2021 Northern Illinois Huskies football team
2021 Northern Illinois Huskies football | |
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MAC champion MAC West Division co-champion | |
MAC Championship Game, W 41–23 vs. Kent State | |
Cure Bowl, L 41–47 vs. Coastal Carolina | |
Conference | Mid-American Conference |
West Division | |
2021 record | 9–5 (6–2 MAC) |
Head coach |
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Offensive coordinator | Eric Eidsness (3rd season) |
Defensive coordinator | Derrick Jackson (3rd season) |
Home stadium | Huskie Stadium (Capacity: 23,595) |
2021 Mid-American Conference football standings | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
East Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kent State xy | 6 | – | 2 | 7 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Miami (OH) | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ohio | 3 | – | 5 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bowling Green | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Buffalo | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Akron | 1 | – | 7 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
West Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Northern Illinois xy$ | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central Michigan x | 6 | – | 2 | 9 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Toledo | 5 | – | 3 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ball State | 4 | – | 4 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Michigan | 4 | – | 4 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Western Michigan | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Northern Illinois 41, Kent State 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2021 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Huskies were led by third-year head coach Thomas Hammock and played their home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).
With a win over Buffalo on November 17, the Huskies clinched the West division championship and a place in the MAC Championship Game.[1] In the MAC Championship, the Huskies defeated Kent State to win the MAC championship, their first since 2018.[2] The team was picked to play in the Cure Bowl against Coastal Carolina on December 17.[3][4]
On November 9, the school announced that Hammock had signed a contract extension through the 2026 season.[5]
Previous season[]
In a season initially canceled and then reinstated with a limited schedule due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,[6] the Huskies finished the 2020 season 0–6 in a conference-only schedule to finish in last place in the West Division.[7]
Offseason[]
Transfers[]
As a result of the limited season in 2020 due to COVID-19, the NCAA granted a waiver to allow athletes to transfer to another school and be eligible immediately without having to sit out a season.[8] In April 2021, the NCAA further made one-time transfers for all college athletes to be eligible immediately.[9] As a result, transfers were much more common this year than in prior years.
Michigan State quarterback Rocky Lombardi, who started six games for the Spartans in 2020, announced he would transfer to Northern Illinois.[10][11]
Preseason[]
In the league's annual preseason poll, the Huskies were picked to finish in last place in the West.[12]
Schedule[]
The Huskies played Maine and Wyoming at home while traveling to Georgia Tech and Michigan for non-conference games in 2021.[13][14]
Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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September 4 | 6:30 p.m. | at Georgia Tech* |
| ACCN | W 22–21 | 33,651 |
September 11 | 12:30 p.m. | Wyoming* |
| ESPN+ | L 43–50 | 11,334 |
September 18 | 11:00 a.m. | at No. 25 Michigan* |
| BTN | L 10–63 | 106,263 |
September 25 | 1:30 p.m. | Maine* |
| ESPN3 | W 41–14 | 10,076 |
October 2 | 1:30 p.m. | Eastern Michigan |
| ESPN+ | W 27–20 | 10,034 |
October 9 | 11:00 a.m. | at Toledo |
| CBSSN | W 22–20 | 21,284 |
October 16 | 2:30 p.m. | Bowling Green |
| ESPN+ | W 34–26 | 7,854 |
October 23 | 11:00 a.m. | at Central Michigan |
| ESPNU | W 39–38 | 15,232 |
November 3 | 6:00 p.m. | at Kent State |
| ESPN2 | L 47–52 | 6,076 |
November 10 | 6:00 p.m. | Ball State |
| ESPN2 | W 30–29 | 7,894 |
November 17 | 6:00 p.m. | at Buffalo |
| ESPN2 | W 33–27 OT | 13,097 |
November 23 | 6:00 p.m. | Western Michigan |
| ESPNU | L 21–42 | 7,156 |
December 4 | 11:00 a.m. | vs. Kent State |
| ESPN | W 41–23 | 10,317 |
December 17 | 5:00 p.m. | vs. Coastal Carolina* |
| ESPN2 | L 41–47 | 9,784 |
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Rankings[]
Week | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final | ||||||||||||||||||||
AP | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | RV | |||||||||||||||||||||
Coaches | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | |||||||||||||||||||||
CFP | Not released | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | Not released |
Game Summaries[]
vs. Georgia Tech[]
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northern Illinois | 7 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 22 |
Georgia Tech | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
at Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, GA
- Date: Saturday, September 4, 2021
- Game time: 6:30 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: sunny • Temperature: 78°F
- Game attendance: 33,651
- Referee: Marcus Woods
- TV announcers (ACCN): Dave O'Brien, Tim Hasselbeck, Kelsey Riggs
- Pregame line: Georgia Tech -19
Game information |
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Statistics | NIU | GT |
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First downs | 15 | 25 |
Total yards | 301 | 429 |
Rushes/yards | 42/165 | 52/273 |
Passing yards | 136 | 156 |
Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 11–17–0 | 15–26–0 |
Time of possession | 28:55 | 31:05 |
Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
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Northern Illinois | Passing | Rocky Lombardi | 11–17, 136 yards, 2 TD |
Rushing | Harrison Waylee | 27 carries, 144 yards, 1 TD | |
Receiving | Tyrice Richie | 2 receptions, 64 yards | |
Georgia Tech | Passing | Jordan Yates | 12–18, 135 yards, 1 TD |
Rushing | Jahmyr Gibbs | 20 carries, 99 yards | |
Receiving | Malachi Carter | 6 receptions, 92 yards |
References[]
- ^ "NIU Huskies Beat Buffalo, Clinch Mac West Division". 2021-11-17. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "Northern Illinois easily beats Kent State to win fifth MAC championship". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ Helwick, Steve (2021-12-05). "Northern Illinois will play Coastal Carolina in the 2021 Cure Bowl". Hustle Belt. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "MAC Champion NIU Huskies to play in Tailgreeter Cure Bowl". MyStateline.com. 2021-12-05. Retrieved 2021-12-07.
- ^ "Northern Illinois extends Hammock thru 2026". ESPN.com. 2021-11-09. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ Petzold, Chris Thomas and Evan. "Mid-American Conference football to return Nov. 4 with 6-game schedule". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
- ^ "2020 Northern Illinois Huskies Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
- ^ Coleman, Madeline. "NCAA to Grant D-I Transfer Athletes Immediate Eligibility This Year". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2021-09-22.
- ^ Dellenger, Ross. "The NCAA's Transfer Revolution Is Here". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2021-09-22.
- ^ "Michigan State transfer QB Rocky Lombardi leads Northern Illinois to upset win over Georgia Tech". 247Sports. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "QB Lombardi transfers to N. Illinois from MSU". ESPN.com. 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ "MAC Announces 2021 Preseason Media Football Poll". getsomemaction.com. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- ^ Kelley, Kevin (2018-03-09). "NIU to play at Kentucky in 2022, adds games vs. Maine and EIU". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
- ^ "NIU's 2021 Football Schedule Features Six Home Games". NIU Athletics. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
- ^ "2021 Northern Illinois Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Northern Illinois Huskies Schedule and Results". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
- 2021 Mid-American Conference football season
- Northern Illinois Huskies football seasons
- Mid-American Conference football champion seasons
- 2021 in sports in Illinois
- College football 2020s season stubs