NIU keeps a list of the bigger, better-funded programs that it beats. On Saturday it added the most notable win in school history.
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Against Notre Dame, Northern Illinois finally had its moment
Thomas Hammock had every emotion rush through him Saturday, except for one.
Hammock, the Northern Illinois coach, had watched
his team, representing
his alma mater, take down No. 5 Notre Dame in the state where he grew up. His parents were there. So were his wrestling coach and 15-20 teammates from Bishop Luers High in Fort Wayne, Indiana, located about 95 miles from Notre Dame Stadium.
"I couldn't find them after the game, but they sent pictures," Hammock told ESPN on Saturday night, as NIU's team buses neared the Indiana-Illinois state line. "All of my buddies, they're Notre Dame fans. But for this one day, they supported the Huskies."
What a day it was as Northern Illinois shocked Notre Dame 16-14, recording its first-ever win against an AP top-five opponent and the first such victory by a Mid-American Conference team. The upset earned the Huskies the No. 25 ranking in the AP poll -- before this week, they hadn't been ranked since 2013.
Since 1983, NIU has kept a log of "Boneyard Victories," wins against major-conference opponents and other notable foes with bigger brands and budgets. As an NIU running back in 2002, Hammock helped secure one by rushing for 172 yards in a 42-41 overtime win against Wake Forest. He would never play again after experiencing symptoms from what would be diagnosed as a career-ending heart condition.
OK, who knew NIU has a "Boneryard Victories Log"? Well, I "googled" it:
Northern Illinois's 'Boneyard' Is One of the Coolest Traditions in College Football
Fresh off an upset of Notre Dame on the road, the college football world learned that the Huskies take their "boneyard wins" quite literally.
The Northern Illinois Huskies stole the spotlight in Week 2 of the college football season by upsetting No. 5 Notre Dame 16–14 on Saturday for their first win over a top-10 opponent in program history.
Huskies coach Thomas Hammock called it a "boneyard win" in an emotional interview on the NBC broadcast after the game, which is the term NIU uses for any victory over a Power Four program. On Tuesday, the college football world learned that Northern Illinois takes that "boneyard win" description quite literally.
WGN TV's Josh Frydman posted a picture to social media Tuesday of the Huskies' "boneyard" where each of those big wins are celebrated on a wall covered with bones. Each bone is hung in front of the logo of their opponent and is engraved with the date and score.
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Among those "boneyard wins" in program history include victories over Nebraska in 2017, Iowa in '13 and Alabama in '03.
The program has kept a log of "boneyard wins" since 1983. Hammock, who played for the Huskies from 1999 to 2002, helped Northern Illinois to a boneyard victory by rushing for 172 yards in a win over Wake Forest in '02.
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Just sayin': At NIU, they call those “Boneyard'” wins — victories over power-conference schools or, in the case of Notre Dame, prominent independents. The first was 41 years ago against Kansas. The Huskies will now add a 19th bone to the wall for Saturday’s monumental win in South Bend.
