Northern Illinois University’s football game at Northwestern on Saturday, Sept. 6 will kick off at 2:30 and be televised by the Big Ten Network. The game will be played at Ryan Field in Evanston. NIU will open the 2014 season on August 28th at Huskie Stadium versus Presbyterian, before making the short trip to Evanston for the first of three consecutive non-conference road games in September.
The Huskies and Wildcats will meet for just the eighth time ever and for the first time since 2005, when Northwestern denied NIU its first win in the series by a 38-37 margin. After the Huskies scoring a touchdown with six seconds to play, the two-point conversion pass fell incomplete as legendary coach Joe Novak went for the win. Tailback Garrett Wolfe (225 yards on 34 carries, 3 TDs) and quarterback Phil Horvath (24-of-36 for 283 yards, 1 TD) led the Huskies to 534 yards of total offense that day but NIU could not overcome a 21-point second quarter by the Wildcats.
Overall, Northwestern owns a 6-0-1 lead in the series. In 1987, the game ended in a 16-16 tie.
Tickets for the Sept. 6 NIU game at Northwestern and for every home and away game in 2014 can be purchased through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office by calling 815-753-PACK (7225), in person at the NIU Convocation Center between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by completing the form online at www.NIUHuskies.com