Tag: Northern Illinois

Sep 7, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Northern Illinois Huskies head coach Thomas Hammock watches in the first quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Seahawks hire NIU head coach Thomas Hammock to coach RBs

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Northern Illinois head football coach Thomas Hammock is moving to the NFL, where he will become running backs coach of the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks.

Hammock, 44, resigned as coach of the Huskies after seven seasons. He previously was an All-MAC running back for the DeKalb, Ill., program.

Defensive coordinator Rob Harley was elevated to interim head coach on Wednesday, NIU announced.

“Under Coach Hammock’s leadership, the Huskie football program has achieved historic milestones on the field as well as academically over the last seven seasons,” NIU athletic director Sean Frazier said in a statement. “His passion for NIU and commitment to developing young men — on and off the playing field — will be his legacy; I know he has left a lasting impact on the players he coached and on his alma mater. His genuine love for NIU made his decision to leave at this time very tough for him. A Hall of Famer, he will always be a Huskie and I hope all of Huskie Nation will join me in thanking Thomas for all he has given to NIU as we wish him all the best in the future.”

With the Seahawks, Hammock reportedly is set to become the highest-paid running backs coach in the NFL, with input on the offense, as Seattle moves to replace Klint Kubiak. Kubiak was offensive coordiantor for the Seahawks last season, but left after the Super Bowl to become head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders.

Hammock interviewed to become offensive coordinator and has ties to Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald from their time as assistant coaches with the Baltimore Ravens. Hammock was the Ravens’ running backs coach from 2014-18.

Seattle could be shuffling personnel at the RB position, depending on the status of Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III, an unrestricted free agent.

Hammock has openly criticized the direction of college football and specifically cited the transfer portal challenges for programs outside the Power 4.

Hammock was 35-47 as head coach of the Huskies with a trademark victory at No. 5-ranked Notre Dame in 2024.

–Field Level Media

Sep 13, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs quarterback Blake Shapen (2) scrambles with the ball during the first half against the Alcorn State Braves at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

Mississippi State powers past NIU for best start since 2014

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Blake Shapen threw a touchdown in his 19th consecutive game, Davon Booth ran for a pair and the Mississippi State Bulldogs completed a perfect nonconference schedule Saturday with a 38-10 victory over the Northern Illinois Huskies in Starkville, Miss.

Shapen was 12 of 20 for 160 yards with a TD to Seydou Traore as the Bulldogs (4-0) won the inaugural matchup between the schools. The senior quarterback rushed for 51 yards on 11 carries.

Fluff Bothwell ran for 101 yards on 17 rushes, and Brenen Thompson and Xavier Gayten had TD runs. Anthony Evans III had four receptions for 80 yards as the SEC program won its opening four games for the first time since 2014.

A 23 1/2-point underdog, the Huskies (1-2) saw Josh Holst go 14-for-23 for 135 yards with an interception and a score to DeAree Rogers, who had six catches for 84 yards.

The Bulldogs held a 452-267 edge in total yardage.

The visitors broke through on the opening series by going 63 yards to set up Andrew Glass’ 30-yard field goal for the first points at 9:41.

The Bulldogs answered with a 13-play, 75-yard drive, needing a fourth-down conversion, and went up 7-3 on a 10-yard end around by Thompson at 3:48.

On the second quarter’s first play, Holst found Rogers cutting into the end zone and hit him from 24 yards out.

The Huskies tried an onside kick but failed, and MSU traveled 48 yards to make it 14-10 on Shapen’s one-yard throw to Traore at 11:31, stretching his TD streak that is second-longest to Iowa State’s Rocco Becht’s 22 games.

On the second half’s opening series, Shapen’s 45-yard pass to Jordan Mosley set up Booth’s one-yard plunge for a two-score lead, 21-10.

NIU drove to the Bulldogs 16 on the next drive, but junior safety Isaac Smith recorded his first career interception in the end zone.

Kyle Ferrie’s 48-yard boot capped a drive that consumed 7:47 but was hampered by penalties, putting it 24-10 late in the third.

Booth’s six-yard run and Gayten’s short run in the fourth put the game away.

–Field Level Media

Sep 13, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi State Bulldogs running back Xavier Gayten (22) runs for a touchdown against the Alcorn State Braves during the second half at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. Mandatory Credit: Wesley Hale-Imagn Images

NIU plots to derail Mississippi State’s strong start

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Mississippi State will try to complete a spotless non-conference schedule by beating Northern Illinois in their first-ever matchup on Saturday in Starkville, Miss.

Coming off a 63-0 rout of Alcorn State, coach Jeff Lebby’s Bulldogs (3-0) are in great shape to enter Southeastern Conference play unbeaten but they are wary of the Huskies (1-1).

“It’s about the ability to be 4-0 … for us to have an undefeated non-conference (schedule),” Lebby said on Monday. “We have a great, great test on Saturday. (The Huskies) have gone on the road and won huge games. You point to that more than anything.”

NIU does have a reputation under seventh-year head coach Thomas Hammock of crafting upsets against Power 4 schools.

The Huskies’ greatest one came a year ago against No. 5 Notre Dame, leaving the legendary South Bend stadium with a 16-14 shocker in the Fighting Irish’s only regular-season loss.

It was NIU’s first victory over a top-10 foe, and it became the first MAC program to beat a top-five team.

However, this season’s Huskies, a three-touchdown underdog against the Bulldogs, struggled to a 19-17 win over Holy Cross before succumbing to Maryland two weeks ago before a bye week.

“I’m proud of the way the guys played,” Hammock said after the 20-9 defeat at Maryland, which required a fourth-quarter touchdown pass by the Terrapins to ice the win. “I’m proud of the way they competed for four quarters against a Big Ten opponent with a lot more resources, and we showed we have a lot of heart.”

NIU is averaging 179 rushing yards per game (59th in NCAA), while allowing just 74 on the ground (tied for 13th).

“They’ve done a great job of getting off blocks,” Lebby added of NIU’s run defense. “It’s really hard to dent the interior. They are a physical bunch, with the (middle linebacker) and (weakside linebacker) being guys that play downhill. And it’s the same deal: They don’t stay blocked.”

The Bulldogs’ Blake Shapen has tossed a TD pass in 18 straight games, the second-longest active streak behind Iowa State’s Rocco Becht (22).

Mississippi State has not started 4-0 since 2014.

–Field Level Media

Sep 5, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins quarterback Malik Washington (7) passes over the reach of Northern Illinois Huskies defensive tackle Alvin Gulley Jr. (0) in the first half at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images

Malik Washington dazzles again as Maryland downs NIU

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Malik Washington threw a pair of touchdowns to help Maryland pull away from Northern Illinois 20-9 in a defensive battle on Friday night in College Park, Md.

With the Terrapins (2-0) clinging to a four-point lead in the fourth quarter, the true freshman quarterback led Maryland on a 77-yard touchdown drive, finding the end zone on a 42-yard pass to Shaleak Knotts. Because of a penalty and negative rushing yards, Washington threw for more yards (88) than the length of the drive.

This helped deny the Huskies (1-1) their second straight Week 2 upset, 363 days after they stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last season.

Washington finished the game 19 of 35 for 254 yards and the two touchdowns, with 134 of those yards coming in the fourth quarter. He did have a red-zone fumble on a third-quarter scramble that prevented the Terps from potentially padding their lead earlier.

In his first two career starts, albeit against non-Power Four opponents, Washington has thrown for 512 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.

NIU’s offense was anchored by its two-headed running back tandem of Chavon Wright (90 yards rushing, seven receiving) and Telly Johnson Jr. (86 rushing yards, 17 receiving), who accounted for 200 of the Huskies’ 271 yards of offense (74 percent).

Johnson got most of his production on a 74-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that cut Maryland’s lead to 13-9. But outside of that, the Terrapins’ defense was up to the task throughout the game.

Maryland notched four sacks and nine tackles for loss, and held NIU QB Josh Holst to 91 yards on 14-of-22 passing.

Washington’s production was quite focused on certain targets in the two halves. Of his five completions and 75 passing yards in the first half, four and 70 of those went to tight end Dorian Fleming.

The Georgia State transfer set up the Terrapins’ first score, a 36-yard field goal from Sean O’Haire, with a 48-yard screen pass he ran to the brink of the red zone.

Fleming then caught Maryland’s first touchdown on a 12-yard bolt from Washington to make it 10-0 Terps midway through the second quarter.

But Fleming was held catchless in the second half. Instead, 113 of Washington’s 179 second-half passing yards went to Knotts (58) and Jalil Farooq (55), both of whom had all their production after halftime.

–Field Level Media

Notre Dame's last second field goal attempt is blocked to give Northern Illinois the 16-14 win in a NCAA college football game at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend.

Northern Illinois visits Maryland plotting another Week 2 shocker

Posted on | by Field Level Media

In Week 2 last season, Northern Illinois pulled off perhaps the most inexplicable upset of 2024 by toppling a Notre Dame team that went on to reach the national title game.

This year in Week 2, Northern Illinois (1-0) has a chance to make noise again versus a heavily favored foe — though a victory Friday night at Maryland (1-0) wouldn’t have the same seismic impact.

“We’re playing a Big Ten opponent on national TV,” Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock said on Tuesday. “It’s a great opportunity to see if we can get better from Week 1 to Week 2.”

While Northern Illinois opened last week with an uninspiring 19-17 victory over FCS Holy Cross, Maryland’s opener featured a flashy debut from true freshman quarterback Malik Washington.

In a 39-7 defeat of Florida Atlantic, Washington lived up to his advance notice as a highly touted recruit, completing 27 of 43 passes for 258 yards without an interception.

All three of Washington’s touchdown passes came in the dizzying final eight minutes of the first half when the Terrapins took control of the game.

“This kid is mature beyond the years,” said Maryland coach Mike Locksley. “I saw a young quarterback really put it on himself to deliver some great throws.”

Washington’s promising debut has removed some of the pressure building on Locksley and the program after last year’s 4-8 season that included just one win in the Big Ten.

“To get off to a fast start is igniting,” Locksley said. “To elevate, you have to at least hit the button to start where you want to go.”

After losing 16 players to power-conference schools in the transfer portal, this is a much different Northern Illinois squad than the one that took down Notre Dame. The Huskies have nine new starters on each side of the ball.

Josh Holst, who was the backup at quarterback last year, presents a running threat. He completed 12 of 18 passes for 101 yards with one interception and no touchdowns against Holy Cross.

The Huskies depended on their rushing attack, which produced 180 yards led by Chavon Wright (11 carries, 77 yards, one touchdown) and Telly Johnson Jr. (21 carries, 67 yards).

A 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Dev’ion Reynolds gave Northern Illinois the lead for good in the fourth quarter versus Holy Cross.

–Field Level Media

Northern Illinois offensive lineman Abiathar Curry jumps in the air in celebration after winning a NCAA college football game 16-14 against Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend.

Northern Illinois becomes football-only member of Mountain West

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Northern Illinois confirmed Tuesday that it is joining the Mountain West in 2026 as a football-only member.

The school hasn’t made any decisions on where its other sports will play but remains in discussions with the Mid-American Conference.

The football program is exiting the MAC after having played in it since 1997. It was its second stint in the MAC.

“What a great opportunity for NIU Athletics as we expand our horizons, adapt to this new national model of college athletics and prepare to start a new chapter in the history of NIU Football,” Northern Illinois athletic director Sean T. Frazier said in a news release. “We are grateful to Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez and the membership of the Mountain West Conference for this invitation and to NIU President Lisa Freeman for her support as we navigated this process.

“The impact of this move to the Mountain West is going to be felt throughout our entire department and university. Our fans are going to enjoy the heightened competition, the media coverage and the additional opportunities the relationship with this conference and these great institutions provides.”

The Mountain West has been heavily involved in conference realignment with Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State leaving for the revamped Pac-12 in 2026.

The addition of Northern Illinois gives the Mountain West nine football-playing members for 2026. The others are Air Force, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, UTEP and Wyoming.

“We are excited about adding the Northern Illinois University football program to the Mountain West,” Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in a news release. “In evaluating NIU, the MW Board of Directors and Directors of Athletics carefully considered and were impressed by its history of football success and its commitment to academic excellence.”

The MAC said it appreciated Northern Illinois’ contributions to the conference.

“While we would have preferred that NIU remain a member of the MAC, we understand that each institution must make an independent decision,” MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a statement.

Northern Illinois went 8-5 overall and 4-4 in the MAC this season and posted a stunning upset of then-No.5 Notre Dame in September. That was the program’s first-ever victory over a Top 10 program.

The Huskies also enjoyed a stellar run from 2010-14 in which it compiled a 57-13 record.

–Field Level Media

Sep 7, 2024; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Northern Illinois Huskies head coach Thomas Hammock watches in the first quarter against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Northern Illinois gets tricky to beat Fresno St., win Potato Bowl in 2OT

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Freshman wide receiver George Dimopoulos threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge on the first play of the second overtime to lift Northern Illinois to a 28-20 victory over Fresno State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Monday afternoon in Boise, Idaho.

The Huskies disguised the game-winning play as a jet sweep, but Dimopoulos pulled up and found Pardridge behind the defense for the winning score. Dimopoulos followed up his first career pass with a two-point conversion toss to quarterback Josh Holst to give the Huskies (8-5) bowl wins in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2010-11.

Holst, a redshirt freshman walk-on making his third career start because regular-season starter Ethan Hampton transferred to Illinois, completed 18 of 30 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for a team-high 65 yards.

Sophomore Joshua Wood came off the bench to complete 16 of 23 passes for 180 yards and one touchdown for Fresno State (6-7), which saw its five-bowl winning streak come to a close. Bryson Donelson scored two touchdowns and rushed for 82 yards while Mac Dalena made six catches for 118 yards.

With Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene — the Mountain West’s leader in passing yards –announcing his transfer to Michigan earlier Monday, redshirt freshman Jayden Mandal made his first start for Fresno State.

On Northern Illinois’ first play from scrimmage, Holst’s rollout pass sailed over his intended receiver. Safety Jayden Davis picked it off and returned it 26 yards to the Huskies’ 25. Mandal led a quick drive that Donelson capped with a 1-yard blast for a 6-0 lead at 11:29 of the first.

After Kanon Woodill booted a 29-yard field goal to make it 6-3, Fresno State interim head coach Tim Skipper gave Wood the controls for the Bulldogs’ next drive — and he needed just four plays to go 90 yards for a score. He hooked up with Dalena for a 54-yard bomb before taking a keeper untouched up the middle for a 13-yard score and a 13-3 lead.

NIU took the first possession of the second half 76 yards for a score. Tight end Grayson Barnes leaped between two Bulldogs and snagged Holst’s 26-yard lob with his right hand to cut the deficit to 13-10 with 11:22 left in the third.

On Fresno State’s next possession, Nate Valcarcel intercepted Mandal at NIU’s 38 to set up Woodill’s 34-yard field goal that made it 13-13 at 7:39 of the third.

That was the last score until overtime, as Woodill missed a go-ahead 35-yard field goal with 3:02 left and the Bulldogs’ Dylan Lynch missed a 35-yarder on the final play of regulation.

Fresno State opened overtime with Wood’s 9-yard touchdown pass to the uncovered Donelson to give the Bulldogs a 20-13 margin. Holst answered with a 3-yard touchdown lob to Barnes.

–Field Level Media

Camellia Bowl: Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock gets doused after the Huskies defeated Arkansas State.

Amid constant change, NIU, Fresno State enjoy tradition at Potato Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

For roughly three hours Monday afternoon, the dizzying college football carousel will slow long enough for Northern Illinois (7-5) and Fresno State (6-6) to battle for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in Boise, Idaho.

Neither school will have its starting quarterback (and other quality players) due to the transfer portal. Neither school is expected to belong to its current conference by July 2026 as Fresno State already has committed to the Pac-12 while NIU is rumored to be weighing a move to the Mountain West.

And, in Fresno State’s case, the program’s official head coach isn’t the guy who’s steering the ship in Boise. Interim boss Tim Skipper, who took over in July when Jeff Tedford had to step down for health reasons, hands over the reins after the bowl game to Southern California associate head coach Matt Entz, who was hired Dec. 4 to take over the program.

Nonetheless, Monday’s game allows for a bit of college tradition to shine through. Specifically, a bunch of seniors getting to end their careers on a bowl trip with their teammates. The Huskies, for example, have a school-record 30 seniors playing on Boise’s unique blue turf for their final game.

“You have to adjust and adapt to the new landscape of college football and do the best you can,” Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock told Field Level Media. “But I’m glad we didn’t have to cancel a game like Marshall — that we can go out there and experience this game with our seniors and let them go out there and have one last hurrah.”

The Huskies, of course, already have secured one lifetime memory this season: their 16-14 victory on Sept. 7 at fifth-ranked Notre Dame. But Ethan Hampton, the quarterback who guided that upset with 198 passing yards and one touchdown, no longer runs the show for NIU. He entered the transfer portal and committed to Wake Forest — only to decommit Monday when head coach Dave Clawson retired. He’s now headed to Illinois.

In Hampton’s stead, redshirt freshman Josh Holst will get his second start. In his first start, Holst completed 22 of 46 passes for 210 yards and rushed 14 times for 48 yards in a 13-6 loss vs. MAC rival Toledo.

“He’s really made a tremendous jump over the last three weeks from a preparation standout to a mentality standpoint and with his approach,” Hammock said. “I’m excited to watch him go out and play. You can do a little bit more (with Holst) because he does have the ability to hurt you with his legs.”

Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene led the Mountain West with 2,892 passing yards as he clicked on 70.5 percent of his passes. Alas, Keene is one of 14 Bulldogs who hit the transfer portal and won’t play Monday.

Through it all, Fresno State will embrace its spot in a bowl game.

“We’ve been through a lot of adversity, but we just kept on swinging,” Skipper said, according to the Fresno State student-run newspaper The Collegian, after the Bulldogs became bowl eligible.

Fresno State has chosen to keep Northern Illinois guessing by listing sophomore Joshua Wood and freshman Jayden Mandal as co-starters on the depth chart. Wood seems more likely because, while he attempted just five passes, he rushed 26 times for 86 yards and five scores as the Bulldogs’ change-of-pace quarterback in the Wildcat formation.

“It’s a challenge, right?” Hammock said. “It’s almost like a first-game-of-the-year mentality. You have an idea of what they want to do schematically — and then you’ll figure out the personnel once you get out there.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 28, 2024; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina State Wolfpack quarterback CJ Bailey (16) runs ball into end zone against the Northern Illinois Huskies in the first quarter at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Turnovers help NC State past Northern Illinois 24-17

Posted on | by Field Level Media

CJ Bailey completed 13 of 20 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, while adding 22 rushing yards and a score on the ground, as NC State escaped with a 24-17 win over visiting Northern Illinois on Saturday at Raleigh, N.C.

The Wolfpack offense mustered just 171 total yards, but the defense forced four Northern Illinois turnovers. Noah Rogers caught two passes for 48 yards, as NC State (3-2) wrapped up its nonconference schedule.

Ethan Hampton completed 14 of 29 passes for 159 yards one touchdown and two interceptions for Northern Illinois. Antario Brown rushed the ball 28 times for a game-high 114 yards, as the Huskies (2-2) dropped their second straight after an impressive win at Notre Dame.

Early in the second half, NC State’s Darin Vann’s sack cause Hampton’s to fumble on his own 1-yard line. Three plays later, Bailey found Kevin Concepcion for a 3-yard touchdown pass, giving the Wolfpack a 24-14 lead with 11:46 left in the third quarter.

Kanon Woodill’s 50-yard field goal cut into the Huskies’ deficit with 14:46 remaining. The Huskies’ defense forced a Wolfpack punt with 4:23 left, but Devon Marshall picked off Hampton on the following Northern Illinois play.

After a three-and-out from NC State, Hampton led the Huskies to the Wolfpack 34-yard line, but was intercepted by Tamarcus Cooley’s on the game’s final play.

After a Northern Illinois punt on the game’s first possession, Bailey’s 34-yard pass to Rogers advanced the ball to the Huskies’ 2-yard line. Two plays later, Bailey rushed in the Wolfpack’s first score, a 1-yard touchdown with 6:15 left in the first quarter.

Northern Illinois answered with a seven-play, 75-yard drive that was capped with a game-tying touchdown. On third and 2 from NC State’s 3-yard line, Brown fumbled into the end zone, but Northern Illinois’ Brock Lampe fell on it for the Huskies’ touchdown with 2:23 left in the first quarter.

Following a Wolfpack punt, Hampton was strip-sacked on his own 16-yard line by DK Kaufman, who scooped the ball and returned it for an NC State touchdown with 14:09 remaining in the second quarter.

After Kanoah Vinesett’s 37-yard field goal extended NC State’s lead to 17-7 with 4:55 left in the first half, Hampton connected with Andrew McElroy for 42 yards to the Wolfpack 6-yard line. Hampton then found Cam Thompson for a touchdown, cutting Northern Illinois’ halftime deficit to 17-14.

–Field Level Media

Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac (52) intercepts the ball during the fourth quarter of the game on Saturday September 2, 2023 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.

Buffalo works OT to upset No. 23 Northern Illinois

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Upton Bellenfant drilled a 37-yard field goal in overtime as visiting Buffalo upset No. 23 Northern Illinois 23-20 on Saturday afternoon in DeKalb, Ill.

Buffalo improved to 2-16 all-time against ranked opponents. It is the Bulls’ first win over a ranked foe since 2008. Buffalo cornerback Marquis Cooper blocked a 42-yard Kannon Woodill field-goal attempt on the Huskies’ overtime possession.

Linebacker Shaun Dolac had a career-high 19 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss and an interception to lead Buffalo’s defense.

Buffalo trailed 14-3 at halftime, but Dolac returned his interception to the NIU 20 with 5:39 left in the fourth quarter. That set up Bellenfant’s 43-yard field goal and gave the Bulls their first lead at 20-17. Dolac entered the game with the most tackles in the MAC this season and tied for the national lead at 14.3 per game.

Northern Illinois drove 66 yards in 13 plays and Woodill tied the game 20-20 on a 27-yard field goal with 24 seconds left in regulation.

Huskies quarterback Ethan Hampton entered the game as the national leader in passing efficiency and passing yards per attempt. Yet, the Buffalo defense held Hampton to 23-for-43 for 194 yards and an interception.

C.J. Ogbonna was 10-for-17 for 107 yards and a touchdown for Buffalo.

Antario Brown had 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries for Northern Illinois. Brown’s 5-yard touchdown run gave Northern Illinois a 7-0 first-quarter lead.

Buffalo registered its initial first down with 12:27 left in the second quarter when Ogbonna hit Victor Snow with a 22-yard pass. The drive resulted in a 42-yard field goal by Bellenfant to cut the Northern Illinois lead to 7-3.

A Buffalo punt out of the end zone set up the Huskies with a short field as they took over on the Buffalo 36-yard line. After a personal foul penalty on Buffalo, Brown scored his second touchdown of the game on a 14-yard run to give Northern Illinois a 14-3 lead.

The Bulls kept their first third-quarter drive alive when Ogbonna gained one yard on fourth down at the 50-yard line. Two plays later, Ogbonna’s jump ball between two Huskies’ defenders turned into a 46-yard touchdown as Snow landed in the Bulls’ end zone to cut the NIU lead to 14-10 with 10:59 left in the third quarter.

The fourth quarter started with Woodill’s 30-yard field goal that extended the Huskies’ lead to 17-10.

Buffalo didn’t convert on a third down until the fourth quarter. The Bulls were 0-for-10 on third downs, but converted twice on a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive that culminated with a 36-yard touchdown run by Al-Jay Henderson. It was third-and-8 when Henderson’s run up the middle tied the game at 17-17.

–Field Level Media