DeKALB – It’s been almost two weeks since NIU shocked the college football world with its upset of then-No. 5 University of Notre Dame.
Now, the Huskies have put that historic upset in South Bend, Indiana, in the rear-view mirror as they shift their attention to Saturday’s Mid-American Conference opener against the University at Buffalo.
“I know to the outside world, people are still talking about that game,” head coach Thomas Hammock said. “We moved on last week. It’s great for the university, great for the athletic department, great for the football program. But we have a job to do to make sure we can play our best football on Saturday.”
NIU (2-0) will host Buffalo (2-1) at Huskie Stadium to open MAC play for both teams. It will be the first time the Bulls have visited Huskie Stadium since the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season. Buffalo walked away with a 49-30 win to secure its second-ever victory over NIU in the all-time series between the conference rivals.
Coming off their first true bye week since 2019, Hammock said the team used the extra time to conduct some self-scouting, including redshirt junior quarterback Ethan Hampton.
After winning the starting job in the offseason, Hampton prepares to make his third start of the season. Though it’s only been two games, Hampton said he’s grown a lot since last season.
“I’m making better decisions than I have in the past,” Hampton said. “That’s in part to the comfortability that I have in the offense … When you’re comfortable and confident, it makes you play way better.”
Hampton leads the country in passing efficiency (235.86) and yards per pass attempt (13.49). The Huskie veteran has completed 28-of-39 passes for 526 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions in two games.
NIU’s defense has allowed less than 20 points in each of its first two games. The Huskies boast the conference’s top-ranked defense as the only team to allow less than 300 yards per game – currently averaging 292 yards.
After having two weeks off, senior cornerback JaVaughn Byrd emphasized the need for defenders to remain consistent in their technique and to stay sharp, play-in and play-out.
“You can’t have mental lapses, you can’t take plays off,” Byrd said. “Because those end up (as) touchdowns and points on the board.”
VETERAN-LED OPPONENT
NIU will see a familiar face on the opposing sideline in Buffalo’s new head coach Pete Lembo. Before serving as the special teams coordinator at the University of South Carolina for the past three seasons, Lembo was the head coach at Ball State University from 2011 to 2015. The Lembo-led Cardinals lost all five meetings with the Huskies.
Buffalo was picked to finish 10th in the 2024 MAC Football Coaches Preseason Poll. Hammock views the ranking as an underestimation of a team under veteran leadership.
“Coach Lembo and his track record of coaching would lead you to believe they were ranked wrong,” said Hammock, who met Lembo during the MAC’s media day event in July. “He is a great football coach … and just by talking to him, you know how intelligent he is and how good a football coach he is … so I know he’s going to have his team prepared.”
Buffalo senior quarterback C.J. Ogbonna will lead the Bulls offense in his fourth start under center. Ogbonna is 34-of-66 passing for 435 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. The former Southeast Missouri State University transfer also has 19 carries for 42 yards and a touchdown.
On defense, Buffalo’s front seven is anchored by two of the MAC’s top-three tacklers in graduate student linebacker Shaun Dolac (43 tackles) and redshirt sophomore linebacker Red Murdock (29 tackles). Meanwhile, graduate student All-American safety Marcus Fuqua heads up the defensive secondary.
While some excitement from beating Notre Dame and joining the national rankings still lingers around NIU, the objective within the program remains the same as ever: win the week.
“We try to be the best team we can be this week,” Hammock said. “They have a goal: be 1-0. That’s all that matters.”
