CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1986 Northern Illinois

2–⁠9, coached by Jerry Pettibone.

Schedule and results

Northern Illinois in 1986, game by game: lost vs. Ball State 10–20; lost at West Virginia 14–47; lost at Wisconsin 20–35; lost at Iowa 3–57; lost vs. Western Illinois 0–10; lost at No. 1 Miami 0–34; lost at Toledo 28–29; lost vs. Miami (OH) 6–20; won at Bowling Green 16–8; won vs. Eastern Michigan 21–14; lost at Ohio 26–34+8−54Lost 10–20 vs. Ball State-10Ball StateLost 14–47 at West Virginia-33West VirginiaLost 20–35 at Wisconsin-15WisconsinLost 3–57 at Iowa-54IowaLost 0–10 vs. Western Illinois-10Western IllinoisLost 0–34 at No. 1 Miami-34No. 1 MiamiLost 28–29 at Toledo-1ToledoLost 6–20 vs. Miami (OH)-14Miami (OH)Won 16–8 at Bowling Green+8Bowling GreenWon 21–14 vs. Eastern Michigan+7Eastern MichiganLost 26–34 at Ohio-8Ohio
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 30vsBall StateL 10–⁠2064%
Sep 6atWest VirginiaL 14–⁠4723%
Sep 13atWisconsinL 20–⁠3530%
Sep 20atIowaL 3–⁠5714%
Sep 27vsWestern IllinoisL 0–⁠1069%
Oct 4at1MiamiL 0–⁠347%
Oct 18atToledoL 28–⁠2931%
Oct 25vsMiami (OH)L 6–⁠2024%
Nov 1atBowling GreenW 16–⁠816%
Nov 8vsEastern MichiganW 21–⁠1446%
Nov 15atOhioL 26–⁠3463%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Ohio 34–⁠26; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 43rd-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 61 on file).

Record
2–⁠9
Conference
—
AP final
Unranked
Points
144–⁠308
Coach
Jerry Pettibone
Elo
1352 −91 this season
SP+ rating
-14.8 No. 89 of 101; offense No. 84, defense No. 83
SRS
−19.4 No. 101 of 105 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Pat Ruel
Defensive coordinator
Tim McGuire
Captains
Doug Bartlett and Todd Peat
Most valuable player
Todd Peat

Drafted in 1987

The 1987 draft
Rd 4Doug Bartlett DTLos Angeles Rams