Three weeks after closing out a regular season that saw NIU pull off one of the largest upsets in college football history, the Huskies put a bow on their up-and-down season with a double overtime thriller in their final game of 2024.
The Huskies (8-5, 4-4 MAC) overcame a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat Fresno State University (6-7, 4-3 MWC) 28-20 and win the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Monday at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho, giving them their second consecutive bowl victory after narrowly beating Arkansas State University in last year’s Camellia Bowl.
After being showered with french fries in accordance with the bowl game’s traditions, head coach Thomas Hammock expressed pride in his players for their resiliency throughout the contest.
“I’m pretty emotional,” Hammock said in his postgame interview with ESPN’s Tori Petry. “These guys, they stayed committed, they stayed in the fight, and that’s what we want: a group of men that’s going to work together as a team and stay in the fight.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Holst put up the best performance of his career while making his third collegiate start in place of departed redshirt junior Ethan Hampton. Having thrown an interception on NIU’s first play from scrimmage, Holst finished with 182 passing yards and two touchdown passes to earn MVP honors. He also led the team in rushing with 65 yards on 16 carries.
“Josh (Holst) is a winner. We have complete faith in Josh,” Hammock said. “He made plays down the stretch. You saw a guy throw a pick (on) his first play of the game and then come back and respond in double overtime. The future’s bright for him.”
The Huskies fell behind early after Holst’s interception gave Fresno State short field position, leading to freshman running back Bryson Donelson’s 1-yard touchdown run. NIU senior kicker Kanon Woodill made a 29-yard field goal on the following drive to make it a 6-3 game. The Bulldogs found the end zone again nearly a minute-and-a-half later with a 13-yard scoring run by sophomore quarterback Elijah Wood.
NIU scored 10 unanswered points in the third quarter, including a highlight-reel touchdown catch by senior tight end Grayson Barnes and a 34-yard Woodill field goal, to tie the game 13-13. Meanwhile, senior safety Nate Valcarcel recorded his fourth interception of the season for the team’s only takeaway.
With the game still even in the its final seconds and Fresno State deep into NIU territory, the Huskies seemed destined to suffer a heartbreaking loss as Bulldogs junior kicker Dylan Lynch lined up for the game-winning, 35-yard field goal on the final play of regulation.
But then, Lynch missed his kick wide left to send the game into overtime, it being his third miss of the day. He had previously missed from 49 and 42 yards – the latter attempt coming after Fresno State blocked an NIU punt in the final seconds of the first half.
Fresno State struck first in overtime with a three-play touchdown drive before NIU responded with a second touchdown catch by Barnes. The Huskies’ then doubled up with a quick 25-yard touchdown pass from freshman wide receiver George Dimopoulos to redshirt sophomore wide receiver Dane Pardridge on the first play of the second overtime period. NIU then deployed some trickery on the ensuing 2-point attempt, running the famed “Philly Special” trick play as Dimopoulus connected with Holst for the successful conversion to take a 28-20 lead.
Needing one last defensive stand to seal the win, the Huskies’ strongest unit came through in the big moment. After allowing just one yard in three plays, senior safety Jordan Hansen sacked Wood on fourth down to end the game.
“What a tremendous game,” Hammock said. “Our players really fought back. Proud of our coaches … What a way to end the season.”
With the result, NIU moves to 2-1 in bowl games under Hammock’s leadership and sends off its 30-man senior class with one final victory for their college careers.
“It’s so awesome to get these seniors a win,” Holst said. “That was the whole goal, was to send these seniors off on the right note.”
