NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL 2012 2013 Discover Orange Bowl No. 15 Northern Illinois (12-1) vs. No. 12 Florida State (11-2) Jan. 1, 2013 | 7:30 p.m. (CT) | ESPN | Miami, Fla. | Sun Life Stadium | 72,230 HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS Huskie Storylines • Northern Illinois will become the first Mid-American Con- 2012 Record/MAC Record/Finish ...............................12-1/8-0/1st West ference team to play in the Bowl Championship Series 2011 Record/MAC Record/Finish ................................11-3/7-1/T1st West when the No. 15 Huskies meet Atlantic Coast Conference Head Coach ....................................................................................Rod Carey Champion Florida State in the Discover Orange Bowl. Record at NIU/Years ..........................................................................0-0/1st • NIU is ranked No. 16 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches’ Career Record/Years .........................................................................0-0/1st Polls, the school’s highest rank since 2003, when Northern Illinois entered Alma Mater/Year .....................................................................Indiana/1993 the BCS Rankings at No. 10 on October 19 after defeating Maryland, Ala- Basic Offense/Defense ..........................................................Multiple/4-3 bama and Iowa State. First Year of Football ..............................................................................1899 • On Nov. 30, NIU defeated No. 17 (BCS) Kent State, 44-37, in double overtime All-Time Record ..........................................................................535-464-51 at Detroit’s Ford Field to win its second consecutive Mid-American Confer- Last Bowl Game ....2012 GoDaddy.com; NIU 38, Arkansas State 20 ence Championship. MAC Championship Game Appearances .....4 (last, 2012, 44-37 W) • Northern Illinois is tied with Notre Dame and Ohio State for the longest win- Letterwinners Returning/Lost .........................................................49/24 ning streak in the nation at 12 games, which is also the longeset win-streak Starters Returning ..............18 (4 offense, 10 defense, 4 specialists) in school history and the most wins ever by a Huskie team. Starters Lost ............................11 (7 offense, 4 defense, 0 specialists) • The Huskies are the only NCAA FBS team to win 21 of their last 22 games. • Northern Illinois owns the longest conference winning streak (17 games) NORTHERN ILLINOIS FACTS and the longest home winning streak (21 games) in the nation. Location ..................................................................................DeKalb, Illinois • On the same day NIU earned its bid to the 2013 DIscover Orange Bowl, Rod Founded ......................................................................................................1895 Carey was introduced as the Huskies’ 22nd head football coach after serv- Enrollment ............................................................................................23,850 ing as offensive coordinator over the past 12 games and as offensive line Affiliation ..............................................NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision coach for the past two seasons. Conference ..............................................Mid-American (West Division) • Northern Illinois will play in a bowl game for a school-record fifth straight Colors ..............................................................................Cardinal and Black season and the 2012 senior class has set the school record for victories Nickname ............................................................................................Huskies with 41 over the last four seasons. Stadium ..............................................Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium • NIU Heisman Trophy candidate Jor- The NIU Record Surface/Capacity ...................................................FieldTurf /24,000 dan Lynch is the most productive Since 2000, Northern Illinois is one President (Alma Mater, Year) ........Dr. John Peters (John Carroll ‘67) dual-threat quarterback in the nation of the most successful FBS football with 2,962 passing and 1,773 rushing programs in the country. With 10 wins Assoc. VP/Athletic Director ...............................................Jeff Compher again in 2012, over the last 13 years Alma Mater, Year ................................................James Madison ‘80 yards with 43 TDs (responsible for). NIU has: Ticket Information ................................................................815-752-6800 He ranks third in the country in total offense, fourth in rushing and 25th in 3 ........consecutive 11-plus win seasons passing efficiency. 4 ...........seasons with 10 or more wins 6 .............seasons with 8 or more wins @NIUAthletics NIU Huskies • Lynch has set four NCAA FBS re- cords and needs 38 passing yards to 12 ............seasons with 6 or more wins @NIUScores Northern Huskie 7 ...................................bowl appearances @PrideinthePack become the first player to pass for 4 ..................MAC Championship games 3,000 yards and rush for 1,500 in a 9 .......................1st or 2nd place finishes season. in MAC West 2012 NIU Schedule & Results • NIU defensive lineman Nabal Jeffer- Day, Date Opponent (TV) Time (CT) son - who owns a 3.78 GPA in accountancy - won a 2012 National Football Sat., Sept. 1 IOWA - at Soldier Field (ESPNU) L, 18-17 Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award, presented to the top 15 student-athletes Sat., Sept. 8 UT MARTIN (ESPN3) W, 35-7 in college football. Sat., Sept. 15 at Army (CBS Sports Network) W, 41-40 • The Huskies are one play away from 12-0 as Iowa scored its lone touchdown Sat., Sept. 22 KANSAS (ESPN3) W, 30-23 Sat., Sept. 29 CENTRAL MICHIGAN* (ESPN3) W, 55-24 of the season-opener on a 23-yard run on third-and-nine with 2:15 to play, Sat., Oct. 6 at Ball State* (ESPN3) W, 35-23 giving the Hawkeyes a 18-17 victory over NIU at Soldier Field. Sat., Oct. 13 BUFFALO* - Homecoming (CSN Chicago) W, 45-3 • Over the last 10 years, NIU is the winningest program in the Mid-American Sat., Oct. 20 at Akron*(ESPN Regional) W, 37-7 Conference (90-50, 64.3%) with more wins than Notre Dame, Northwestern Sat., Oct. 27 at Western Michigan*(ESPN Regional) W, 48-34 or Illinois. Sat., Nov. 3 MASSACHUSETTS* W, 63-0 • Northern Illinois will start eight Florida natives versus Florida State, including Weds., Nov. 14 TOLEDO* (ESPN2/ESPNU) W, 31-24 Miami-ans Jamaal Bass (LB), Demetrius Stone (DB) and Victor Jacques (LB), Fri., Nov. 23 at Eastern Michigan* (ESPN3) W, 49-7 Riviera Beach’s Tommylee Lewis (KOR/WR) and Lauderhill’s Ken BIshop. Fri., Nov. 30 vs. Kent State, MAC Championship (ESPN2) W, 44-37 (2ot) • Quarterback Jordan Lynch leads a contingent of five NIU players named first Tues., Jan. 1 vs. Florida State, Discover Orange Bowl (ESPN) 7:30 p.m. team All-MAC in 2012. Defensive ends Alan Baxter and Sean Progar, safety *Mid-American Conference Game; All Times Central. Jimmie Ward and receiver Martel Moore joined Lynch on the team. 2011-12 MAC Champions | 2013 Discover Orange Bowl 1 NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOOTBALL 2012 2012 Northern Illinois Seniors HUSKIE AWARDS & HONORS Name Pos. Arrived GP/GS Career Highlights Perez Ashford WR 2009 47/14 106 rec., 1,173 yds., 1,666 AP yds. SEAN PROGAR, DE Matt Battaglia^ OL 2010 9/0 Back-up 2011; Injured as a senior • All Mid-American Conference (First Team) Alan Baxter DE 2009 51/23 16 QS, 30 TFL, 140 tackles • Rotary Lombardi Award Preseason Watch List Tyrone Clark LB 2009 35/27 174 tckls, 16.5 TFL, 5 INT, 8 PBU • MAC West Defensive Player of the Week (Iowa) Daniel Green DE 2010 6/0 1st action in 2012; 4 tackles • MAC West Defensive Player of the Week (Western Michigan) Victor Jacques LB 2008 32/8 69 tackles, career-best 44 2012 Nabal Jefferson NG 2009 52/24 142 tackles, 22 TFL, 5 QS JIMMIE WARD, S Rashaan Melvin CB 2008 40/26 162 tackles, 30 PBU, 6 INT • All Mid-American Conference (First Team) Martel Moore WR 2009 53/34 174 catches, 2,515 yds., 23 TDs • MAC West Defensive Player of the Week (UT Martin) Ryan Neir P 2008 27/-- 2yr starter; 107 punts, 36.5 avg. JORDAN LYNCH, QB Logan Pegram^ OL 2008 35/22 2yr starter; DNP broken leg • Manning Award (Finalist) Sean Progar DE 2008 53/47 24 QS, 39 TFL, 167 tackles • CBSSports.com All-American (Third Team) Jason Schepler TE 2008 48/26 14 catches, 177 yds, 2 TD • Mid-American Conference Vern Smith Leadership Award Courtney Stephen S 2010 15/0 13 tackles, INT, punt rtn TD • MAC Offensive Player of the Year Demetrius Stone DB 2010 38/20 148 tackles, 12 PBU, 3 INT • All Mid-American Conference (First Team) *four-year starter; ^Injured; not able to play his senior season • Maxwell Award Watch List • MAC West Offensive Player of the Week (Army) Most Wins by a • Capital One Cup Impact Performer of the Week (Army) Huskies in the NFL • Manning Award Star of the Week (Army) Huskie Senior Class Six former Huskies are currently on active NFL rosters • MAC West Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Kansas) No. Senior Class (Years) Atlanta Falcons...........................Michael Turner, RB, • MAC West Offensive Player of the Week (Ball State) 41 2012 (2009-12) San Diego Chargers ......................Larry English, LB • Manning Award Star of the Week (Ball State) 35 2011 (2008-11) Dallas Cowboys ...................................Doug Free, OT • Honorable Mention - Davey O’Brien QB of the Week (Ball St.) 34 2005 (2002-05) Indianapolis Colts ....................Nathan Palmer, WR • Manning Award Star of the Week (Buffalo)