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  DOG TREATS  

• The NIU Huskies meet an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent on the road for the third time in the last four seasons when NIU takes on N.C. State Saturday in Raleigh.    
• NIU is coming off a 23-20 overtime loss to Buffalo in its 2024 Mid-American Conference opener, despite holding the Bulls to 184 yards of total offense. Leading 14-3 at halftime, NIU was held to a pair of field goals in the second half while Buffalo scored on a pair of explosive plays and took advantage of a Huskie turnover before blocking the NIU field goal attempt in overtime and converting on its own. 
• Senior running back Antario Brown surpassed the 3,000-yard mark in career all-purpose yards last week versus Buffalo and his 2,764 career rushing yards on 455 carries rank eighth among active players. At Notre Dame, Brown became the first NIU running back in 18 seasons to record a 100-yard receiving game with a pair of catches for 126 yards, including an 83-yard touchdown, at Notre Dame.  
• Junior defensive end Neveah Sanders led the Huskie defensive effort versus Buffalo with three quarterback sacks, becoming the first NIU player since Sutton Smith in 2018 to record three sacks in a game. 
• NIU has held 12 of its last 16 opponents over the last two seasons to 24 points or less, including all three of its 2024 foes. The Huskies had 10 games allowing 24 points or less in the previous four seasons combined.
• Three men who have led the NIU football program are expected to be in attendance Saturday in Raleigh. In addition to Thomas Hammock and Dave Doeren, Huskie legend and Hammock's coach at NIU, Joe Novak, who lives in North Carolina, has said he will be at the game.   
• NIU's 2024 roster includes 32 seniors, sixth-most in the FBS. Twenty of those seniors have spent their entire careers as Huskies, which is the third highest total in the country. 
• Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU leads the FBS in one-score games played with 57. NIU is 28-29 in those games. 
• With its win at Notre Dame, NIU earned its 19th "Boneyard Win", which are defined as wins over teams from "power" leagues and national independents. NIU has recorded three boneyard wins in the last four seasons under head coach Thomas Hammock , adding to a legacy that dates back to 1983. 
• NIU's win at fifth-ranked Notre Dame marked the first time a Mid-American Conference team defeated a team ranked in the top five of a national poll. 

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  NIU FOOTBALL FACTS  

Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-2-5
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 50/21
Starters Returning/Lost: 22/7
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 613-528-51
2023 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 7-6/5-3/2nd (West)
Last Bowl Game: 2023 Camellia Bowl (NIU 21, Arkansas State 19)
Bowl Appearances (FBS): 15
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 9, 2021
MAC Championships, Last: 6, 2021

2024 Schedule & Results
 

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WOLFPACK FOOTBALL FACTS  

Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Dave Doeren (Drake, 1993)
Record at NC State/Years: 83-60/12
Career Record/Years: 106-84/14
2023 Record: 9-4
Conference Record/Finish: 6-2/3rd
Location: Raleigh, N.C.
Enrollment: 37,800
Conference: Atlantic Coast
Colors: Red & White 
Stadium: Carter-Finley Stadium
Surface/Capacity: Natural Grass/56,919
President: Dr. Randy Woodson
Athletic Director: Boo Corrigan
Athletics Website: GoPack.com
Twitter: @PackFootball

2024 Schedule & Results

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  NIU-NCSU SERIES  

Overall: NC State leads 1-0
In DeKalb: N/A
In Raleigh: NC State leads 1-0
Streak: NC State, 1
First Meeting: Sept. 20, 1997; NC State 41, NIU 14 (H)
 

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  FOLLOW THE HUSKIES  

TV: NIU-N.C. STATE ON THE CW

• The NIU-N.C. State game will air nationally on the CW which is available on more than 200 local TV stations in the U.S., including on WGN TV in Chicago.
• Go to cwtv.com/thecw/stations/ to find the station and providers in your area that will carry the game.
• The CW can also be found on many streaming, cable and satellite TV providers.
• Thom Brennaman (play-by-play) and Max Browne (color analyst) will call the game with Carla Gebhart on the sidelines.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

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

INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

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

NIU WEEKLY ON YOUTUBE

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

NIU ATHLETICS ON YOUTUBE

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, special features, game highlights, NIU Weekly and more.
• Subscribe for FREE and click the bell to be notified every time NIU posts a new video.
• Search "NIU Athletics" on YouTube or go to YouTube.com/NIUAthleticsOfficial. 
• Archived videos and highlights, replays of some of the greatest games in school history and special features are also available 24/7 on YouTube.  

NIU HUSKIES MOBILE APP

• Download the free NIU Huskies mobile app from the Apple Store or Google Play.
• Link to the NIU radio broadcasts, live stats, complete team rosters, digital game programs and more.
• Connect to the NIU social media channels and sign up for notifications on any Huskie team.

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  NOTING NIU  

GOING TO CAROLINA: NIU returns to non-conference play Saturday when the Huskies take on Atlantic Coast Conference foe N.C. State at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Huskies play in the state of North Carolina for just the fourth time in school history and for the first time since 2001. 

BONEYARD OPPORTUNITY: NIU has its second opportunity this season to add to its "Boneyard Wins" collection with this game at N.C. State. Earlier this month, Notre Dame became the 19th Boneyard Win in school history. "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. The last time NIU earned two Boneyard Wins in one season was 2013 when the Huskies defeated Iowa and Purdue. 

MAKING HISTORY: With its 16-14 win over a Notre Dame team ranked fifth in the Associated Press poll, NIU recorded its first victory over a Top 10 team in school history and became the first Mid-American Conference team to defeat a team ranked in the Top Five of a major poll. Prior to Sept. 7, NIU's last win over a ranked team was on Nov. 3, 2015, a 32-27 win over No. 20 Toledo. and its last win over a ranked non-conference foe was a 19-16 win over No. 21 Alabama on Sept. 20, 2003. The win was the Huskies' seventh all-time over a ranked opponent in 41 games. 

SERIES HISTORY: Saturday's game is the second all-time between NIU and North Carolina State. On Saturday, September 20, 1997, the Wolfpack jumped out to a 27-7 halftime lead en route to a dominating 41-14 win. The Huskies were in their second season under Hall of Fame head coach Joe Novak and the loss was NIU's 11th straight in what would become a 23-game losing streak. Running back Ivory Bryant provided the bright spot for NU with 138 rushing yards on 27 carries with a seven-yard touchdown run. Deon Mitchell scored the Huskies' first touchdown on a 35-yard pass from Frisman Jackson after a Duane Hawthorne interception.  

AGAINST THE ACC: The Huskies are 4-8 all-time versus teams who were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference at the time the game was played. Most recently, NIU earned season-opening wins at Boston College (27-24 in OT) in 2023 and at Georgia Tech (22-21) in 2021. In addition to those victories, NIU defeated Wake Forest, 42-41, in Huskie Stadium in 2002 and 15th-ranked Maryland, 20-13, in overtime in 2003 at home.

INFREQUENT VISITOR: NIU plays a football game in North Carolina for the fourth time in school history and for the first time since the 2001 season. NIU is 1-4 all-time against teams from North Carolina. NIU is 0-1 all-time versus East Carolina (1990), N.C. State (1997) and Duke (2017) and is 1-1 versus Wake Forest with the Huskies' win coming at home in 2002. NIU played Duke in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit in 2017. 

LAST WEEK: NIU saw its five-game winning streak snapped in a 23-20 overtime loss at home to Buffalo to open Mid-American Conference play. The Huskies led 14-3 at halftime on a pair of Antario Brown touchdown runs, but a pair of long plays (46-yard pass, 36-yard run) and three points off an an interception gave the Bulls a 20-17 lead with 3:28 to play. NIU's potential game-winning drive stalled at the 10 where Kanon Woodill converted from 27 yards away to tie the game. The Huskies' field goal attempt in overtime was blocked, while UB converted for the win. 

IN OT: Last week's overtime game was the 16th in NIU history and the Huskies are now 10-6 in those games. NIU has now played an overtime game in each of four consecutive seasons. Prior to Saturday, the Huskies had won five of their last six overtime contests. The Buffalo game was NIU's first overtime game at home since 2017 and its first home overtime loss since Oct. 15, 2016 in a three OT affair versus Central Michigan. The Huskies' overtime history includes three wins over ACC teams (2002 Wake Forest, 2003 Maryland, 2023 Boston College).   

MOVING ON UP: With the win at Notre Dame, Thomas Hammock passed Bill Mallory and Jerry Ippoliti for seventh place on the Huskies' all-time coaching wins chart with a memorable 26th victory.  Hammock's 60 games coached over the last five-plus seasons rank seventh all-time at NIU. He is the 23rd head coach in NIU's 123-year college football history. 

MEMORIES: N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren spent two seasons (2011-12) as the Huskies' head coach, leading NIU to a 23-4 record and a pair of MAC Championships, the first for the school since 1983. His .852 win percentage at NIU is the best in school history. After guiding the Huskies to an 11-3 record, the 2011 league title and a win in the GoDaddy.com Bowl, Doeren - behind dynamic quarterback Jordan Lynch - led NIU to the 2012 MAC title. He took the job with the Wolfpack and left the day after the MAC Championship game, just hours before NIU received a historic bid to the Orange Bowl.     

WE MEET AGAIN: NIU faces off against one of its former head coaches for the fourth time in school history this week when it takes on the Wolfpack and head coach Dave Doeren. In 1996, NIU and new head coach Joe Novak took on Oregon State, which was led by Jerry Pettibone, who spent six season as NIU head man (1985-90). NIU's 1993 team played the Indiana team and former head coach Bill Mallory (1980-83). All the way back in 1907, NIU dropped a 16-0 decision to an Illinois State team coached by former Huskie head coach John L. Keith. 

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

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

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

CONNECTIONS: Dave Doeren isn't the only N.C. State staffer who previously worked at NIU. NCSU football equipment manager Terry Calloway served in the same role at NIU during Doeren's tenure as head coach. Wolfpack Assistant Athletic Director/Football Chief of Staff Adam Clark was the Huskies' Director of Football Operations from 2008-10 under head coach Jerry Kill. 

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

CLOSE CALLS: Two of NIU's three games this season have been decided by one score of less with a two point win at Notre Dame and a three-point loss in overtime to Buffalo. Eight of NIU's 13 games a year ago, including the Camellia Bowl win, were within that margin, a trend that predates Thomas Hammock's tenure as head coach. Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU leads the FBS in one-score games played, ahead of Texas (54) and Eastern Michigan (53).  

One-Score Record Since 2015
1.     NIU    57 (28-29)
2.     Texas    54 (24-30)
3.     Eastern Michigan    53 (27-26)
4.     Iowa State    49 (19-30)
T5.     North Carolina    48 (21-27) 
T5.     Nebraska    48 (13-35)
T5.     Oklahoma State    48 (31-17)
8.     Tulsa    47 (21-26)
T9.     Kansas State    46 (22-24)
T9.     Navy    46 (23-23)

In 60 games under Thomas Hammock since 2019, 36 games, including 24 MAC contests have been decided by one score. Included in those 36 games are four overtime games. 

NICE NUMBERS: Through three games, NIU is one of nine teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision - and the only Group of 5 program - ranked in the Top 20 in the country in both total offense and total defense. NIU's 484.3 average in total offense ranks 17th nationally (first in the MAC), while the Huskie defense is allowing just 256.0 yards per game to rank 15th in the FBS and first in the MAC. Ole Miss, Miami (Fla.), Tennessee, Ohio State, Penn State, Texas, Indiana and Missouri are the other eight schools who are Top 20 in both categories. 

FILLING THE STANDS: Following the win over Notre Dame and an open date, and spurred on by $19 and $12.50 ticket deals, not to mention Band Day, Salute to Service and Family Weekend, NIU drew a crowd of 18,688 at Huskie Stadium last Saturday versus Buffalo. It was the largest crowd for a Huskie home game since October 11, 2014 when 20,122 filled the stadium for Homecoming versus Central Michigan. 

WITH THE HUSKIES: Former Wisconsin and NFL running back James White, who played eight seasons and won three Super Bowls with the New England Patriots, is with the Huskies this season in a player personnel and student-athlete development role. NIU head coach Thomas Hammock was White's position coach for three seasons at Wisconsin.

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

ON THE OFFENSE

BALANCED: The Huskies have relied on a balanced offensive attack to post the 17th-ranked total offense in the country. NIU rushers have accounted for 46 percent of the team's yards (667 of 1453) with the remaining 54 percent coming via the pass (786). The Huskies have scored five rushing and six passing touchdowns. Of the 220 total plays, there have been 92 passes and 128 runs. NIU has averaged 5.2 yards per rush and 8.5 per pass attempt. 

RECEIVING THREAT: Through the first three games of the season, senior running back Antario Brown has become a big play threat as a receiver, adding to his proven record as a rusher. Brown has caught seven passes for 193 yards on the season after coming into the year with 59 career receiving yards on 13 catches. In addition to his 83-yard touchdown catch and run at Notre Dame, he had a 43-yard grab to help set up Kanon Woodill's second field goal. Brown currently ranks fourth in  the country in yards per reception (27.6). 

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

BETTER THAN AVERAGE: Antario Brown, a 2023 first team All-MAC selection who was named to the preseason watch lists for the Doak Walker (RB), Maxwell (MVP), Walter Camp Player of the Year and Senior Bowl, passed the 3,000 yard mark in career all-purpose yards last week with 95 yards on 27 plays. He is averaging 6.1 yards per carry (2,764 yards on 455 carries) and 12.6 yards per catch (252 yards on 20 catches) for his career. 

MOVING ON UP: Antario Brown scored a pair of TDs versus Buffalo for his fifth career multiple TD game, giving him 24 rushing touchdown in his career. He moved past dual purpose quarterback Stacey Robinson into 12th place on the NIU career rushing chart with 2,764 yards (after passing head coach Thomas Hammock earlier this season). He ranks eighth among active FBS running backs in career rushing yards. Brown now needs two rushing TDs to move past Hammock into 10th place on the Huskies' career list.  

THEY'VE BEEN AROUND: NIU's five starting offensive linemen have a combined 187 games of experience (all as Huskies) with 129 starts. The group includes a pair of sixth-year Huskies in J.J. Lippe and Logan Zschernitz, fifth-year players John Champe and Evan Buss and the "youngster" Evan Malcore, in his third season at NIU. The quintet have not given up a sack in six games, beginning with the shutout win over Western Michigan on Nov. 14, 2023. The offensive line is coached by the newest member of the Huskies coaching staff, Luke Meadows, who is in his first season at NIU.
Player - Games Played/Games Started
John Champe - 48/31
J.J. Lippe - 42/37
Logan Zschernitz - 42/36
Evan Buss - 39/15
Evan Malcore - 16/10
Total - 187/129

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

DISTRIBUTION: Through just two games, 13 Huskies have caught passes as 11 players caught at least one pass versus Western Illinois while Ethan Hampton connected with eight different players on his 10 completions at Notre Dame and had completions to nine players versus Buffalo. Tight end Grayson Barnes leads all NIU players with 10 catches, while Antario Brown's 193 receiving yards are tops on the team.  Four running backs, a fullback, two tight ends and six wide receivers have registered catches so far in 2024. 

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

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

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

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

SPECIAL INTEREST

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

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

DETAILING THE DEFENSE

LESS THAN 200: The Huskie defense held Buffalo to 184 yards last Saturday, the fewest yards for a Huskie opponent since Akron gained just 145 yards in a 49-0 NIU win on October 26, 2019. Outside of the two touchdown plays (a 46-yard pass and a 36-yard run), Buffalo had just 102 yards in the game.  

STILL STINGY: For the 12th time in NIU's last 16 games and the third time in as many games in 2024, a Huskie opponent was held to 24 points or less when Buffalo put up 23 points in their overtime win over NIU last week. Notre Dame tallied 14 points and Western Illinois 15. In nine of those 12 games, NIU foes scored 20 points or fewer. Over the last six games, only Kent State scored more than 24 points on NIU in a 37-27 Huskie win in the 2023 regular season finale. 

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

RUSHING TRENDS: Buffalo became just the second team in the last two seasons to defeat NIU while rushing for less than 150 yards with their overtime win. The Bulls gained just 77 yards on 37 carries. NIU opponents have been held to 150 or less yards on the ground 11 times in the last 16 games and the Huskies are 9-2 in those games, including a 6-0 mark when opponents rush for 101-150 yards. NIU is 0-5 when giving up more than 151 yards on the ground.  
DOWNING THE IRISH: The Huskie defense held Notre Dame to 123 rushing yards on 28 carries and 163 passing yards, a 30 percent (3-of-10) third down conversion rate while picking off a pair of passes and recording two sacks. The Fighting Irish totaled just 286 yards of total offense - and just 198 in the final three quarters of the game.   

FORCE IN THE MIDDLE: Senior defensive tackle Devonte O'Malley was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week following the Notre Dame game. He recorded a pair of quarterback sacks for minus 22 yards, three tackles for loss, four solo stops and a forced fumble to earn the honor, becoming the first Huskie to win the weekly award since eventual NFL first round draft choice Larry English in 2007. O'Malley has 16.5 career quarterback sacks to rank in the Top 20 in the FBS among active players. 

AS ADVERTISED: Senior transfer linebacker Christian Fuhrman leads the Huskies in tackles through three games with 19. He led NIU with nine tackles and an interception at Notre Dame and contributed six stops versus Buffalo. Fuhrman joined the Huskies from Southeast Missouri State (SEMO) in the spring and was immediately projected as NIU's starter at middle linebacker.  
 
KNIGHTEN MAKES THE PLAY: In a game of big plays, Amariyun Knighten's fourth quarter interception and 33-yard return to midfield versus Notre Dame was one of the biggest. The sophomore's first career INT gave NIU the ball with 5:55 to play and led to the eventual game-winning field goal. Knighten finished the game with three solo stops and earned the Lott IMPACT Trophy of the Week 

BACK AND BETTER?: NIU returned nine starters on defense in 2024, with a pack of Huskies with playing experience filling the defensive two- and three- deep. The 2023 version of the NIU defense was NIU's best in more than a decade. NIU opponents' average of 319.5 yards per game was the fewest allowed by a Huskie defense since 2008, while the 21.0 scoring average was the lowest since the 2012 NIU Orange Bowl defense allowed just 19.8 points per game. Just three teams threw for more than 200 yards against the Huskies in 2023, leading to a Top 10 ranking in pass efficiency defense and passing yards allowed.


OF NOTE

MAC PRESEASON POLL: In the first year since the elimination of divisions, NIU tied with Bowling Green for third place in the MAC Coaches Preseason Poll. . Under the MAC's new scheduling format, the Huskies play Bowling Green and Toledo every year. NIU will also take on Miami in Oxford in 2024.

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