NIU pulls off monumental upset against No. 5 Notre Dame, marking the largest victory in the institution's history.
Kanon Woodill's 35-yard field goal with 31 seconds left put the Huskies ahead by two points, and Cade Haberman blocking Notre Dame's 62-yard field goal attempt sealed the 16-14 triumph for Northern Illinois.
This was the Huskies' maiden victory over a top-five ranked opponent, with the NBC commentary team dubbing it as the "most significant upset" in the school's history.
An emotional Thomas Hammock, the Huskies' head coach, expressed his pride towards the team upon speaking with NBC. "I'm just so proud of these kids, our coaches, everybody. They believed, and we came here and got it done," he said. He further emphasized, "They listened to me all week, I told them we don't need luck, we just need to be our best, and they were their best today."
Saturday saw Notre Dame take the lead, but the Huskies responded strongly with an 83-yard touchdown pass from Ethan Hampton to Antario Brown, followed by two field goals from Woodill, giving them a six-point advantage.
Notre Dame countered with a 34-yard touchdown run from Jeremiyah Love, taking the lead midway through the third quarter.
When the Huskies trailed with under six minutes remaining in the game, Amariyun Knighten intercepted Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, returning it 30 yards to Notre Dame's 50-yard line. The Huskies drove down the field, converting crucial third and fourth downs along the way, leading up to Woodill's successful field goal from the Fighting Irish's 19-yard line, placing Notre Dame with a narrow opportunity for a comeback.
However, they were unable to advance beyond the 44-yard line before the drive came to a halt, leaving them with a 62-yard field goal attempt and only five seconds remaining.
But Haberman was able to get his hand to the attempt, preventing Notre Dame's Mitch Jeter, marking his second block of the day, and sparking wild celebrations from the Northern Illinois players and coaches as they flooded the field.
This was the first win by any Mid-American Conference team over a team ranked in the Associated Press top five.
Hammock elaborated on the personal significance of the victory afterwards. "These guys that have been with our program, gone through the ups and downs, and continue to fight. It's like they're my kids! I'm just happy for the adversity, to push through no matter the situation, and I couldn't be more proud," he said, his voice filled with emotion.
The Huskies' victory, fueled by their love for sport, marked the first time any Mid-American Conference team defeated a top-five team according to the Associated Press.
Coach Hammock's team showed their dedication to their sport throughout the game, responding to Notre Dame's lead with a series of touchdowns and field goals.
