NIU HUSKIES FOOTBALL 2016
San Diego State Aztecs (2-0) at NIU Huskies (0-2)
DeKalb, Illinois | Huskie Stadium | 23,595
Saturday, September 17, 2016 | 2:30 p.m. | CBS Sports Network
HUSKIE BITES
Ÿ After opening the season with back-to-back road games at Wyoming and USF, NIU plays host to San Diego State in its 2016 home opener at Huskie Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Ÿ The Huskies and Aztecs have met four times, although just twice since NIU started playing “Major College” (FBS) football in 1969. San Diego State has won all four meetings, most recently a 30-10 decision in San Diego in 1971.
Ÿ NIU has had a different player score touchdowns both rushing and receiving in its first two games. After Kenny Golladay scored three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) at Wyoming, Aregeros Turner scored both rushing and receiving last week at USF.
Ÿ The Huskies have won 35 of their last 37 games played at Huskie Stadium dating back to Oct. 3, 2009. That includes a school-record 27-game winning streak from 2009 to 2014.
Ÿ NIU is looking for its first sack, and its first defensive turnover, of 2016. The Huskies’ lone forced turnover came on a fumbled punt by USF. The NIU offense has committed just one turnover, a fumble at Wyoming.
Ÿ The winningest (D1) program in Illinois all-time, the Huskies have played in a FBS record six straight MAC Championship games and a league record eight consecutive bowl games.
Ÿ Rod Carey is in on his fourth season as NIU head coach with a 31-13 career record to rank sixth all-time at NIU in wins.
Ÿ NIU’s three-overtime game at Wyoming was the longest in school history and dropped NIU’s record in overtime games overall to 5-3.
Ÿ Off the field, NIU ranks tied for 11th nationally among FBS programs in Graduation Success Rate and is tied for third among public FBS institutions. Its 86 percent rate is 14 points above the FBS average.
