The Northern Illinois Huskies were 28-point underdogs in Week 2 against the No. 5 ranked team. Notre Dame While the Huskies had never beat a top-10 opponent in program history on Saturday afternoon, the $1.4 million prize money they received from Notre Dame for the game was worth the short trip from DeKalb, Ill., to South Bend. In the end, the Fighting Irish got more than they bargained for.
Northern Illinois University defeated Notre Dame, 16-14, in the biggest upset of the college football season. The Northern Illinois defense contained Irish quarterback Riley Leonard all afternoon, and Kanon Woodill's 35-yard field goal gave the Huskies the lead with 31 seconds left in the game.
It's a tough loss for Notre Dame after a big win. Texas A&M Northern Illinois beat Notre Dame in their season opener last week. For Northern Illinois head coach Thomas Hammock, it was a reward for the work he has put into the program. In Hammock's first five years on the job, the Huskies have only made two bowl games and finished third in the MAC this season. No one thought Northern Illinois could beat Notre Dame, but somehow, they did.
Hammock's face was filled with raw emotion as he spoke to NBC on the field after the win. “They believed in us, and we came out here and we did it.” Watch the full post-game interview here.
That's the beauty of college football. Notre Dame could have acquired every player on NIU's roster if they'd offered a scholarship in high school, junior college or through the transfer portal. The Fighting Irish have a monopoly on the big-time talent table in college sports, and NIU is the smallest team in the FBS. On one afternoon, the Huskies walked into Notre Dame's hallowed home and made it their own.
Hats off to Thomas Hammock’s Huskies. Everyone enjoys a Notre Dame football loss…except Notre Dame fans.
