2021 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

The 2021 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by third-year head coach Thomas Hammock, the Huskies compiled an overall record of 9–5 with a mark of 6–2 in conference playing, sharing the MAC's West Division title with Central Michigan. By virtue of a head-to-head win over Central Michigan, Northern Illinois advanced to the MAC Championship Game and defeated Kent State to win the program's six MAC championship.^[1] The Huskies invited to the Cure Bowl, where they lost to Coastal Carolina on December 17.^[2][3] The team played home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.

2021 Northern Illinois Huskies football
MAC champion MAC West Division co-champion
MAC Championship Game, W 41–23 vs. Kent State
Cure Bowl, L 41–47 vs. Coastal Carolina
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	West Division
Record	9–5 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach	Thomas Hammock (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Eric Eidsness (3rd season)
Offensive scheme	Multiple
Defensive coordinator	Derrick Jackson (3rd season)
Base defense	4–2–5
Home stadium	Huskie Stadium
Seasons ← 2020 2022 →

2021 Mid-American Conference football standings

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
Kent State xy		6	–	2					7	–	7
Miami (OH)		5	–	3					7	–	6
Ohio		3	–	5					3	–	9
Bowling Green		2	–	6					4	–	8
Buffalo		2	–	6					4	–	8
Akron		1	–	7					2	–	10
West Division
Northern Illinois xy$		6	–	2					9	–	5
Central Michigan x		6	–	2					9	–	4
Toledo		5	–	3					7	–	6
Ball State		4	–	4					6	–	7
Eastern Michigan		4	–	4					7	–	6
Western Michigan		4	–	4					8	–	5
Championship: Northern Illinois 41, Kent State 23
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant

On November 9, the school announced that Hammock had signed a contract extension through the 2026 season.^[4] With their win over Buffalo on November 17, the Huskies clinched the West Division championship and a berth in the MAC Championship Game.^[5]

Offseason

Transfers

As a result of the limited season in 2020 due to COVID-19, the NCAA granted a waiver to allow athletes to transfer to another school and be eligible immediately without having to sit out a season.^[6] In April 2021, the NCAA further made one-time transfers for all college athletes to be eligible immediately.^[7] As a result, transfers were much more common this year than in prior years.

Michigan State quarterback Rocky Lombardi, who started six games for the Spartans in 2020, announced he would transfer to Northern Illinois.^[8][9]

Preseason

In the league's annual preseason poll, the Huskies were picked to finish in last place in the West.^[10]

Schedule

The Huskies played Maine and Wyoming at home while traveling to Georgia Tech and Michigan for non-conference games in 2021.^[11][12]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 4	6:30 p.m.	at Georgia Tech*	Bobby Dodd Stadium Atlanta, GA	ACCN	W 22–21	33,651
September 11	12:30 p.m.	Wyoming*	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	ESPN+	L 43–50	11,334
September 18	11:00 a.m.	at No. 25 Michigan*	Michigan Stadium Ann Arbor, MI	BTN	L 10–63	106,263
September 25	1:30 p.m.	Maine*	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	ESPN3	W 41–14	10,076
October 2	1:30 p.m.	Eastern Michigan	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	ESPN+	W 27–20	10,034
October 9	11:00 a.m.	at Toledo	Glass Bowl Toledo, OH	CBSSN	W 22–20	21,284
October 16	2:30 p.m.	Bowling Green	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	ESPN+	W 34–26	7,854
October 23	11:00 a.m.	at Central Michigan	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI	ESPNU	W 39–38	15,232
November 3	6:00 p.m.	at Kent State	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPN2	L 47–52	6,076
November 10	6:00 p.m.	Ball State	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL (Bronze Stalk Trophy)	ESPN2	W 30–29	7,894
November 17	6:00 p.m.	at Buffalo	University at Buffalo Stadium Buffalo, NY	ESPN2	W 33–27 OT	13,097
November 23	6:00 p.m.	Western Michigan	Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL	ESPNU	L 21–42	7,156
December 4	11:00 a.m.	vs. Kent State	Ford Field Detroit, MI (MAC Championship Game)	ESPN	W 41–23	10,317
December 17	5:00 p.m.	vs. Coastal Carolina*	Exploria Stadium Orlando, FL (Cure Bowl)	ESPN2	L 41–47	9,784
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings (after November 3) released prior to game All times are in Central time

^[13][14]

Rankings

Further information: 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes

	Week
Poll	Pre	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	Final
AP	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	RV
Coaches	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
CFP	Not released									—	—	—	—	—	—	Not released

Game summaries

At Georgia Tech

See also: 2021 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets football team

Quarter	1	2	3	4	Total
Northern Illinois	7	7	0	8	22
Georgia Tech	0	7	0	14	21

Game information

First Quarter (1:56) NIU – Harrison Waylee 35 yard rush, John Richardson kick (Drive: 8 plays, 74 yards, 3:42; NIU 7–0) Second Quarter (10:17) NIU – Miles Joiner 5 yard pass from Rocky Lombardi, John Richardson kick (Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards, 5:22; NIU 14–0) (0:47) GT – Kyric McGowan 22 yard pass from Jordan Yates, Brent Cimaglia kick (Drive: 17 plays, 97 yards, 6:00; NIU 14–7) Fourth Quarter (7:44) GT – Dontae Smith 15 yard rush, Brent Cimaglia kick (Drive: 5 plays, 77 yards, 2:23; 14–14) (6:32) GT – Jordan Yates 4 yard rush, Brent Cimaglia kick (Drive: 3 plays, 25 yards, 0:54; GT 21–14) (0:38) NIU – Clint Ratkovich 3 yards pass from Rocky Lombardi, Tyrice Richie pass from Rocky Lombardi (Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 2:04; NIU 22–21)

Northern Illinois Huskies (0–0) at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (0–0)

at Bobby Dodd Stadium • Atlanta, GA

• Date: Saturday, September 4, 2021
• Game time: 6:30 p.m. CDT
• Game weather: sunny • Temperature: 78°F
• Game attendance: 33,651
• Referee: Marcus Woods
• TV announcers (ACCN): Dave O'Brien, Tim Hasselbeck, Kelsey Riggs
• Pregame line: Georgia Tech -19

Statistics	NIU	GT
First downs	15	25
Total yards	301	429
Rushes/yards	42/165	52/273
Passing yards	136	156
Passing: Comp–Att–Int	11–17–0	15–26–0
Time of possession	28:55	31:05

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Northern Illinois	Passing	Rocky Lombardi	11–17, 136 yards, 2 TD
	Rushing	Harrison Waylee	27 carries, 144 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Tyrice Richie	2 receptions, 64 yards
Georgia Tech	Passing	Jordan Yates	12–18, 135 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	Jahmyr Gibbs	20 carries, 99 yards
	Receiving	Malachi Carter	6 receptions, 92 yards

At Central Michigan

Northern Illinois at Central Michigan

1 2 3 4 Total • Northern Illinois 7 11 11 10 39 Central Michigan 14 14 7 3 38 Date: October 23, 2021 Location: Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI Game start: 12:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 15,232 Television network: ESPNU

See also: 2021 Central Michigan Chippewas football team

Pregame line	Over/under
CMU –6.0	56.0

Statistics	Northern Illinois	Central Michigan
First downs	25	25
Total yards	548	500
Rushing yards	197	189
Passing yards	351	311
Turnovers	0	1
Time of possession	36:09	23:51

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Northern Illinois	Passing	Rocky Lombardi	17/27, 348 yards, 3 TDs
	Rushing	Jay Ducker	31 carries, 183 yards
	Receiving	Trayvon Rudolph	6 receptions, 160 yards, 2 TDs
Central Michigan	Passing	Daniel Richardson	23/36, 289 yards, 3 TDs
	Rushing	Lew Nichols III	22 carries, 192 yards, 2 TDs
	Receiving	Kalil Pimpleton	6 receptions, 130 yards, 1 TD

At Kent State

Northern Illinois at Kent State

1 2 3 4 Total Northern Illinois 7 14 6 20 47 • Kent State 0 31 14 7 52 Date: November 3, 2021 Location: Dix Stadium Kent, OH Game start: 7:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 6,076 Television network: ESPN2

See also: 2021 Kent State Golden Flashes football team

Pregame line	Over/under
KENT –3.5	72.0

Statistics	Northern Illinois	Kent State
First downs	32	31
Total yards	663	682
Rushing yards	131	360
Passing yards	532	322
Turnovers	1	0
Time of possession	35:04	24:56

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Northern Illinois	Passing	Rocky Lombardi	33/57, 532 yards, 3 TDs
	Rushing	Jay Ducker	19 carries, 101 yards, 2 TDs
	Receiving	Trayvon Rudolph	14 receptions, 309 yards, 3 TDs
Kent State	Passing	Dustin Crum	20/30, 322 yards, 2 TDs
	Rushing	Marquez Cooper	23 carries, 173 yards, 2 TDs
	Receiving	Dante Cephas	5 receptions, 124 yards

Ball State (Bronze Stalk Trophy)

Bronze Stalk Trophy

1 2 3 4 Total Ball State 10 7 9 3 29 • Northern Illinois 0 17 3 10 30 Date: November 10, 2021 Location: Huskie Stadium DeKalb, IL Game start: 7:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 7,894 Television network: ESPN2

See also: 2021 Ball State Cardinals football team and Bronze Stalk Trophy

Pregame line	Over/under
BALL –3.0	59.0

Statistics	Ball State	Northern Illinois
First downs	17	26
Total yards	372	475
Rushing yards	246	211
Passing yards	126	264
Turnovers	0	2
Time of possession	23:16	36:44

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Ball State	Passing	Drew Plitt	11/26, 126 yards, 1 TD
	Rushing	Carson Steele	21 carries, 109 yards
	Receiving	Jalen McGaughy	1 reception, 45 yards
Northern Illinois	Passing	Rocky Lombardi	23/38, 264 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT
	Rushing	Jay Ducker	24 carries, 155 yards, 1 TD
	Receiving	Trayvon Rudolph	8 receptions, 108 yards

Vs. Kent State (MAC Championship game)

MAC Championship Game

1 2 3 4 Total Kent State 0 0 10 13 23 • Northern Illinois 10 7 7 17 41 Date: December 4, 2021 Location: Ford Field Detroit, MI Game start: 12:00 p.m. EST Game attendance: 10,317 Television network: ESPN

See also: 2021 Kent State Golden Flashes football team and 2021 MAC Championship Game

Pregame line	Over/under
KENT –3.5	75.5

Statistics	Kent State	Northern Illinois
First downs	24	28
Total yards	391	368
Rushing yards	195	266
Passing yards	196	102
Turnovers	2	1
Time of possession	19:59	40:01

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Kent State	Passing	Dustin Crum	11/21, 128 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs
	Rushing	Xavier Williams	8 carries, 93 yards
	Receiving	Dante Cephas	7 receptions, 102 yards
Northern Illinois	Passing	Rocky Lombardi	7/15, 102 yards, 1 INT
	Rushing	Jay Ducker	29 carries, 146 yards
	Receiving	Trayvon Rudolph	3 receptions, 50 yards