2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

Last updated

2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football
Northern Illinois Huskies football wordmark.svg
MAC champion
MAC West Division champion
Boca Raton Bowl, L 13–37 vs. UAB
Conference Mid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record8–6 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinator Mike Uremovich (3rd season)
Defensive coordinatorJeff Knowles (1st season)
MVP Sutton Smith
Captain Max Scharping, Luke Shively, Josh Corcoran, Kyle Pugh, D. J. Brown
Home stadium Huskie Stadium
Seasons
  2017
2019  
2018 Mid-American Conference football standings
ConfOverall
Team W L  W L 
East Division
Buffalo x  7 1   10 4  
Miami (OH)  6 2   6 6  
Ohio  6 2   9 4  
Akron  2 6   4 8  
Bowling Green  2 6   3 9  
Kent State  1 7   2 10  
West Division
Northern Illinois x$  6 2   8 6  
Western Michigan  5 3   7 6  
Eastern Michigan  5 3   7 6  
Toledo  5 3   7 6  
Ball State  3 5   4 8  
Central Michigan  0 8   1 11  
Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions

The 2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by Rod Carey in his sixth and final season as head coach, the Huskies compiled an overall record of 8–6 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, winning the MAC's West Division title. Northern Illinois advanced to the MAC Championship Game, where they defeated East Division champion Buffalo to win the program's fifth MAC championship. The Huskies were invited to the Boca Raton Bowl, where they lost to UAB. The team played home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.

Contents

Preseason

Award watch lists

AwardPlayerPositionYear
Lott Trophy [1] Sutton Smith DEJR
Rimington Trophy [2] Luke ShivelyCSR
Chuck Bednarik Award [3] Sutton SmithDEJR
Bronko Nagurski Trophy [4] Sutton SmithDEJR
Outland Trophy [5] Max Scharping TSR
Wuerffel Trophy [6] Max ScharpingTSR
Ted Hendricks Award [7] Sutton SmithDEJR

Preseason media poll

The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Huskies predicted to finish as champions of the West Division. [8]

West Division
Predicted finishTeamVotes (1st place)
1Northern Illinois133 (15)
2Toledo125 (7)
3Western Michigan87 (1)
4Eastern Michigan67
5Central Michigan58 (1)
6Ball State34

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 12:30 p.m.at Iowa * BTN L 7–3367,510
September 86:30 p.m. Utah * ESPNews L 6–1716,762
September 152:30 p.m. Central Michigan
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
ESPN+ W 24–1612,354
September 223:30 p.m.at Florida State * ESPNU L 19–3765,633
September 295:00 p.m.at Eastern Michigan ESPN+W 26–23 3OT14,779
October 63:00 p.m.at Ball State ESPN3 W 24–167,159
October 132:30 p.m. Ohio
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
ESPN+W 24–2112,138
October 272:30 p.m.at BYU *ESPNUW 7–651,084
November 16:00 p.m.at Akron CBSSN W 36–2616,401
November 77:00 p.m. Toledo
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
ESPN2 W 38–155,887
November 147:00 p.m. Miami (OH)
  • Huskie Stadium
  • DeKalb, IL
ESPNUL 7–134,878
November 206:00 p.m.at Western Michigan ESPNUL 21–2818,278
November 306:00 p.m.vs. Buffalo ESPN2W 30–2910,255
December 186:00 p.m.vs. UAB * ESPN L 13–3722,614

[9] [10]

Game summaries

At Iowa

Northern Illinois at Iowa
1234Total
Northern Illinois00077
Iowa03141633
  • Date: September 1, 2018
  • Location:
    Kinnick Stadium
    Iowa City, IA
  • Game start: 2:40 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:11
  • Game attendance: 67,510
  • Game weather: 80 °F (27 °C), Wind: 5-10 MPH SSW, Overcast
  • Referee: Jeff Servinski
  • TV announcers (BTN): Joe Beninati (Play-by-Play), Chuck Long (Analyst)
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
1–8August 31, 2013NIU, 30–27

Utah

Utah at Northern Illinois
1234Total
Utah0071017
Northern Illinois30036
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
First meeting

Central Michigan

Central Michigan at Northern Illinois
1234Total
Central Michigan037616
Northern Illinois0147324
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
15–17November 24, 2017CMU, 31–24

At Florida State

Northern Illinois at Florida State
1234Total
Northern Illinois076619
Florida State14631437
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
0–1 January 1, 2013 FSU, 31–10

At Eastern Michigan

Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan
1234OT2OT3OTTotal
Northern Illinois3100070626
Eastern Michigan1000370323
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
24–5–2October 26, 2017NIU, 30–27

At Ball State

Northern Illinois at Ball State
1234Total
Northern Illinois777324
Ball State063716
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
17–18November 9, 2017NIU, 63–17

Ohio

Ohio at Northern Illinois
1234Total
Ohio0714021
Northern Illinois3601524
  • Location: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Illinois
  • Game attendance: 12,138
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
11–10November 24, 2015OHIO, 26–21

At BYU

Northern Illinois at BYU
1234Total
Northern Illinois00707
BYU30306
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
First meeting

At Akron

Northern Illinois at Akron
1234Total
Northern Illinois7175736
Akron7316026
  • Date: November 1, 2018
  • Location: Info Cision Stadium, Akron, Ohio
  • Game start: 7:02 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:31
  • Game attendance: 16,401
  • Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C), Wind: 3 MPH ENE, Intermittent Showers
  • Referee: Amanda S.-Cook
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
8–5October 12, 2013NIU, 27–20

Toledo

Toledo at Northern Illinois
1234Total
Toledo360615
Northern Illinois71014738
  • Date: November 7, 2018
  • Location: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Illinois
  • Game start: 7:05 pm
  • Elapsed time: 3:15
  • Game attendance: 5,887
  • Game weather: 37 °F (3 °C), Wind: 6 MPH NNW, Intermittent Showers
  • Referee: Ron Hudson
  • Television network: ESPN2
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
14–30November 2, 2017TOL, 27–17

Miami (OH)

Miami at Northern Illinois
1234Total
Miami0310013
Northern Illinois00707
  • Location: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Illinois
  • Game start: 7:00 p.m.
  • Game attendance: 4,878
  • Television network: ESPNU
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
9–8October 17, 2015NIU, 45–12

At Western Michigan

Northern Illinois at Western Michigan
1234Total
Northern Illinois7014021
Western Michigan768728
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
19–23November 15, 2018NIU, 35–31

vs Buffalo (MAC Championship Game)

Northern Illinois vs Buffalo
(MAC Championship Game)
1234Total
Northern Illinois01071330
Buffalo7157029
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
11–1October 14, 2017NIU, 14–13

vs UAB (Boca Raton Bowl)

UAB vs. Northern Illinois
(Boca Raton Bowl)
1234Total
UAB101710037
Northern Illinois733013
  • Date: December 18, 2018
  • Location: FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, FL
  • Game start: 7:00 p.m.
  • Game attendance: 22,614
  • Television network: ESPN
Series RecordPrevious meetingResult
First Meeting

Coaching staff

NameTitleYears at NIU
Rod Carey Head coach8
Jeff KnowlesDef. Coord./lb coach6
Mike Uremovich Off. Coord./Asst. Head Coach/TE/fb coach3
Steve CrutchleyWR Coach2
Craig HarmonQB Coach7
Melvin RiceCB Coach4
Joe TripodiOL Coach/Run Game Coord.9
Walter StewartDL Coach1
Tyler YelkSafeties Coach1
Jake LandryRB Coach1
Dan SabockSpecial Teams Coord.1

[11]

Players drafted into the NFL

RoundPickPlayerPositionNFL team
255 Max Scharping Offensive tackle Houston Texans
6175 Sutton Smith Linebacker Pittsburgh Steelers

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References

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  2. "Rimington Trophy Press Release". May 30, 2018. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
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  6. "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
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  8. "NIU & Ohio Picked as Divisional Winners in 2018 MAC Football Media Preseason Poll".
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  10. "NIU Football Set for Five-Game Home Schedule in 2018 - Northern Illinois University". NIU Athletics. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  11. "NIU Football Coaching Staff Set for 2018 - Northern Illinois University". NIU Athletics. Retrieved March 26, 2018.