The 2025 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Huskies were led by Thomas Hammock in his seventh year as the head coach. The Huskies played home games at Huskie Stadium, located in DeKalb, Illinois. They finished the season 3–9, 2–6 in MAC play to finish a tie for 11th place.
In February of 2026, Thomas Hammock left the school to join the Seattle Seahawks staff. The school promoted defensive coordinator Rob Harley to interim head coach.
This was the Huskies' last season competing in the MAC as the program joined the Mountain West Conference as football-only members beginning with the 2026 season.
Offseason Transfers Outgoing Akim LanieuxWRArizona StateChase SchuttyTEDrakeAndre CobbDBFresno StateEthan TierneySFresno StateEthan HamptonQBIllinoisAmariyun KnightenDBIndianaRaishein ThomasDEMississippi StateNevaeh SandersDEMississippi StateCam ThompsonWRMississippi StateSantana BannerSMissouriJalen JohnsonWRNew HampshireKenny LuethQBNorthern ColoradoDane PardridgeWRRutgersLuke MarbleQBSouth Dakota StateDashaun GibsonDBSouthern IllinoisKyle ThomasWRSouthern IllinoisSkyler Gill-HowardDLTexas TechTrayvon RudolphWRToledoChristian MedlockOLToledoKeyshaun PipkinWRUT MartinIsaac HatfieldLSUTSAGrayson BarnesTEWest VirginiaCam'Ron DabneyDBWestern CarolinaChristian FuhrmanLBUnknownJalonnie WilliamsDEWithdrawn
Incoming Chavon WrightRBCharlestonAndrew GlassKKent StateThomas McCoyWRMarshallKeshawn LyonsCBMcKendreeRoss PedroLSSouthern IllinoisMiles ThompsonCBTexas TechAlvin Gulley Jr.DLYale
Preseason
The MAC Football Kickoff was held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan from 9:00 am EDT to 1:30 pm EDT.
Preseason polls
Coaches Poll On July 24 the MAC announced the preseason coaches' poll.
MAC Coaches poll 1 Toledo 135 (7) 2 Miami 131 (3) 3 Ohio 123 (3) 4 Buffalo 115 5 Northern Illinois 94 6 Bowling Green 81 7 Western Michigan 71 8 Eastern Michigan 68 9 Central Michigan 65 10 Ball State 41 T11 Akron 39 T11 Massachusetts 39 13 Kent State 12
Coaches poll (MAC Championship) 1 Toledo 6 2 Miami 4 3 Ohio 3
Schedule
Game summaries
Holy Cross (FCS)
Statistics HC NIU First downs 11 17 Plays–yards 55–217 72–287 Rushes–yards 26–62 48–178 Passing yards 155 109 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–29–1 14–24–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 26:34 33:26 Team Category Player StatisticsHoly Cross Passing Cal Swanson 17/29, 155 yards, TD, INT Rushing Cal Swanson 12 carries, 51 yards Receiving Max Mosey 6 receptions, 71 yards Northern Illinois Passing Josh Holst 12/18, 101 yards, INT Rushing Chavon Wright 11 carries, 77 yards, TD Receiving Dearee Rogers 7 receptions, 73 yards
at Maryland
Statistics NIUMD First downs 13 20 Plays–yards 70–271 64–340 Rushes–yards 48–180 28–86 Passing yards 91 254 Passing: –– 14–22–0 19–36–0 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 33:35 26:25 Team Category Player Statistics Northern Illinois Passing Josh Holst 14/22, 91 yards Rushing Chavon Wright 27 carries, 90 yards Receiving Gary Givens 2 receptions, 26 yards Maryland Passing Malik Washington 19/35, 254 yards, 2 TD Rushing Nolan Ray 11 carries, 50 yards Receiving Dorian Fleming 4 receptions, 70 yards, TD
at Mississippi State
Statistics NIUMSST First downs 14 23 Plays–yards 52–267 69–452 Rushes–yards 27–125 49–292 Passing yards 142 160 Passing: comp–att–int 15–25–1 12–20–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 28:05 31:55 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Illinois Passing Josh Holst 14/23, 135 yards, TD, INT Rushing Chavon Wright 13 carries, 47 yards Receiving DeAree Rogers 6 receptions, 84 yards, TDMississippi State Passing Blake Shapen 12/20, 160 yards, TD Rushing Fluff Bothwell 17 carries, 101 yards Receiving Anthony Evans III 4 receptions, 80 yards
San Diego State
Statistics SDSU NIU First downs 19 10 Plays–yards 66–266 57–179 Rushes–yards 44–151 41–122 Passing yards 115 57 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–22–2 7–16–1 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 31:18 28:42 Team Category Player StatisticsSan Diego State Passing Jayden Denegal 13/20, 110 yards, 2 INT Rushing Lucky Sutton 17 carries, 88 yards Receiving Jordan Napier 6 receptions, 52 yardsNorthern Illinois Passing Josh Holst 6/14, 49 yards Rushing Telly Johnson Jr. 16 carries, 53 yards Receiving DeAree Rogers 5 receptions, 51 yards
Miami (OH)
Statistics M-OH NIU First downs 22 11 Plays–yards 76–367 51–220 Rushes–yards 50–197 23–114 Passing yards 170 106 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 14–26–0 13–28–1 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 39:06 20:54 Team Category Player StatisticsMiami (OH) Passing Dequan Finn 14/26, 170 yards, TD Rushing Dequan Finn 21 carries, 90 yards Receiving Kam Perry 3 receptions, 76 yardsNorthern Illinois Passing Brady Davidson 13/28, 106 yards, TD, INT Rushing Lazaro Rogers 9 carries, 98 yards, TD Receiving Dearee Rogers 4 receptions, 40 yards
at Eastern Michigan
Statistics NIU EMU First downs 15 17 Plays–yards 65–332 70–296 Rushes–yards 39–238 38–149 Passing yards 94 147 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–26–1 19–32–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:54 30:06 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Illinois Passing Brady Davidson 11/26, 94 yards, INT Rushing Telly Johnson Jr. 12 carries, 159 yards, TD Receiving Gary Givens 3 receptions, 42 yardsEastern Michigan Passing Noah Kim 19/32, 147 yards, TD, INT Rushing Dontae McMillan 23 carries, 104 yards Receiving Joshua Long 5 receptions, 52 yards, TD
at Ohio
Statistics NIUOHIO First downs 15 27 Plays–yards 56–293 75–538 Rushes–yards 26–132 52–333 Passing yards 161 205 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 21–30–0 17–23–1 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 24:10 35:50 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Illinois Passing Josh Holst 21/29, 161 yards, 2 TD Rushing Telly Johnson Jr. 11 carries, 64 yards Receiving DeAree Rogers 7 receptions, 107 yards, TDOhio Passing Parker Navarro 17/23, 205 yards, INT Rushing Sieh Bangura 22 carries, 147 yards, 3 TD Receiving Chase Hendricks 10 receptions, 108 yards
Ball State (Bronze Stalk Trophy)
Statistics BALL NIU First downs 15 17 Plays–yards 66–275 68–370 Rushes–yards 43–139 57–305 Passing yards 136 65 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10-23-2 6-11-1 Turnovers 3 3 Time of possession 29:30 30:30 Team Category Player StatisticsBall State Passing Kiael Kelly 10/23, 136 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Kiael Kelly 27 carries, 86 yards Receiving Ty Robinson 3 receptions, 37 yardsNorthern Illinois Passing Josh Holst 6/11, 65 yards, TD, INT Rushing Chavon Wright 27 carries, 166 yards Receiving DeAree Rogers 3 receptions, 43 yards, TD
at Toledo
Statistics NIU TOL First downs 13 23 Plays–yards 65–203 62–443 Rushes–yards 36–62 29–134 Passing yards 141 309 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–29–0 25–33–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 29:42 30:18 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Illinois Passing Josh Holst 5/13, 87 yards Rushing Chavon Wright 11 carries, 21 yards Receiving Rickey Taylor Jr. 3 receptions, 69 yardsToledo Passing Tucker Gleason 25/31, 309 yards, 2 TD Rushing Chip Trayanum 11 carries, 36 yards, TD Receiving Junior Vandeross III 6 receptions, 97 yards, TD
at UMass
Statistics NIU MASS First downs 22 17 Plays–yards 63–433 67–262 Rushes–yards 55–318 25–65 Passing yards 115 197 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 6–8–0 25–42–0 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 33:41 26:19 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Illinois Passing Jalen Macon 3/4, 73 yards, TD Rushing Jalen Macon 12 carries, 98 yards, 3 TD Receiving Elijah Porter 1 reception, 67 yards, TDUMass Passing Brandon Rose 11/20, 101 yards Rushing AJ Hairston 3 carries, 23 yards Receiving Jacquon Gibson 6 receptions, 64 yards
Western Michigan
Statistics WMU NIU First downs 25 13 Plays–yards 68–393 58–252 Rushes–yards 59–361 43–174 Passing yards 32 78 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 5–9–1 6–15–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 33:49 26:11 Team Category Player StatisticsWestern Michigan Passing Broc Lowry 5/9, 32 yards, INT Rushing Jalen Buckley 24 carries, 133 yards, 2 TD Receiving Christian Leary 2 receptions, 17 yardsNorthern Illinois Passing Brady Davidson 5/8, 73 yards, TD Rushing Chavon Wright 21 carries, 92 yards Receiving Rickey Taylor Jr. 3 receptions, 53 yards, TD
Kent State
Statistics KENT NIU First downs 20 21 Plays–yards 58–438 68–334 Rushes–yards 36–231 58–307 Passing yards 207 27 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–22—1 5–10–0 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 28:09 31:51 Team Category Player StatisticsKent State Passing Dru DeShiels 11/22, 207 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Gavin Garcia 24 carries, 151 yards, TD Receiving Da'Shawn Martin 3 receptions, 91 yards, TDNorthern Illinois Passing Jalen Macon 5/10, 27 yards Rushing Chavon Wright 30 carries, 185 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jason Fowler 2 receptions, 14 yards
References