As the Convocation Center erupted Saturday night, there were about 500 NIU fans ecstatic for their victorious Huskies.

You couldn’t help but think, “Is this really Northern Illinois University?”

When NIU upset Associated Press No. 21 Alabama 19-16, there were about another 500 NIU fans at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Two “upsets” of Top 25 teams en route to NIU starting the year 3-0 for the first time since 1988 – this couldn’t be.

After the game, an announcement on the loudspeaker rang through the Convo Center, letting everyone know that the team would arrive back in DeKalb at 3 a.m. on Sunday. But who cares, right?

Well, sure enough at 4:05 a.m. there were about 40 people in front of Huskie Stadium waiting to greet the victorious Huskies.

The newly ranked No. 20 (AP) team took the glory in stride. But they should’ve – they’re from the MAC, after all.

The MAC, you say?

Yes, the MAC.

All Saturday night, ESPN hyped and promoted the Mid-American Conference, enough to make MAC Commissioner Rick Chryst check his pants.

Along with NIU, Marshall and Toledo also beat Top 25 teams.

The Thundering Herd topped No. 6 Kansas State, 27-20, while the Rockets beat No. 9 Pittsburgh, 35-31.

On top of that, Miami-Ohio dismantled a very good Colorado State team, 41-21. If Bowling Green had beat No. 5 Ohio State – which the Falcons came very close to doing – the MAC should’ve been named the sixth BCS conference on the spot.

Far-fetched idea? ESPN GameDay host Chris Fowler playfully joked about it happening Saturday night. That’s how these things start.

The talk of NIU and the MAC from the ESPN GameDay crew didn’t stop there.

Chris Fowler: “To beat three non-conference teams – two of the games on the road – for any team to do that, that is a landmark day and the biggest thing that has happened this month in college football … Northern Illinois will be ranked. They have to be.”

Kirk Herbstreit: “This is the biggest day in the history of this conference. This is not a fluke.”

Former NIU coach (1984) Lee Corso even managed to take notice when he talked about the parity that is taking over college football.

NIU senior running back Michael Turner was proclaimed as a legitimate Heisman candidate. “The Burner” ran for 156 yards despite ‘Bama’s defensive line being a couple dozen Big Macs bigger than NIU’s.

Alabama’s Heisman hopeful running back Shaud Williams didn’t crack the 100-yard barrier (96 yards), despite breaking free for a 54-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

NIU quarterback Josh Haldi continued to show that he’s just what Dr. Novak ordered with his consistent, accurate style. And when Haldi does choose to go the way of sophomore wide receiver Shatone Powers, good things always happen.

When Powers caught an acrobatic 12-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, he continued to illustrate that when the ball is thrown somewhere near him, it’s as good as a reception.

After NIU’s sizzling-hot start this year, there couldn’t have been a better way for the ESPN GameDay crew to end the night:

That’s when an ESPN anchor in the studio tried some equally sizzling Turner the Burner Hot Sauce.

NIU has arrived.