Northern Illinois Huskies 2026 College Football Preview
Posted June 18, 2026
2025 Recap
Record – 3-9
ATS – 3-9
“It’s a bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see if it pays off for ’em.”
<Pepper Brooks>
<Dodgeball, 2004>
The once‑proud program took it on the chin for the third time in six years, failing to clear even three wins. Yup — the SWAN SONG in the MAC was pretty freaking ugly. Their only victories came against a trio of TOMATO CANS in Holy Cross, Ball State, and UMass, and that’s not exactly the résumé of a team ready to conquer new lands.
Now they’re off to the Mountain West, and that’s a clear rise in class. New geography, new opponents, new travel demands — and a whole lot fewer freebies on the schedule. Time to check in on the Huskies and see how things look heading into 2026.
Northern Illinois Huskies 2026 Outlook
OFFENSE
2025 By The Numbers (MAC):
- Scoring Offense: 17.1 PPG (#11 MAC)
- Total Offense: 285.9 YPG (#11 MAC)
- Rushing: 187.1 YPG (#3 MAC)
- Passing: 98.8 YPG (#13 MAC)
- Sacks Allowed: 19 (#3 MAC)
Watching Northern Illinois attempt to throw a forward pass was painful. People haven’t been that sick since watching the acceptance speeches at this year’s OSCARS. The Huskies finished #134 in the FBS in passing offense, rubbing elbows with Army and Navy — not exactly the company you want to keep in 2026. Even worse, it looks like they’re rolling with holdovers Jalen Macon and Brady Davidson, who combined to complete fewer than 50% of their passes and posted a 4–3 TD/INT mark.
The good news? The RB room is legit. We’re big fans of Telly Johnson Jr. (712 yards, 5.7 YPC, 4 TD), a dood who can absolutely handle RB1 duties. They’ve got some big‑bodied depth behind him, though experience is thin.
As disgusting as the passing attack was in 2025, they do have a real #1 wideout in DeAree Rogers (506, 3 TD), and Cam Thompson returns after a CUP OF COFFEE with Mississippi State (391, 3 TD in 2024). What they desperately need is one or two new faces to add some SPICE to the offense. Keep an eye on sophomore Rickey Taylor Jr. — he’s raw, but there’s real breakout potential with more reps.
The offensive line did some good work last season, but only two starters return. We like the size across the board, and they appear set at center (Landon Hron) and LT (Ross Liegel), but the rest of the unit is a “trust the process” situation under new OL coach Matt White (Southern Utah).
DEFENSE
2025 By The Numbers (MAC):
- Scoring Defense: 24.3 PPG (#7 MAC)
- Total Defense: 357.3 YPG (#8 MAC)
- Rush Defense: 183.3 YPG (#10 MAC)
- Pass Defense: 173.9 YPG (#2 MAC)
- Sacks: 14 (#11 MAC)
The stop unit didn’t perform terribly last year, but the run defense was a major disappointment, and now things get even dicier. The Huskies lose — wait for it — their top 14 tacklers, including star LB Quinn Urwiler, who somehow booked 141 tackles and 7.5 TFL in 2025.
The two‑deep up front is a total rebuild, and the staff SCOURED THE GLOBE for transfer specimens. To their credit, they found some interesting doods. There’s legit size on the interior, and they added promising DE Mathias Smith‑Davis, who posted 10 sacks at something known as Central State last year. Let’s see if he can handle the massive step up in class.
We’re very concerned about the LB room. It was gutted, and losing Urwiler — a one‑man tackling economy — leaves a crater. It’s a green group, but keep your eye on true freshman Jack Murray, who might have the pedigree to step in at MLB right away. That’s asking a lot, but desperate times, yo. The rebuilt secondary looks like a problem area as well, with very few proven commodities on board. We do like the addition of CB Yassine Falke, who showed a real nose for the ball at Marion University last season (5 INT).
SPECIAL TEAMS
Yippee! We’ve actually got some good news to report. The Huskies retain punter Jake Ference and KR Dev’ion Reynolds (25.3 YPR, TD), and they also landed a gem at PK in Ryan Short, who drilled 15/16 FG attempts last year with Butler. That’s a legit building block trio for a team that desperately needs stability somewhere — anywhere — on the roster.
Schedule Analysis
Overall — They’ll get BLASTED at Iowa and Arizona in non‑conference action, but the other two games are very winnable. It’s a blessing to avoid New Mexico in Mountain West play, and with a few of the softer conference foes coming to DeKalb, they might just be able to pick off a couple of unsuspecting visitors.
Potential ATS Trouble Spot – at North Dakota St (Nov 21)
The season is likely to have no meaning at this point and they’ve gotta travel to a nasty road venue. Check it, yo: North Dakota St is 80-6 at home over the L10Y.
Season Win Total
Market consensus – June 18
Over 3.5 -135
Under 3.5 +105
MEGALOCKS says:
No leanage.
That number looks about right, and there are too many question marks to have a firm opinion.
Note – Our official list of season win total investments will be posted in the blog section of the website.
MEGAmazing Tidbits
When NIU was being chosen as a new state normal school in 1895, DeKalb had one big problem: no impressive body of water. So the townspeople dammed the Kishwaukee River to make it look wider and even planted a fisherman in a rowboat to sell the illusion to the visiting selection committee. The first great NIU tradition was CATFISHING the state of Illinois, bay‑bee. Folklore or fact, it’s hilarious either way.
In February 2026, Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock resigned to join the Seattle Seahawks as their running backs coach and senior offensive assistant. Hammock, who had led the Huskies since 2019, left voluntarily to return to the NFL after seven seasons at his alma mater. Defensive coordinator Rob Harley was named interim head coach for the 2026 season.
MEGALOCKS Forecast:
We don’t care if it’s Rob Harley, BOB MARLEY, or Chris Farley — it’s gonna be a tough first season in the Mountain West. The QB situation has the potential to be another eye sore, and it’s hard to know what to expect from a completely rebuilt stop unit. The schedule is fair, so they’ll be able to pick up a few wins, but we don’t see them qualifying for a bowl bid this season. Expect better in 2027.
Huskies, come on you Huskies!