Northern Illinois

FBS

Mountain West · DeKalb (IL), Chicago, Illinois

324-352-4

All-time

0.476

Win %

National titles

Conf titles

Major bowls

Playoff apps

Weeks at #1

Heismans

Greatest games

Northern Illinois's top games of all time by Game Score.

#1 · 2012 · Nov 30, 2012

0.72

MAC Championship Game

#19 Northern Illinois 44-37 #18 Kent State

Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Conf Title

#2 · 2012 · Jan 1, 2013

0.60

Orange Bowl

#16 Northern Illinois 10-31 #13 Florida State

Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida

Major Bowl

#3 · 2015 · Sep 19, 2015

0.57

Northern Illinois 13-20 #1 Ohio State

Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio

#4 · 2013 · Nov 13, 2013

0.52

#20 Northern Illinois 48-27 Ball State

Huskie Stadium, Chicago, Illinois

Conf Game

#5 · 2013 · Dec 6, 2013

0.52

MAC Championship Game

#16 Northern Illinois 27-47 Bowling Green

Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Conf Title

#6 · 1971 · Nov 6, 1971

0.50

Northern Illinois 8-23 #14 Toledo

Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Illinois

#7 · 2002 · Nov 9, 2002

0.49

Northern Illinois 26-17 #20 Bowling Green

Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Illinois

Conf Game

#8 · 2010 · Dec 3, 2010

0.48

MAC Championship Game

#24 Northern Illinois 21-26 Miami (OH)

Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Conf Title

#9 · 2011 · Jan 8, 2012

0.47

GoDaddy.com Bowl

Northern Illinois 38-20 Arkansas State

Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama

#10 · 2003 · Oct 25, 2003

0.47

#12 Northern Illinois 18-34 #23 Bowling Green

Doyt Perry Stadium, Toledo, Ohio

Conf Game

#	Date	Season	Bowl	Match	Designation	Game Score
1	Nov 30, 2012	2012	MAC Championship Game	#19 Northern Illinois 44-37 #18 Kent State Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan Conf Title	Conf Title	0.72
2	Jan 1, 2013	2012	Orange Bowl	#16 Northern Illinois 10-31 #13 Florida State Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida Major Bowl	Major Bowl	0.60
3	Sep 19, 2015	2015		Northern Illinois 13-20 #1 Ohio State Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio		0.57
4	Nov 13, 2013	2013		#20 Northern Illinois 48-27 Ball State Huskie Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Conf Game	Conf Game	0.52
5	Dec 6, 2013	2013	MAC Championship Game	#16 Northern Illinois 27-47 Bowling Green Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan Conf Title	Conf Title	0.52
6	Nov 6, 1971	1971		Northern Illinois 8-23 #14 Toledo Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Illinois		0.50
7	Nov 9, 2002	2002		Northern Illinois 26-17 #20 Bowling Green Huskie Stadium, DeKalb, Illinois Conf Game	Conf Game	0.49
8	Dec 3, 2010	2010	MAC Championship Game	#24 Northern Illinois 21-26 Miami (OH) Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan Conf Title	Conf Title	0.48
9	Jan 8, 2012	2011	GoDaddy.com Bowl	Northern Illinois 38-20 Arkansas State Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama		0.47
10	Oct 25, 2003	2003		#12 Northern Illinois 18-34 #23 Bowling Green Doyt Perry Stadium, Toledo, Ohio Conf Game	Conf Game	0.47

Season by season (major seasons)

20260-0

Northern Illinois · Mountain West

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20253-9

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

2-6

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20248-5

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

4-4

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

#23

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

20237-6

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

5-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Camellia Bowl (W)

20223-9

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

2-6

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20219-5

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

7-2

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

★

Bowl

Cure Bowl (L)

20200-6

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

0-6

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20195-7

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

4-4

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20188-6

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

6-2

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

★

Bowl

Boca Raton Bowl (L)

20178-5

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

6-2

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Quick Lane Bowl (L)

20165-7

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

5-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20158-6

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

6-2

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Poinsettia Bowl (L)

201411-3

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

8-1

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

★

Bowl

Boca Raton Bowl (L)

201312-2

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

8-0

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

#16

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Poinsettia Bowl (L)

201212-2

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

8-0

AP final

#22

Coach final

#24

AP high

#16

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

★

Bowl

Orange Bowl (L)MajorBCS

201111-3

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

7-1

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

★

Bowl

GoDaddy.com Bowl (W)

201011-3

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

8-0

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

#24

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Humanitarian Bowl (W)

20097-6

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

5-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

Bowl

International Bowl (L)

20086-7

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

5-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Independence Bowl (L)

20072-10

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

1-6

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20067-6

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

5-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Poinsettia Bowl (L)

20057-5

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

6-2

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

✓

Conf champ

—

20049-3

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

7-1

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

Bowl

Silicon Valley Classic (W)

200310-2

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

6-2

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

#12

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20028-4

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

7-1

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20016-5

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

4-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

20006-5

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

4-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19995-6

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

5-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19982-9

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

2-6

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19970-11

Northern Illinois · Mid-American (West)

Conf record

0-8

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19961-10

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19953-8

Northern Illinois · Big West

Conf record

3-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19944-7

Northern Illinois · Big West

Conf record

3-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19934-7

Northern Illinois · Big West

Conf record

3-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19925-6

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19912-9

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19906-5

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19899-2

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19887-4

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19875-5-1

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19862-9

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19854-7

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

4-4

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19844-6-1

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

3-5-1

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

198310-2

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

8-1

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

★

Bowl

California Bowl (W)

19825-5

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

5-4

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19813-8

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

2-7

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19807-4

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

4-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19795-5-1

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

3-3-1

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19785-6

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

2-4

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19773-8

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

2-5

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19761-10

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

0-6

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19753-8

Northern Illinois · Mid-American

Conf record

2-3

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19744-7

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19736-5

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19727-4

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19715-5-1

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19703-7

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19693-7

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

19682-8

Northern Illinois · Independent

Conf record

—

AP final

—

Coach final

—

AP high

—

Champ game

—

Conf champ

—

Year	School	Record	Conference	Div	Conf	Champ App	Conf Champ	AP	Coach	High	Bowl
2026	Northern Illinois	0-0	Mountain West
2025	Northern Illinois	3-9	Mid-American		2-6
2024	Northern Illinois	8-5	Mid-American		4-4					#23	Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
2023	Northern Illinois	7-6	Mid-American	West	5-3						Camellia Bowl (W)
2022	Northern Illinois	3-9	Mid-American	West	2-6
2021	Northern Illinois	9-5	Mid-American	West	7-2	✓	★				Cure Bowl (L)
2020	Northern Illinois	0-6	Mid-American	West	0-6
2019	Northern Illinois	5-7	Mid-American	West	4-4
2018	Northern Illinois	8-6	Mid-American	West	6-2	✓	★				Boca Raton Bowl (L)
2017	Northern Illinois	8-5	Mid-American	West	6-2						Quick Lane Bowl (L)
2016	Northern Illinois	5-7	Mid-American	West	5-3
2015	Northern Illinois	8-6	Mid-American	West	6-2	✓					Poinsettia Bowl (L)
2014	Northern Illinois	11-3	Mid-American	West	8-1	✓	★				Boca Raton Bowl (L)
2013	Northern Illinois	12-2	Mid-American	West	8-0	✓				#16	Poinsettia Bowl (L)
2012	Northern Illinois	12-2	Mid-American	West	8-0	✓	★	#22	#24	#16	Orange Bowl (L)MajorBCS
2011	Northern Illinois	11-3	Mid-American	West	7-1	✓	★				GoDaddy.com Bowl (W)
2010	Northern Illinois	11-3	Mid-American	West	8-0	✓				#24	Humanitarian Bowl (W)
2009	Northern Illinois	7-6	Mid-American	West	5-3						International Bowl (L)
2008	Northern Illinois	6-7	Mid-American	West	5-3						Independence Bowl (L)
2007	Northern Illinois	2-10	Mid-American	West	1-6
2006	Northern Illinois	7-6	Mid-American	West	5-3						Poinsettia Bowl (L)
2005	Northern Illinois	7-5	Mid-American	West	6-2	✓
2004	Northern Illinois	9-3	Mid-American	West	7-1						Silicon Valley Classic (W)
2003	Northern Illinois	10-2	Mid-American	West	6-2					#12
2002	Northern Illinois	8-4	Mid-American	West	7-1
2001	Northern Illinois	6-5	Mid-American	West	4-3
2000	Northern Illinois	6-5	Mid-American	West	4-3
1999	Northern Illinois	5-6	Mid-American	West	5-3
1998	Northern Illinois	2-9	Mid-American	West	2-6
1997	Northern Illinois	0-11	Mid-American	West	0-8
1996	Northern Illinois	1-10	Independent
1995	Northern Illinois	3-8	Big West		3-3
1994	Northern Illinois	4-7	Big West		3-3
1993	Northern Illinois	4-7	Big West		3-3
1992	Northern Illinois	5-6	Independent
1991	Northern Illinois	2-9	Independent
1990	Northern Illinois	6-5	Independent
1989	Northern Illinois	9-2	Independent
1988	Northern Illinois	7-4	Independent
1987	Northern Illinois	5-5-1	Independent
1986	Northern Illinois	2-9	Independent
1985	Northern Illinois	4-7	Mid-American		4-4
1984	Northern Illinois	4-6-1	Mid-American		3-5-1
1983	Northern Illinois	10-2	Mid-American		8-1		★				California Bowl (W)
1982	Northern Illinois	5-5	Mid-American		5-4
1981	Northern Illinois	3-8	Mid-American		2-7
1980	Northern Illinois	7-4	Mid-American		4-3
1979	Northern Illinois	5-5-1	Mid-American		3-3-1
1978	Northern Illinois	5-6	Mid-American		2-4
1977	Northern Illinois	3-8	Mid-American		2-5
1976	Northern Illinois	1-10	Mid-American		0-6
1975	Northern Illinois	3-8	Mid-American		2-3
1974	Northern Illinois	4-7	Independent
1973	Northern Illinois	6-5	Independent
1972	Northern Illinois	7-4	Independent
1971	Northern Illinois	5-5-1	Independent
1970	Northern Illinois	3-7	Independent
1969	Northern Illinois	3-7	Independent
1968	Northern Illinois	2-8	Independent

Award winners

3 major award winners and consensus All-Americans.

Sutton Smith2017

Consensus All-AmericanDL

Jordan Lynch2013

Heisman FinalistRB

LeShon Johnson1993

Consensus All-AmericanRB

Year	Player	Pos	Award
2017	Sutton Smith	DL	Consensus All-American
2013	Jordan Lynch	RB	Heisman Finalist
1993	LeShon Johnson	RB	Consensus All-American