American college football season
The 2022 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season . The Huskies were led by fourth-year head coach Thomas Hammock and played home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois .[ 1]
Preseason In the league's annual preseason poll, the Huskies were picked to win the West division.[ 2] They were also picked to win the MAC Championship.[ 3] Offensive linemen Nolan Porter and Logan Zschernitz, wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph, cornerback Jordan Gandy, and kicker John Richardson were named to the preseason first team.[ 4] Offensive lineman Marques Cox and safety C.J. Brown were named to the second team.[ 4]
Schedule
The Huskies played four non-conference games with visits to Tulsa and Kentucky and while hosting Eastern Illinois of the FCS and Vanderbilt at Huskie Stadium .[ 5]
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance 7:00 p.m. Eastern Illinois * ESPN+ W 34–2710,864
September 10 6:00 p.m. at Tulsa * ESPN+ L 35–3822,113
September 17 2:30 p.m. Vanderbilt * CBSSN L 28–3814,110
September 24 6:00 p.m. at No. 8 Kentucky * ESPN2 L 23–3161,579
October 1 1:00 p.m. at Ball State ESPN+ L 38–44 2OT 10,012
October 8 2:30 p.m. Toledo ESPN+ L 32–5212,682
October 15 2:30 p.m. at Eastern Michigan ESPN+ W 39–1015,100
October 22 1:00 p.m. at Ohio ESPN+ L 17–2415,922
6:00 p.m. Central Michigan ESPNU L 22–356,055
6:00 p.m. at Western Michigan ESPNU W 24–218,722
6:00 p.m. Miami (OH) CBSSN L 23–29 5,187
November 26 12:30 p.m. Akron ESPN3 L 12–446,288
[ 6]
Game summaries
Eastern Illinois
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
3
3
7
14
27
Huskies
7
14
7
6
34
at Tulsa Game Two – Northern Illinois Huskies (1–0) at Tulsa Golden Hurricane (0–1)
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Huskies
0
7
14 14 35
Golden Hurricane
7
17
0 14 38
at Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman Stadium • Tulsa, OK
Date : Saturday, September 10, 2022Game time : 6:00 p.m. CST Game weather : Sunny • Temperature : 88 °F (31 °C) • Wind : NW 5Game attendance : 22,113Referee : Jeremy ValentineTV : ESPN+ Pregame line : Tulsa –6.5 • Odds to win : Tulsa 82.4%
Game information
First quarter
(10:13) TLSA – JuanCarlos Santana 14 yard pass from Davis Brin, Zack Long kick (Drive: 12 plays, 75 yards, 4:47; Tulsa 7–0 )
Second quarter
(13:02) TLSA – Zack Long 28 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 30 yards, 4:41; Tulsa 10–0 )
(8:15) TLSA – JuanCarlos Santana 25 yard pass from Davis Brin, Zack Long kick (Drive:8 plays, 71 yards, 3:11; Tulsa 17–0 )
(2:17) NIU – Kacper Rutkiewicz 9 yard pass from Rocky Lombardi, John Richardson kick (Drive: 6 plays, 44 yards, 2:50; Tulsa 17–7 )
(0:49) TLSA – Isaiah Epps 20 yard pass from Davis Brin, Zack Long kick (Drive: 4 plays, 69 yards, 1:22; Tulsa 24–7 )
Third quarter
(11:44) NIU – Kacper Rutkiewicz 30 yard pass from Rocky Lombardi, John Richardson kick (Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 3:16; Tulsa 24–14 )
(8:54) NIU – Antario Brown 8 yard run, John Richardson kick (Drive: 7 plays, 54 yards, 2:48; Tulsa 24–21 )
Fourth quarter
(14:50) NIU – Cole Tucker 33 yard pass from Rocky Lombardi, John Richardson kick (Drive: 8 plays, 78 yards, 4:18; Northern Illinois 28–24 )
(10:36) TLSA – Keylon Stokes 1 yard pass from Davis Brin, Zack Long kick (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:14; Tulsa 31–28 )
(5:57) NIU – Rocky Lombardi 1 yard run, John Richardson kick (Drive: 7 plays, 40 yards, 3:40; Northern Illinois 35–31 )
(0:58) TLSA – Steven Anderson 1 yard run, Zack Long kick (Drive: 5 plays, 52 yards, 0:56; Tulsa 38–35 )
Statistics
NIU
TLSA
First downs
19
23
Plays–yards
68–385
69–429
Rushes–yards
37–126
37–107
Passing yards
259
322
Passing: comp –att –int
18–31–1
19–32–1
Time of possession
32:02
27:58
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Northern Illinois
Passing
Rocky Lombardi
18/31, 259 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing
Antario Brown
20 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD
Receiving
Cole Tucker
7 receptions, 123 yards, 1 TD
Tulsa
Passing
Davis Brin
19/32, 322 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing
Steven Anderson
18 carries, 58 yards, 1 TD
Receiving
Keylon Stokes
8 receptions, 135 yards, 1 TD
Vanderbilt
1
2
3
4
Total
Commodores
7
7
21
3
38
Huskies
7
14
7
0
28
Statistics
Statistics
VAN
NIU
First downs
21
17
Total yards
428
354
Rushing yards
173
151
Passing yards
255
203
Turnovers
1
1
Time of possession
30:39
29:21
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Vanderbilt
Passing
AJ Swann
18/28, 255 yards, 4 TD
Rushing
Ray Davis
23 rushes, 116 yards, TD
Receiving
Will Sheppard
10 receptions, 171 yards, TD
Northern Illinois
Passing
Ethan Hampton
12/19, 124 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing
Antario Brown
8 rushes, 60 yards, TD
Receiving
Cole Tucker
4 receptions, 88 yards, 2 TD
at No. 8 Kentucky
1
2 3 4 Total
NIU
7
7 0 9
23
• No. 8 Kentucky
7
7 10 7
31
Date: September 24Location: Lexington, KYGame start: 7:05 p.m. Game attendance: 61,579Game weather: 71°F, Sunny, Wind SW @ 6 mphReferee: Steve MarloweTV announcers (ESPN2): Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Brock Osweiler (color), Alex Chappell (sideline)
Statistics
NIU
Kentucky
First downs
14
18
Total yards
327
406
Rushing yards
128
103
Passing yards
199
303
Turnovers
0
1
Time of possession
26:17
33:43
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
NIU
Passing
Ethan Hampton
13/25, 196 yards, 1 TD
Rushing
Harrison Waylee
18 carries, 63 yards
Receiving
Kacper Rutkiewicz
1 reception, 63 yards
Kentucky
Passing
Will Levis
18/26, 303 yards, 4 TD’s
Rushing
Kavosiey Smoke
12 carries, 85 yards
Receiving
Tayvion Robinson
7 receptions, 147 yards, 2 TD’s
at Ball State
1
2
3
4 OT 2OT
Total
Huskies
7
17
7
7 0 0
38
Cardinals
0
7
14
17 0 6
44
Toledo
1
2
3
4
Total
Rockets
21
14
10
7
52
Huskies
7
0
0
25
32
at Eastern Michigan
1
2
3
4
Total
Huskies
14
6
9
10
39
Eagles
7
0
3
0
10
at Ohio Northern Illinois Huskies (2–5, 1–2) vs. Ohio Bobcats (4–3, 2–1)
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Northern Illinois
0
6
11 0 17
Ohio
7
3
7 7 24
at Peden Stadium • Athens, OH
Date : Saturday, October 23, 2022Game time : 2:00 p.m. EDT Game weather : sunny, Temperature :69 °F (21 °C)Game attendance : 15,922Referee : Greg SujackTV announcers (ESPN+) : Anthony Lima, Ryan CavanaughPregame line : NIU −2.5 • box score , Ohio notes
Game information
First Quarter
(11:50) OHIO – Wiglusz, Sam 8 yd pass from Rourke, Kurtis (Vakos, Nathanial kick) 9 plays, 84 yards, TOP 03:49 (OHIO 7–0)
Second Quarter
(10:49) NIU – Richardson, John 38 yd field goal 12 plays, 34 yards, TOP 05:48 (OHIO 7–3)
(04:07) NIU – Richardson, John 27 yd field goal 10 plays, 67 yards, TOP 04:41 (OHIO 7–6)
(00:19) OHIO – Vakos, Nathanial 31 yd field goal 7 plays, 61 yards, TOP 03:48 (OHIO 10–6)
Third Quarter
(10:56) NIU – Richardson, John 45 yd field goal 9 plays, 48 yards, TOP 04:04 (OHIO 10–9)
(04:16) OHIO – Rourke, Kurtis 1 yd run (Vakos, Nathanial kick) 13 plays, 81 yards, TOP 06:34 (OHIO 17–9)
(01:31) NIU – Rutkiewicz, Kacper 11 yd run (Thornton, Shemar pass) 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:45 (Tied 17–17)
Fourth Quarter
(07:00) OHIO – Wiglusz, Sam 22 yd pass from Rourke, Kurtis (Vakos, Nathanial kick) 11 plays, 90 yards, TOP 04:26 (OHIO 24–17)
Statistics
NIU
OHIO
First downs
17
20
Total yards
377
354
Rushes/yards
48/267
33/154
Passing yards
110
200
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
9–18–0
14–26–0
Time of possession
32:30
27:30
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Northern Illinois
Passing
Justin Lynch
9/18, 110 yards
Rushing
Antario Brown
16 carries, 160 yards
Receiving
Kacper Rutkiewicz
1 receptions, 41 yards
Ohio
Passing
Kurtis Rourke
14/26, 200 yards, 2 TD
Rushing
Kurtis Rourke
7 carries, 61 yards, 1 TD
Receiving
Sam Wiglusz
6 receptions, 69 yards, 2 TD
Central Michigan
1
2
3
4
Total
Chippewas
14
7
7
7
35
Huskies
0
0
7
15
22
at Western Michigan
1
2
3
4
Total
Huskies
3
7
7
7
24
Broncos
7
7
7
0
21
Miami (OH)
1
2
3
4
Total
RedHawks
2
14
10
3
29
Huskies
10
0
13
0
23
Akron
1
2
3
4
Total
Zips
0
20
7
17
44
Huskies
6
0
3
3
12
References
^ "Thomas Hammock" . NIU Athletics . Retrieved May 18, 2022 .
^ "MAC Announces 2022 Football Preseason Media Poll" . getsomemaction.com . Retrieved September 1, 2022 .
^ Olmo, Joe. "NIU picked as preseason MAC favorites" . www.wifr.com . Retrieved September 1, 2022 .
^ a b DiTullio, Joe (July 13, 2022). "Preseason All-MAC Teams" . The Game Haus . Retrieved September 1, 2022 .
^ Stoll, Michael. "Football releases 2022 schedule" . Northern Star . Retrieved September 1, 2022 .
^ "2022 Northern Illinois Football Schedule" . FBSchedules.com . Retrieved May 18, 2022 .
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