COLLEGE PARK, Md. — It’s a dark, humid Friday night under the lights at SECU Stadium. The Mighty Sound of Maryland roars in triumph after a home victory in front of a crowd of 35,331. Inside a workroom nearby, NIU football head coach Thomas Hammock...

Under Friday night lights, NIU football (1-0) fell short against the University of Maryland Terrapins (1-0), losing 20-9.  FIRST HALF Receiving the kickoff and beginning their drive at their own 10-yard line, Maryland got off to a sluggish start...

Following a narrow, season-opening victory over the College of the Holy Cross on Saturday, NIU owns the third-longest active winning streak in the FBS at three games. The Huskies will try to extend that streak this week as they hit the road to face a...

DeKALB — Thursday marks 21 years since the last time NIU and Maryland met on the gridiron. On Sept. 4, 2004, the Huskies trailed the 22nd-ranked Terrapins 23-20 in College Park, Maryland, with one last chance left on offense and 2:04 left to play. Backup...

Each week during the college football season, the Northern Star will recap the most interesting NIU grades published by Pro Football Focus, a sports analytics company that evaluates every player on every play of every game. Season and single-game grades...

DeKALB — For most of his tenure as NIU’s head football coach, Thomas Hammock didn’t enjoy wins. Not even Notre Dame. But after the Huskies’ latest victory, Hammock said he plans to appreciate them a lot more. NIU survived a season-opening scare...

DeKALB — The Huskies earned their first win of the season on Saturday, defeating the Holy Cross Crusaders in a close 19-17 victory.  FIRST HALF NIU opened the game on offense. Over the game’s first possession, the Huskies completed a first down...

DeKALB — Each year, many NFL players are faced with the same harsh reality: They won’t live out their dream of playing on Sundays. Nearly 1,200 players are displaced by the league’s annual cutdown process as all 32 teams slash their rosters from...

DeKALB — When NIU football head coach Thomas Hammock watched Holy Cross nearly pull off an upset at Boston College two years ago, he remembers thinking to himself, “Now, who would put Holy Cross on our schedule?” Just a week earlier, the Huskies...

As it prepares to close the book on its near-30-year run in the Mid-American Conference, the NIU football team has one departing wish: to stand atop the mountaintop of MACtion, one last time. After an intense overhaul to the roster and coaching staff,...

DeKALB — The long wait is almost over. Football season is upon us once again. Months after capping an 8-5 season with a thrilling double-overtime victory in Idaho, NIU football returns to the gridiron this week. The Huskies will kick off their 124th...