Game notes: Northern Illinois at North Dakota State
Saturday, November 21, 4 p.m. ET, Fargodome.The game page.
Visitors
24 notes · built Oct 19, 5:33 PM ET
The matchup
- Northern Illinois (0–6, 0–2 in conference) at North Dakota State (6–1, 3–1 in conference), Saturday, November 21, 4 p.m. ET, Fargodome.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
The series
- It will be their third meeting; North Dakota State leads the series 2–0.resultsEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Saturday, September 13, 1969: North Dakota State 28, Northern Illinois 0.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- Last two meetings: 1969: North Dakota State 28–0 (at North Dakota State); 1968: North Dakota State 31–13 (at Northern Illinois).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
Northern Illinois
- Northern Illinois is 0–6 (0–2 in conference games), 0–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: L 0–40 at No. 22 Iowa; L 24–28 vs. Illinois State; L 17–42 at Arizona; L 14–35 at Georgia State; L 7–28 vs. Air Force; L 23–41 at Wyoming.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Northern Illinois has lost eight straight, since beating Massachusetts 45–3 (Nov. 12, 2025).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Northern Illinois is No. 134 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Rob Harley is 0–6 in his first season at Northern Illinois.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Rob Harley faces North Dakota State as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Taron Dickens (QB): 1,193 passing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Telly Johnson Jr. (RB): 439 rushing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jack Murray (LB): 43 tackles, 1 sack, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- On this date in 2009, Northern Illinois lost to Ohio 38–31.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
North Dakota State
- North Dakota State is 6–1 (3–1 in conference games).resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 33–7 vs. Jacksonville State; W 38–0 vs. Fordham; W 38–32 at Air Force; W 31–10 at Sacramento State; W 28–0 vs. Wyoming; L 7–13 at UNLV; W 31–17 vs. Nevada.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- North Dakota State is No. 27 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- Tim Polasek is 6–1 in his first season at North Dakota State.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- Tim Polasek faces Northern Illinois as a head coach for the first time.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Nathan Hayes (QB): 1,272 passing yards, 10 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Jackson Williams (WR): 28 catches, 432 yards, 1 TD, the team leader in receiving yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Donovan Woolen (LB): 51 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- On this date in 2015, North Dakota State beat Missouri State 55–0.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- It is the first meeting of Rob Harley and Tim Polasek as head coaches.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
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