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1989 Northern Illinois

9–⁠2, coached by Jerry Pettibone.

Schedule and results

Northern Illinois in 1989, game by game: won vs. Cal State Fullerton 26–17; lost at No. 4 Nebraska 17–48; won at Kansas State 37–20; won vs. Western Illinois 34–27; won vs. Southern Illinois 29–24; lost at Louisiana Tech 21–42; won vs. UNLV 42–24; won at Temple 20–17; won vs. Louisiana 23–20; won vs. Toledo 39–27; won at Cincinnati 56–3+53−31Won 26–17 vs. Cal State Fullerton+9Cal State Fulle…Lost 17–48 at No. 4 Nebraska-31No. 4 NebraskaWon 37–20 at Kansas State+17Kansas StateWon 34–27 vs. Western Illinois+7Western IllinoisWon 29–24 vs. Southern Illinois+5Southern Illino…Lost 21–42 at Louisiana Tech-21Louisiana TechWon 42–24 vs. UNLV+18UNLVWon 20–17 at Temple+3TempleWon 23–20 vs. Louisiana+3LouisianaWon 39–27 vs. Toledo+12ToledoWon 56–3 at Cincinnati+53Cincinnati
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2vsCal State FullertonW 26–⁠1756%
Sep 9at4NebraskaL 17–⁠4820%
Sep 23atKansas StateW 37–⁠2070%
Sep 30vsWestern IllinoisW 34–⁠2781%
Oct 7vsSouthern IllinoisW 29–⁠2483%
Oct 14atLouisiana TechL 21–⁠4263%
Oct 21vsUNLVW 42–⁠2468%
Oct 28atTempleW 20–⁠1764%
Nov 4vsLouisianaW 23–⁠2058%
Nov 11vsToledoW 39–⁠2764%
Nov 18atCincinnatiW 56–⁠374%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Cincinnati 56–⁠3; unranked in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 12th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 61 on file).

Record
9–⁠2
Conference
—
AP final
Unranked
Points
344–⁠269
Coach
Jerry Pettibone
Elo
1539 +72 this season
SP+ rating
-0.3 No. 56 of 103; offense No. 36, defense No. 78
SRS
−3.2 No. 62 of 106 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Mike Summers
Defensive coordinator
Tim McGuire
Captains
Ron Delisi and Joe Gucwa
Most valuable player
Ron Delisi