rushing TD in the same game since future pro Tommylee Lewis, who had a 54-yard touchdown run and threw a 17-yard scoring pass to quarterback Jordan Lynch.  

RUDOLPH RE-EMERGES: Senior Trayvon Rudolph has caught 21 passes for 176 yards over the last four games to reclaim the team lead in receptions with 28 on the year. Rudolph caught six passes for 74 yards at Western Michigan, and had seven catches at Ball State and five versus Toledo. Rudolph left the NC State game with an injury and missed the UMass and Bowling Green games. With 1,950 career receiving yards, Rudolph needs 50 receiving yards to become the ninth 2,000-yard receiver in school history and is two receptions away from the NIU Top 10.  With a season-high 95 all-purpose yards versus Akron, Rudolph now has 3,837 to rank ninth at NIU all-time. 

TELLY TIME: After rushing for a team season high 141 yards on 23 carries with a pair of rushing touchdowns in NIU's win at Western Michigan in relief of injured starter Antario Brown, true freshman Telly Johnson Jr. gained 104 yards on 21 attempts in his first career start versus Akron. Following the WMU game, Johnson was named the MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week.  

DUAL THREAT: Senior running back Gavin Williams, who transferred to NIU from Iowa in 2023, leads NIU in rushing after recording his third 100-yard rushing game of the season versus Akron with 101 yards on nine carries. His 71-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter was the longest rush of his career and the longest run of the season for NIU.   At WMU, he recorded touchdowns rushing and receiving and surpassed  the 1,000-yard mark for his NIU career.

TWO FOR 100:  NIU rushed for 295 yards in the Akron game with both Telly Johnson Jr. and Gavin Williams gaining 100-plus yards, the first time since Jay Ducker (146) and Antario Brown (105) each went over the 100-yard mark in the 2021 Cure Bowl game versus Coastal Carolina. Behind Antario Brown, Johnson and Williams, the Huskies own the No. 11 rushing offense in the country.   

TWO MINUTE: The 2024 Huskies have been effective in "two-minute" situations, scoring in the final minutes of a half eight times. Kanon Woodill has finished those drives with field goals four times, 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. At Western Michigan, 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

THE QB STORY: Junior Ethan Hampton has led NIU to wins over Western Michigan and Akron after returning to action at Ball State. The junior has started eight games after initially winning the job in preseason camp. He was injured at Bowling Green, missed the Toledo game and came back, but did not start, at Ball State.  Josh Holst, a redshirt freshman walk-on, led NIU to three scoring drives and recorded the lone Huskie touchdown of the game on a 22-yard run in the 17-7 NIU win at Bowling Green, then started the Toledo and Ball State games. Hampton completed 18-of-33 passes for 168 yards at Ball State, as the Huskies came from behind to take the lead with 15 seconds to play. Over the last two weeks, Hampton has completed 22-of-32 passes for 261 yard, three touchdowns and no interceptions. 
 
EXPERIENCE UP FRONT: NIU's five starting offensive linemen have a combined 220 games of experience (all as Huskies) with 164 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 25 in the FBS in fewest sacks allowed with 12 in 10 games.
Player - Games Played/Games Started
John Champe - 55/38
J.J. Lippe - 49/44
Logan Zschernitz - 49/43
Evan Buss - 45/21
Evan Malcore - 23/17
Total - 220/164

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' 10 games this year. Redshirt freshman Thomas Paasch (Green Bay) has stepped in at right tackle versus Toledo and Akron with Buss sidelined due to injury. 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. 

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.With two touchdowns at Ball State, Brown moved past NIU head coach Thomas Hammock into 10th place on the Huskies' career list for rushing touchdowns with 26. He passed Hammock on the rushing yardage chart earlier this season. 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 passing efficiency rating (310.3) and becoming 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

BUSY MAN: NIU kicker Kanon Woodill has made field goals in seven of the Huskies' 10 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 1.30 field goals made per game. The senior has made a career high 13 threes in 2024 and his 64 points lead NIU. Woodill is 27-of-39 on threes in 20 career games as the starting kicker. 

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 versus Toledo in 2011 that NIU has had two returns of at least 89 yards in the same season. On the season, NIU ranks fourth nationally in kickoff returns with a 27.2 average. 

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. 

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.
 
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 blocking a pair of Notre Dame field goals, 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 and a PAT at Nebraska in 2019; the last player to block two field goals in a SEASON was George Rainey in 2013. 

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.