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.
Preseason
Award watch lists Lott TrophySutton SmithDE JRRimington TrophyLuke ShivelyCSRChuck Bednarik AwardSutton SmithDEJRBronko Nagurski TrophySutton SmithDEJROutland TrophyMax ScharpingTSRWuerffel TrophyMax ScharpingTSRTed Hendricks AwardSutton 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.
Schedule
Game summaries
At Iowa
1–8 August 31, 2013 NIU, 30–27
Utah
First meeting
Central Michigan
15–17 November 24, 2017 CMU, 31–24
At Florida State
0–1 January 1, 2013 FSU, 31–10
At Eastern Michigan
24–5–2 October 26, 2017 NIU, 30–27
At Ball State
17–18 November 9, 2017 NIU, 63–17
Ohio
11–10 November 24, 2015 OHIO, 26–21
At BYU
First meeting
At Akron
8–5 October 12, 2013 NIU, 27–20
Toledo
14–30 November 2, 2017 TOL, 27–17
Miami (OH)
9–8 October 17, 2015 NIU, 45–12
At Western Michigan
19–23 November 15, 2018 NIU, 35–31
vs Buffalo (MAC Championship Game)
11–1 October 14, 2017 NIU, 14–13
vs UAB (Boca Raton Bowl)
First Meeting
Coaching staff Rod Carey Head coach 8 Jeff Knowles Def. Coord./lb coach 6 Mike Uremovich Off. Coord./Asst. Head Coach/TE/fb coach3 Steve Crutchley WR Coach 2 Craig Harmon QB Coach 7 Melvin Rice CB Coach 4 Joe Tripodi OL Coach/Run Game Coord. 9Walter StewartDL Coach1Tyler YelkSafeties Coach1Jake LandryRB Coach1Dan SabockSpecial Teams Coord.1
Players drafted into the NFL
2 55 Max Scharping Offensive tackle Houston Texans 6 175 Sutton Smith Linebacker Pittsburgh Steelers
References