SBNation.com User Blog: Mike Breese

DE Sean Progar heading to the New York Jets as UDFA

Mike Breese — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:54:45 -0000

Late yesterday there was a flurry of players on social media congratulating Sean Progar on heading to the Jets as a UDFA.

Progar has been widely regarded as one of the best defensive ends in the MAC for multiple years, teaming along with Alan Baxter (Steelers now) to lead the defensive line to an abundance of success against opposing offenses.

Progar is the more traditional DE of the two, standing at a considerable 6'2" 254 and stands formidable against the running game first and foremost.

He ranks third all-time in NIU history with 24 in his career and eighth in TFLs with 39.5. He's been named 1st team All-MAC twice in his career.

Many thought that Progar had one of the best chances to get drafted on the team, but we'll just have to wait and see. With Tim Tebow getting cut by the Jets, he might as well get some shots at the QB position as well (just kidding).

Alan Baxter signs UDFA deal with Pittsburgh Steelers

Mike Breese — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:25:56 -0000

Per Huskie Wire... former Northern Illinois Huskie DE Alan Baxter will be taking his talents to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Alan Baxter has been helping fill in the spot that Larry English left when he was taken by the Chargers as the 16th overall pick of the 2009 draft.

A virtual unknown coming into the program, Baxter built himself into a feared sack artist throughout his career. His 16 career sacks rank seventh all-time in NIU history.

He was first-team all-MAC last year with 9.5 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss.

He will be entering Pittsburgh's 3-4 system and will play OLB, just like English did for the Chargers. This makes sense for his 6'0" 240 frame with the quickness that he has.

WR Martel Moore signs UDFA deal with Atlanta Falcons

Mike Breese — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 02:08:21 -0000

per Huskie Wire... former Northern Illinois Huskie WR Martel Moore will be taking his talents to the Atlanta Falcons.

If you were to ask any NIU fan which player on last year's roster would make the biggest impact in the NFL, the biggest answer would have been Martel Moore.

He's been "the man" at receiver for the NIU Huskies for each of the past few years. He's the perfect combination of size and speed that you want to see in a pro football player and steps up when the pressure is on.

All-time, he is second in NIU history with 2,544 career receiving yds and in the endzone he is unstoppable with 24 TDs.

Already on the Falcons roster is Pat Schiller, the former NIU LB that stuck with the team all season last year.

WR Perez Ashford signs UDFA deal with the Cleveland Browns

Mike Breese — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 01:55:50 -0000

per Huskie Wire, former Northern Illinois Huskies WR Perez Ashford will be taking his talents to his hometown Cleveland Browns.

Ashford was an exceptional standout at Shaker Heights High School, where he infamously "never dropped a single ball." Over the years, Ashford became an explosive player in the slot while also making an impact on special teams as a returner.

Ashford doesn't shy away from the grit and determination it takes to make the tough catch over the middle. He has some of the strongest hands you will ever see on a player. Given the right situation, the 5'11" phenom can make a big impact from the slot for the Browns.

Welcome home, Perez.

UDFA Rashaan Melvin signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Mike Breese — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 01:21:30 -0000

per Huskie Wire, former Northern Illinois Huskie CB Rashaan Melvin will find a new home with Tampa Bay.

Melvin has made a significant impact on the secondary for the past three years, a starter in both his junior and senior years.

As a senior he set the NIU single-season record for pass-breakups with 17 which puts him 2nd all-time at NIU with 35 throughout his career. He had 55 tackles last year with an impressive 39 solo.

It's extremely hard to judge cornerbacks because quarterbacks refuse to throw at them sometime, but Melvin is one of the best to ever come through NIU.

The former walk-on had his biggest year in 2011 with 78 tackles, 3 interceptions and 9 pass break-ups. The moniker "Melvin's Island" was formed out of how QB's really couldn't throw in his vicinity with any sort of success.

His top tools are both his ability to make a solo tackle and his awareness in the secondary. At 6'2" 193 he definitely has the chance to make an impact on an NFL roster.

2013 Northern Illinois Football Schedule Released

Mike Breese — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 23:30:24 -0000

The official release can be found here.

It's March, which is never too early to start talking about what the NIU and the MAC have in store for next fall.

Remember when the 2003 schedule came out and the Huskies played five out of their first seven games at Huskie stadium putting the Huskies at 7-0 to start the season?

Well this season is the complete opposite of that, starting off with five road trips and only two home games to start the season off.

In 2003 we had 7 home games, last year we had 6 plus a Soldier Field "home game".

In 2013 the Huskies will have only 5 home games. Uh-oh.

Out of conference

First is the friendly revenge game in Iowa City and then the Huskies travel to the Kibbie Dome in Moscow, Idaho again (remember 2007?) for no apparent reason. Then a home game against intrastate "rival" Eastern Illinois before the showdown @ Purdue to finish the OOC slate.

MAC Play

@ Kent State to start this off should be an interesting rematch of last year's MAC Championship. A lot of eyes will be on that one early on, especially if the Huskies are somehow undefeated.

Akron at home may be easy the week after, but then the Huskies have to travel to an improving Central Michigan squad who is pretty good at home against us.

UMass on the road is a squash and then we see the...

Midweek games

The last three games will take place on two Wednesdays and a Tuesday to close it out. Ball State will either be on ESPN2 or ESPNU. Toledo and WMU will be on ESPN2.

Ball State at home is interesting and the season will probably come down to Toledo again. This time on the road in the glass bowl of horrors.

Western Michigan at home in the first finale that we will actually care about in a long time thanks to P.J. Fleck taking the lead there.

So, there you have it. It won't be as easy as last year. Or ever. If the Huskies can gain some momentum early, they will certainly have proven themselves on the road against good opponents. The key is the beginning of the season and growing after that stinging Orange Bowl loss.

Huskie fans, let's hear your early predictions for 2013.

2013 NIU Football Schedule

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Date	Opponent / Event	Location	Time

08/31/13	at Iowa	Iowa City, Iowa	TBA
09/14/13	at Idaho	Moscow, Idaho	TBA
09/21/13	vs. Eastern Illinois	DeKalb, Ill.	TBA
09/28/13	at Purdue	West Lafayette, Ind.	TBA
10/05/13	at Kent State *	Kent, Ohio	TBA
10/12/13	vs. Akron *	DeKalb, Ill.	TBA
10/19/13	at Central Michigan *	Mt. Pleasant, Mich.	TBA
10/26/13	vs. Eastern Michigan *	DeKalb, Ill.	TBA
11/02/13	at Massachusetts *	Foxborough, Mass.	TBA
11/13/13	vs. Ball State *	DeKalb, Ill.	TBA
11/20/13	at Toledo *	Toledo, Ohio	7:00 p.m. CT
11/26/13	vs. Western Michigan *	DeKalb, Ill.	6:00 p.m. CT
12/06/13	vs. Marathon MAC Championship	Detroit, Mich.	7:00 p.m. CT

Northern Illinois ranked in 2012 final polls, still 1-0 against Alabama all-time

Mike Breese — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:58:08 -0000

The Northern Illinois Huskies are ranked in the post-season polls for the first time EVER!

The NIU Huskies are ranked #22 in the AP Poll and #24 in the Coaches Poll in the final postseason rankings for 2012.

This is yet another feather in the cap of this football team and something to just add to the resume of this program for the future.

In light of the 42-12 beatdown that Alabama put on Notre Dame last night, no mention was made of which BCS team has an undefeated record all-time against the Crimson Tide.

via www.niu.edu

That would be the 2003 NIU Huskies squad that defeated a #21 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide squad in Tuscaloosa on September 20th of that year.

That team would get up to as high as #12 in the rankings and nearly becoming the first ever BCS busters before losing two tough conference road games and not going to a bowl game with a 10-2 record.

This year's squad finished 12-2 and made their way to the BCS with 12-straight victories and a #15 ranking.

All eyes will be on the Huskies as they try and defend their MAC Championship and crash the BCS again as Alabama continues to dodge the Huskies' appearance on any future schedule.

NIU Huskies News: Post-Orange bowl (1/3/2013) Edition

Mike Breese — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 18:49:05 -0000

So many questions after this game.

What difference would it have made had Lynch not made his comments?

Where does NIU rank in terms of all-time BCS Crashers?

What happened to the offense?

How good is this team going to be next year?

Local Coverage

Daily Chronicle | Huskies' unprecedented journey ends

MORRISSEY: Perhaps Northern Illinois had too much motivation - Chicago Sun-Times
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — I’d rather eat steel wool than admit Kirk Herbstreit was right. You might recall that the ESPN college football analyst called Northern Illinois’ presence in a BCS bowl game an "absolute joke,’’ "a sad state for college football’’ and an "injustice.’’

Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Florida State Seminoles - Recap - January 01, 2013 - ESPN Chicago
NCAA College Football Recap

NIU football deserved more respect than it received - Chicago Sun-Times
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Be careful what you wish for. No doubt, Northern Illinois wouldn’t trade its Orange Bowl trip for anything. The first BCS bowl trip by a Mid-American Conference school will forever hold a special place in its memory case as well as

NIU football: Sound familiar? Against top defense, NIU was too predictable - chicagotribune.com
Jordan Lynch couldn't untracked rushing or passing as he seemed to be the only ammunition in Huskies arsenal against Florida State

Seminoles too much for Huskies - Northern Star Online: Sports
On the biggest stage NIU football has ever played on, the bright lights of the Orange Bowl proved to be too much in its matchup against Florida State on New Yearâ��s Day.

Huskie Wire | Orange Bowl ratings up from last year

Huskie Wire | NIU players: Orange Bowl loss doesn't diminish season

Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois can't keep up with Florida State - chicagotribune.com
Seminoles limit Huskies quarterback Jordan Lynch and run away to 31-10 victory in the Orange Bowl

Daily Chronicle | Fans gather locally to root as if they had made the trip to Miami

Huskies fall short in Orange Bowl, 31-10 - Northern Star Online: News
In a game where NIU had a lot of the breaks go its way, it still could not muster up enough to pull out a victory over the Florida State Seminoles.

Huskie Wire | BCS bummer

Huskie Wire | Jacobson: Seminoles too fast a foe for NIU

Huskie Wire | Lynch adds to milestone list

Huskie Wire | Seminoles stifle NIU with defense

Northern Illinois Football - Discover Orange Bowl Postgame Notes - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site
The Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site, partner of CBS College Sports Networks, Inc. The most comprehensive coverage of NIU Athletics on the web.

NIU Orange Bowl Post-Game Quotes - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site
The Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site, partner of CBS College Sports Networks, Inc. The most comprehensive coverage of NIU Athletics on the web.

Huskies Fall 31-10 to Florida State in Hard-Fought Orange Bowl - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site
The Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site, partner of CBS College Sports Networks, Inc. The most comprehensive coverage of NIU Athletics on the web.

Huskie Wire | Fourth quarter/postgame Orange Bowl reaction

Huskie Wire | Third Quarter Reaction on Twitter

Huskie Wire | Second Quarter Reaction on Twitter

Huskie Wire | First Quarter Reaction on Twitter

Huskie Wire | ORANGE BOWL LIVE BLOG: NIU vs. Florida State

Florida State doesn’t brush off Orange Bowl victory over NIU - Chicago Sun-Times
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Those who assumed the Orange Bowl was meaningful only to Northern Illinois were mistaken. Even with all its tradition — or maybe because of it — 12th-ranked Florida State entered Tuesday night brandishing a chip of its own after going through

Huskies' play leads to missed opportunities - Northern Star Online: Sports
While looking at the final score of the Orange Bowl between NIU and Florida State, one would assume the Seminoles proved the Huskies didnâ��t belong on one of the biggest stages in college football. However, the Huskies may have had more to do with that than Florida State did. The Huskies did not look like themselves and while that may have had to do with a more quality opponent in Florida State, the Huskies ultimately beat themselves.

NIU football: Orange Bowl setback can't dim luster of NIU season - chicagotribune.com
Huskies hung tough against superior opponent in 31-10 loss to Florida State but experience of a lifetime should overcome any disappointment

Huskie Wire | NIU can't pull upset, falls to Florida St.

NIU makes Florida State work for 31-10 Orange Bowl win - Chicago Sun-Times
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — And the rants go on . . . BCS executive director Bill Hancock strongly disagreed with the anti-NIU sentiment that has surrounded Northern Illinois’ historic trip to the Orange Bowl. ‘‘They absolutely deserve to be here,’’ Hancock told the Sun-Times on Monday. ‘‘Everybody

Daily Chronicle | Huskies fall short against Florida State

Daily Chronicle | Locals take in Orange Bowl moment

Florida Coverage

Florida State vs. Northern Illinois Orange Bowl behind-the-numbers rewind - OrlandoSentinel.com
Florida State beat Northern Illinois in the Orange Bowl on Tuesday night, 31-10. It was FSU's first BCS bowl win in 12 seasons. Follow those numbers and a few others in our rewind breakdown.

FSU finally responds to Northern Illinois QB's words | jacksonville.com
Orlando SentinelMIAMI GARDENS — Back inside the Miami Dolphins’ home locker room at Sun Life Stadium after going out in front of a wall of cameras that documented the more sanitary and controlled setting of a news conference, Florida State senior linebacker Vince Williams let his inner self show.

Florida State's Vince Williams' response to Jordan Lynch's pre-Orange Bowl comments - OrlandoSentinel.com
Florida State linebacker Vince Williams unleashed a fiery response to Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch's pre-Orange Bowl comments. Lynch and the Huskies tried to back down from them, but it was clear the Seminoles were motivated by them.

The love (and hate) of Northern Illinois in Orange - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
You know who, for much of Tuesday night, also looked like they wished Northern Illinois hadn’t been sent to the Orange Bowl by some mystifying computer calculation?

Orange Bowl Florida State Northern Illinois: Orange Bowl pitted Florida State vs. Northern Illinois - OrlandoSentinel.com
Orange Bowl between Florida State and Northern Illinois on Tuesday night at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens featured a pair of teams in a matchup that few believed was a good one when it was first announced. The BCS bowl featured the ACC champion Seminoles and Mid-American Conference champion Huskies.

National Coverage

An all-access look at Northern Illinois' Orange Bowl week - college football - ESPN
ESPN.com was allowed complete access to the Northern Illinois Huskies during Orange Bowl week, and Adam Rittenberg details how the MAC school prepared for its big shot at the BCS.

2013 Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois Gets Scurvied - Hustle Belt
Florida State hammered Northern Illinois 31-10 in the MAC's first taste of the BCS bowl.

Florida State wins Orange Bowl over NIU, 31-10 - Tomahawk Nation
Florida State defeated NIU to win the Orange Bowl Tuesday.

Orange Bowl: Mistakes, Execution, Luck Added Up For NIU - Hustle Belt
Florida State won the game using their size, speed and strength, but the Huskies certainly helped close the door on themselves with missed passes, big penalties and one iffy fumble.

Florida State beats Northern Illinois 31-10 in Orange Bowl BCS game | Campus Union - SI.com
Campus Union – SI.com - SI.com's College Football Blog

2013 Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Northern Illinois tweets | Campus Union - SI.com
Campus Union – SI.com - SI.com's College Football Blog

THE CURIOUS INDEX, 1/2/2013 - Every Day Should Be Saturday
THE CLOWNEY OH GOD CLOWNEY

Excited about Florida State-NIU? Get used to it in the future - CBSSports.com
New structure makes it more likely there will be snoozers like Tuesday's Orange Bowl

Florida State defender calls Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch ‘terrible’ | Dr. Saturday - Yahoo! Sports
From the blog Dr. Saturday: It wasn’t so long ago that Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch was trying to get into the Heisman race. He had similar numbers to eventual winner Johnny Manziel and his then-coach, Dave Doeren, even sent a letter to Heisman voters … Continue reading →

All talk, little action: Orange Bowl delivers underwhelming game - Yahoo! Sports
From Yahoo! Sports: Florida State beat Northern Illinois in an Orange Bowl that left everyone yawning.

Northern Illinois falls to FSU, 31-10 in Orange - Yahoo! Sports
From Yahoo! Sports: MIAMI (AP) -- Northern Illinois started the night as a BCS-buster.

Florida State 31, Northern Illinois 10 - Yahoo! Sports
From Yahoo! Sports: MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- So much for happy endings to storybook seasons.

Northern Illinois BCS bowl bid a sign of what's to come
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Almost every March, a team from a little-known conference busts through the NCAA Tournament bracket and America temporarily falls in love. But when Northern Illinois weaved its way

Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Florida State Seminoles - Recap - January 01, 2013 - ESPN
NCAA College Football Recap

Northern Illinois gets its shot on the big stage, and Florida State blows the Huskies out | Dr. Saturday - Yahoo! Sports
From the blog Dr. Saturday: If you like Cinderellas - and most of the time its seems that type of fan enjoys only college basketball - then the Orange Bowl was a nightmare. Everything that was said criticizing Northern Illinois' inclusion in the Orange Bowl … Continue reading →

Scout.com: 2013 Orange - Florida State 31, NIU 10
2012-2013 Bowls - CFN's Preview & Prediction for the 2013 Discover Orange

Photos

Photos: Orange Bowl, Florida State vs Northern Illinois – - Mercury News Media Center

Orange Bowl photos: NIU loses 31-10 -- Chicago Tribune
Northern Illinois lost to Florida State 31-10 on Jan. 1 in Miami . NIU regular season photos | 2012 results | Latest college news

Previews You May Have Missed

Florida State vs. Northern Illinois: Orange Bowl facts | Campus Union - SI.com
Campus Union – SI.com - SI.com's College Football Blog

2013 Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois Has Already Won - Hustle Belt
A special installment of "I Got A Bad Feeling About This, Chapter 6 of 7."

Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Florida State | Dr. Saturday - Yahoo! Sports
From the blog Dr. Saturday: Orange Bowl Northern Illinois (12-1) vs. Florida State (11-2) Jan. 1, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) About the Huskies: Whether you think Northern Illinois belongs here or not, the Huskies didn't get to the Orange Bowl by accident. This is a … Continue reading →

Orange Bowl rep to NIU: We didn't even want you here - CBSSports.com
As if Northern Illinois didn't need any added motivation for its match-up against Florida State Tuesday night in Miami, the Huskies got a little more. And it comes from an unlikely place: a rant from an Orange Bowl representative toward an NIU staffer.

Northern Illinois falls short to Florida State in Orange Bowl 10-31

Mike Breese — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:55:54 -0000

It was one of the few times that a game actually played out like the majority of people thought it would. Florida State had the talent and depth on their roster and played to the best of their abilities on Tuesday night against the NIU Huskies.

Special teams were excellent for the Huskies. First was the patented Jordan Lynch punt to pin FSU deep, but the Seminoles scored in four plays after that. Desroy Maxwell successfully ran for 35 on a fake punt on the NIU 32 which would lead to the first three points for the Huskies.

The only truly successful offensive drive took place as soon as the Huskies got the ball in the 3rd quarter. Akeem Daniels FINALLY got ahead of some defenders for a 55-yd scamper. Martel Moore managed to catch a 11-yd grab to put the game at 10-17

The Huskies are definitively a 2nd half team and as soon as they got the score, they managed to recover an onside kick. Like I was saying, special teams was awesome.

However on that drive, Jordan Lynch did something that you just can't do in that situation: force the ball on the run and get intercepted.

NIU was in the game until that moment. FSU would punch it in for the first play of the 4th quarter. The next offensive drive was the last chance for the Huskies as they were driving in Seminole territory. That is, until Da'ron Brown got hit and fumbled the ball. It could have gone either way.

This game reminded me a lot of when we played Michigan in 2005. When the other team has much better athletes they just grind you down and force you to turn the ball over.

The offense was a playmaker or two short of making anything else happen. The defense did fine, considering who they were playing and how they played

The Huskies had a great season and should be proud of everything they did this season.

Huskie fans, what are your thoughts on this one?

ORANGE BOWL GAMEDAY THREAD

Mike Breese — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:29:33 -0000

Most people will be at the game, so this is for the folks at home and whoever's on their smartphones. We'll also be tweeting under @rabattack during the game. We're tailgating hard today in Miami.

Gametime:: 7:30 CST

What channel is it on? ESPN

Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL

Betting Line: Florida State by -13.5 points.

GO HUSKIES!!!

Most people will be at the game, so this is for the folks at home and whoever's on their smartphones. We'll also be tweeting under @rabattack during the game. We're tailgating hard today in Miami.

Gametime:: 7:30 CST

What channel is it on? ESPN

Location: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, FL

Betting Line: Florida State by -13.5 points.

GO HUSKIES!!!

NIU News: Orange Bowl Gameday Edition

Mike Breese — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 15:18:38 -0000

Huskie Wire | Orange Bowl upsets

Huskie Wire | Waiting game is over

Huskie Wire | Huskies' New Year's Day resolutions

Huskie Wire | Take 2: No upset here

Huskie Wire | Old teammates face off Questions about curious Orange Bowl matchup between Florida State, Northern Illinois about to be answered - Orange Bowl - MiamiHerald.com
Tuesday’s Discover Orange Bowl provides relief for all concerned — Northern Illinois doesn’t have to field any more "Do you deserve to be here?" questions, and Florida State doesn’t have to answer any more "Do they deserve to be here?" questions.

Discover Orange Bowl preview: Northern Illinois vs. Florida State - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
The Florida State Seminoles and Northern Illinois Huskies will face off in the 2013 Discover Orange Bowl Tuesday night at Sun Life Stadium

Orange Bowl 2013: Northern Illinois vs. Florida State odds and lines - SB Nation Tampa Bay
The Florida State Seminoles are huge favorites over the Northern Illinois Huskies.

Northern Illinois football: Northern Illinois ready for its moment in the sun - chicagotribune.com

Huskies excited about Orange Bowl opportunity against Florida State; coach Rod Carey says stage fright not a factor for his team.

Northern Illinois Gets New adidas Uniforms for the Orange Bowl | STACK

Get a look at the adidas uniforms NIU will wear against Florida State in the 2012 Orange Bowl.

Northern Illinois’ berth in the Orange Bowl a big step for the... | www.palmbeachpost.com

Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch threw a lot of big passes this season, but his most-appreciated toss might have been with an orange aimed at his TV set.

Orange Bowl: FSU happy to play Northern Illinois' game

FORT LAUDERDALE – The storyline was obvious from the moment Florida State and Northern Illinois were paired up for the 2013 Orange Bowl. The game would be a showdown of the Huskies' high-powered offense, which

Northern Illinois shares joy, BCS revenue with Mid-American Conference - Orange Bowl - MiamiHerald.com

The Mid-American Conference is expected to receive as much as $13 million in revenue for Northern Illinois’ Orange Bowl appearance.

Northern Illinois football: Northern Illinois vs. Florida State - chicagotribune.com

Orange Bowl Preview and Prediction: Northern Illinois vs. Florida State | AthlonSports.com

Daily Chronicle | DeKalb bars and restaurants going orange

Orange Bowl – Florida State vs. Northern Illinois point spread, betting line and pick - Linemakers - Sporting News

2013 Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Florida State odds and lines - SB Nation Chicago

Huskie Wire | QUESTION OF THE DAY: What will be the final score of the Orange Bowl?

Key Matchups: NIU vs. FSU - Northern Star Online: Columns

All that's left is the game - Northern Star Online: Sports

Lynch's play earns respect - Northern Star Online: Sports

BCS busters NIU face Florida St in Orange Bowl - Yahoo! Sports

Key players for FSU - Northern Star Online: Sports

Key players for NIU - Northern Star Online: Sports

Florida State v Northern Illinois: Preview and Prediction Orange Bowl Edition - Tomahawk Nation

Huskie Wire | Monday's news conference notes

Huskie Wire | Fisher 'very impressed' by NIU's Carey

Q&A with Tomahawk Nation: Talking Orange Bowl

Mike Breese — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 13:43:02 -0000

Joining us today is Florida State blogger DKfromVA from Tomahawk Nation. You can read our side of the interview over up on TN. Here is what the enemy had to say:

1. I understand that there has been a lot of coaching turnover for FSU as well. What has changed and how has this affected the team, if at all?

Tomahawk Nation: Florida State has lost several coaches since the ACC Championship Game. Defensive coordinator Mark Stoops accepted the head coaching job at Kentucky and hired FSU defensive ends coach DJ Eliot as his defensive coordinator in Lexington. Eliot will stay on for the Orange Bowl and will call plays, but Stoops has already departed. Florida State running backs coach and special teams coordinator Eddie Gran accepted the offensive coordinator position under Tommy Tuberville at Cincinnati but will coach against NIU. The Seminoles will also probably be looking for a new linebackers coach at the end of the season after it moves current LB's coach Greg Hudson to a football operations job, but he too will coach against the Huskies. So, while significant coaching turnover is pending, only one FSU coach from the 2012 staff will not be coaching on Tuesday night.

The effects of these departures on this matchup are anyone's guess. The ‘Noles will have a new defensive play-caller in Eliot, but he's very similar to Stoops from all indications and we don't really expect to see many changes to the defensive philosophy. They players have said all the right things about being happy for the coaches and their new opportunities and wanting to send them off with a victory. While these are nice things to hear, I don't know that they mean much. Hopefully the fact that most of the staff will still be coaching can minimize any disruptions in the team's preparation for and performance against Northern Illinois.

2. What does the Florida State offense have to do to achieve success against NIU's defense and avoid an upset? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the offense?

TN: The FSU offense has been a bit of an enigma in 2012. They've thrashed really bad opponents while looking completely lost against competent defenses on several occasions this season. NIU checks in as the 3rd best defense the ‘Noles will face this year by F/+, and Bill C wrote a great article on the matchup that I know you've read (http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2012/12/13/3755112/orange-bowl-2013-northern-illinois-florida-state-ej-manuel). To have success and avoid the upset, FSU needs to take as much of a burden off of EJ Manuel's shoulders as possible. As Bill points out, the Seminoles like to throw on standard downs to stay out of obvious passing downs for EJ when possible. While we may see some of this against NIU in an attempt to abate the Huskies' blitzing, which is pretty good, as well as to exploit the favorable matchup of the FSU receiving corps against the Northern Illinois secondary, I'd prefer to see a run-heavy attack. This is a small NIU front seven against a big FSU o-line that run blocks pretty well, especially on outside zone stretch plays. The ‘Noles also have two quality backs in Devonta Freeman and James Wilder, even after losing their best offensive player to an ACL against Miami in Chris Thompson.

Running early and often can have success and open things up for EJ Manuel, who often struggles to make the necessary pre-snap adjustments and correctly read the middle of the field on passing plays. The simpler the better for Manuel, who has an excellent arm and can make plenty of throws to his talented receivers. I wouldn't be surprised to see FSU go to a faster pace at times in this game, something with which they've experimented later in the year that has had beneficial results for EJ. The wild card is how much EJ Manuel will run. He's an excellent runner with a great feel for the option (as long as it isn't a zone read), but has not run nearly as much this season as in years past. We ‘Noles fans don't know if the blame for this falls on him for refusing to or on Jimbo Fisher for not calling enough run plays for #3. Either way, Manuel's legs and the threat thereof has been an important part of the Seminole offense that has been absent for the most part in 2012. I'd love to see him run often against Northern Illinois and bring this element to the attack, but I'm not sure we'll see much of it.

3. What makes the Florida State defense so special and what can NIU do on offense do to penetrate it?

TN: The FSU defense has elite talent and depth. It starts up front with a very good defensive line, though this group is certainly banged up. At the start of the year, Florida State had three defensive ends that could legitimately have been first-round picks in April's NFL draft. Brandon Jenkins was lost for the season with a lisfranc injury sustained during the first game of the season, and Tank Carradine went down to an ACL against Florida. Bjoern Werner remains and is an absolute beast, but he's played a lot of snaps this year. I imagine he'll draw most of the attention from the NIU offensive line. This will force true freshman phenom Mario Edwards Jr. and redshirt freshman Giorgio Newberry to play well and provide a threat from the edge. The defensive tackle position is loaded, but the play here has been underwhelming at times this season. This group will need to have a solid game against the inside running game, particularly the threat presented by Jordan Lynch. The linebackers are probably the weakest link, and I'd expect to see a lot of the nickel package against NIU's spread personnel. Xavier Rhodes is the top corner, Tyler Hunter is a playmaker at nickelback, and Lamarcus Joyner is a terror at safety. The scheme is a bit vanilla in that it seeks to keep everything in front of the defense and force offenses to methodically drive the field. FSU doesn't blitz much and isn't particularly good at it.

I think that NIU has to present several different threats and maintain balance on offense to have success against Florida State. If the Huskies can make the ‘Noles respect the inside running game from Lynch along with his ability to get the ball outside to his receivers in their spread formations, they should be able to open some holes for key playmaker Akeem Daniels. I agree with Bill C that he's the guy to watch for the Northern Illinois offense here. FSU has been successful against mobile quarterbacks this year, and I'm not as concerned with Lynch as I am with the threat Daniels presents if the ‘Noles have to take away Lynch on the inside while simultaneously committing the DB's to stopping the spread passing game on the edges. The Huskies would then be able to isolate Daniels against Edwards/Newberry and the linebackers without much help. The ‘Noles need to have quality performances from their defensive tackles and good tackling on the quick passes to the wide receivers to allow themselves to keep Akeem Daniels in check.

4. Is FSU going to be up for this game? Are Jordan Lynch's comments really going to make a difference?

TN: That's the million-dollar question, really. I don't expect Lynch's comments to have any tangible effect on the game. They weren't really out of the ordinary and I'm not one to buy into "bulletin board material" anyway. Florida State's motivation has certainly been a concern this season, though. We have sort of taken to referring to being favorites of 10-17 points as the "danger zone" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vuZ8jSVNUI) because the ‘Noles lose those games at a disproportionate rate under Fisher. On the one hand, this is FSU's first BCS game since 2005. It's a prime-time matchup in Miami in front of a crowd that will make it feel like a home game. They've had a month to prepare and have said all these things about wanting to send their departing coaches and seniors off with an Orange Bowl win. On the other, probably four coaches are going to be gone from the staff at the end of the year. Has their commitment to preparation remained strong? Will the current players respond the same to coaches they know will be gone the next year? How will this team handle being a 12.5 point favorite against an unheralded team like Northern Illinois? I just don't know. Florida State is the better team, but a lackluster effort could absolutely result in a loss against the Huskies.

5. Predictions for this one?

TN: I think this is a tough one to predict. There's no way to know which FSU team will show up, and bad FSU is more than capable of losing to a solid Northern Illinois team. I do think that the ‘Noles can have success running against NIU, and I think that the location of the game helps. I'll predict that Florida State gets it done against an overmatched Huskies team, but I have a hunch that it won't be pretty. Give me 27-18 Seminoles in a hard-fought and uncomfortable Orange Bowl game.

Thanks to DKfromVA for taking the time to answer these questions!!

NIU News: Orange Bowl Eve (12/31/12) Edition

Mike Breese — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 13:27:33 -0000

I am on my way to Miami this afternoon. What are your plans for New Year's Eve? Make sure to head to the stadium early tomorrow for some serious tailgating as well.

Local coverage:

Daily Chronicle | Sunshine State of mind for NIU students

Huskie Wire | Former Huskies players, coaches reunite

Huskie Wire | NIU players make visit to Baptist Children's Hospital

Huskie Wire | SATURDAY'S ORANGE BOWL VIDEOS

Huskie Wire | Orange Bowl highlights FSU's return to prominence

Huskie Wire | ORANGE BOWL TAB CONTENT LINKS

Wouldn't it be terrific in 2013 if . . . - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Wouldn'tit be nice if all of this could happen?

Florida State defenders very impressed with NIU QB Jeffrey Lynch - Tomahawk Nation
After NIU QB Jeffrey Jordan Lynch trash talked Florida State's defense, senior linebacker Vince Williams asked some of FSU's better defenders about how they felt about the QB.

Florida State Orange Bowl quotes 12/30 - Tomahawk Nation
Florida State Orange Bowl quotes 12/30

College football: Madison native Rod Carey leads Northern Illinois into Orange Bowl : Sports
Rod Carey had been celebrating Northern Illinois’ Mid-American Conference championship for less than 36 hours when he got the news.

Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois will have its hands full stopping Florida State QB EJ Manuel - chicagotribune.com
Trying to stop Florida State quarterback EJ Manuel will be a priority for Northern Illinois in the orange Bowl.

Orange Bowl 2013: Northern Illinois rides the roller coaster to a BCS bowl - SB Nation Tampa Bay
After losing their season opener, the Huskies overcame multiple adversities to reach the Orange Bowl

Manuel has more on mind that just Orange Bowl - Lowell Sun Online
MIAMI -- When quarterback EJ Manuel takes the Orange Bowl field Tuesday for his final game at Florida State, his mother will be home in Virginia, recovering from her final round of chemotherapy to treat breast cancer.

NIU, Florida State football seek legitimacy, but for different reasons - Chicago Sun-Times
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Everybody has issues. After all the clamor about whether Northern Illinois belongs in the Orange Bowl, the Huskies know it’s up to them to prove they’re worthy against Florida State on Tuesday. ‘‘It is important,’’ NIU athletic director Jeff Compher said.

NIU needs to limit big plays from FSU - Northern Star Online: Sports
While the Huskies come out of the MAC, which is known for explosive, high-powered offenses that can light up the scoreboard, they will face their biggest test in Florida State on New Year's Day.

Video: Northern Illinois' Jordan Lynch - Chicago Colleges Blog - ESPN Chicago
Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch sets the record straight regarding his comments about Florida State's defense, and talks about the Discover

Jordan Lynch is a major reason for NIU's successful season
NIU quarterback Jordan Lynch is the primary reason his team is in the 2013 Orange Bowl. He has earned the respect of his coaches as well as opposing coaches with his play.

Northern Illinois dual-threat QB Jordan Lynch a ‘tough kid’... | www.palmbeachpost.com
Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch said he’s not scared of Florida State. But maybe the Seminoles, who face the Huskies in Tuesday night’s Orange Bowl at Sun Life Stadium, should be a little afraid of Lynch.

Northern Illinois Lynch is unfazed at not fitting mold | College Sports - The News Tribune
MIAMI - Let's not start talking about Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch with the legs that ran for 1,771 yards, an NCAA record for a quarterback, or the right arm that threw for 2,962 yards and 24 touchdowns this season.

Northern Illinois, MAC see recruiting boost with BCS berth - ESPN
What’s one sign of a program on the rise? How about when it goes through a coaching change and its top commitment -- who has a BCS offer -- does

Huskies need to be aggressive - Northern Star Online: Columns
While former NIU head coach Dave Doeren has been gone for nearly a month, there are still many things to take away from his style of coaching.

Young Huskies gain valuable experience - Northern Star Online: Sports
While getting a BCS berth has certainly panned out to be one of the best ways to send out the winningest senior class in NIU history, it helps the returning players as well.

Secondary will play large role in bowl game - Northern Star Online: News
NIU football has not faced a ranked team this season. It has not faced a team that has the playmaking ability on either side of the ball like Florida State has.

Huskies plan for Manuel - Northern Star Online: Sports
For some teams, game planning for a dual-threat, mobile quarterback can be a challenge. However, this will not be the case for NIU's defense.

2013 Orange Bowl picks and predictions: Experts giving Northern Illinois a chance - SB Nation Chicago
Several national writers are giving underdog Northern Illinois a chance to stay competitive against Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

Local players thrilled about South Florida homecoming with Northern Illinois - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Northern Illinois' unexpected BCS berth in the 2013 Discover Orange Bowl means a homecoming for six NIU players from South Florida, including four who went to high school in Broward and Palm Beach counties

Northern Illinois students Miami Orange Bowl - chicagotribune.com
The hundreds of students assembled at Northern Illinois University's Convocation Center on Sunday were dressed in sweats and winter hats, but their suitcases held the promise of what's to come in the next few days -- NIU spirit wear, club attire for many, and plenty of swimsuits.

Northern Illinois Huskies stick to familiar bowl routine - Colleges - MiamiHerald.com
With the long break and unfamiliar locale, New Year’s Day bowl game preparation confounds many a coach. This is Northern Illinois first BCS bowl, but it has its routine down from its four previous bowl trips in the past four years.

Northern Illinois isn't the first unlikely team to reach a BCS game - college football - ESPN
Northern Illinois' standout quarterback, Jordan Lynch, is confident his underdog team can win the Discover Orange Bowl against Florida State. Do the Huskies really belong? While there might be ample holes in their resume, they are hardly the worst team ever selected to play in a BCS bowl game.

Northern Illinois star takes shot at FSU defense | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com
FSU's players were practicing Thursday when Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch's explosive comments hit the Twittersphere. According to the Sporting News, Lynch said the Seminoles had not seen anything like the Huskies' high-powered offense:

Orange Bowl Betting Preview: Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Florida State Seminoles
The Orange Bowl is the last game on the board on New Year

Orange Bowl 2013 picks and predictions: Florida State-Northern Illinois matchup producing mixed opinions - SB Nation Tampa Bay
Despite their status as a heavy favorite, the Seminoles are not being embraced by college football experts.

Florida State must prepare for tough Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch - OrlandoSentinel.com
Florida State will have to prepare these next two days for Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch from more than a schematic standpoint. Across the rest of the weekend, they'll have to steady themselves for his toughness and gritty determinism. He does more than talk.

Memo to Northern Illinois: Let your play do the talking, not your mouth! | Chicago Sports Fan Talk

Northern Illinois vs. FSU: Huskies' linebacker commemorates Orange Bowl trip with tattoo - SB Nation Chicago
For Northern Illinois Victor Jacques, a trip to the Orange Bowl also provided an opportunity to get a new tattoo. The Miami native had the city's skyline inked on his left arm, along with an Orange Bowl logo.

Florida State vs. Northern Illinois Orange Bowl preview - College Football - Pete Thamel - SI.com
Florida State vs. Northern Illinois Orange Bowl preview: EJ Manuel and the Seminoles will overwhelm Jordan Lynch and the Huskies.

Tony Pauline's Draft Watch: Orange Bowl - Video - SI.com
SI.com Video SI.com NFL Draft Analyst Tony Pauline explains what the NFL scouts will be looking for in the Orange Bowl between Florida State and Northern Illinois.

Orange Bowl 2013: A homecoming for several Northern Illinois players - SB Nation Chicago
The Orange Bowl will serve as a homecoming for several Northern Illinois players with South Florida ties. 11 Huskies are from the state overall, including six from the Miami area.

Coaching shake-ups affect both FSU, NIU
Coaching changes have staffs from both FSU and NIU handling new responsibilities.

Rod Carey went from positional coach to head man at NIU in a blur - college football - ESPN
Rod Carey will make his head coaching debut when he leads Northern Illinois into the Orange Bowl. No, not even he can believe the opportunity came this quickly, Adam Rittenberg writes.

Schools such as NIU will become regulars in a top-tier bowl - Chicago Sun-Times
MIAMI SHORES, Fla. — You can agree or disagree with college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit’s rant that Northern Illinois didn’t deserve a BCS bowl slot. "Thank goodness we’re moving to a new system in 2014,’’ Herbstreit said, lamenting NIU’s Orange Bowl slot. But if Herbstreit,

Florida State’s E.J. Manuel aims to win fourth bowl for ailing mom - Chicago Sun-Times
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Jackie Manuel won’t be at Sun Life Stadium on New Year’s night. She won’t be able to attend the Orange Bowl, her son E.J.’s final game as the starting quarterback at Florida State. Instead, she’ll be back in Virginia Beach, Va.,

NIU in Miami: Orange Bowl Trip Days Three and Four - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site
The days have started to run together for the Northern Illinois team and official travel party as day three quickly blended into day four as more and more Northern Illinois fans arrived in South Florida.

Moore aims for the history books - Northern Star Online: Sports
Senior wide receiver Martel Moore has put together one of the best statistical seasons in wide receiver history at NIU.

Bowers awaits opportunity - Northern Star Online: Sports
The running back situation for NIU football has been part of an ongoing evolution all season long.

Huskies have talents beyond Lynch - Northern Star Online: Sports
Junior quarterback Jordan Lynch has been the face of NIU football, the MAC conference and of every mid-major Heisman hopeful all season long.

NIU wants to start strong in bowl game - Northern Star Online: News
NIU football is looking to make a statement early on in its Orange Bowl tilt with Florida State.

Can Seminoles stop Huskies' run game? - Northern Star Online: Sports
Something is going to have to give in this matchup on New Year's Day between NIU and Florida State.

Northern Illinois' defense poses threat with tackles for loss and sacks | College Sports - The News Tribune
MIAMI - Northern Illinois' defense didn't return a fumble or interception for a touchdown this season nor did it come up with a safety. When the Huskies defense comes up with big plays, it's in terms of tackles for loss, in which they were n...

Northern Illinois wants to serve notice against favored Florida State | CharlotteObserver.com
Ah, the legendary tradition-heavy names that have built the Orange Bowl status ... Joe Namath ... Texas ... Nebraska ... Julius Ceasar W atts ... Bernie Kosar, Michael Irvin, Melvin Bratton and all those men of The U.

Orange Bowl: Florida State-Northern Illinois
Can Florida State keep Jordan Lynch and Northern Illinois from pulling an upset in the Orange Bowl?

Orange Bowl Preview: Florida State vs. Northern Illinois -- Analysis, TV info - CBSSports.com
No. 16 Northern Illinois is the first MAC team to ever earn a spot in a BCS bowl. The Huskies will try to prove they belong against No. 13 Florida State.

Florida State to see a confident Northern Illinois team in Orange Bowl - OrlandoSentinel.com
Florida State will go up against a Northern Illinois team that is confident its defense will be able to hold its own against the allegedly bigger, faster, stronger Seminoles defense. These and more links here.

New WR Coach

NIU hires Thad Ward to coach receivers - chicagotribune.com
Rod Carey hires Thad Ward

Ward to Join NIU Football Staff as Receivers Coach - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site
MIAMI - Thad Ward, who has coached at the high school and collegiate level in Florida, spent six years coaching in Illinois and became familiar with the Mid-American Conference at Western Michigan in 2012, will join the Northern Illinois coaching staff following the Discover Orange Bowl, NIU Head Coach Rod Carey announced Saturday.

NIU News: Saturday (12/29/12) Edition

Mike Breese — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 14:28:01 -0000

Northern Illinois (12-1) vs. Florida State (11-2) (ET) - FSU - MiamiHerald.com

Orange Bowl, Northern Illinois vs. Florida State: Jordan Lynch confident against Seminoles - SB Nation Chicago

Daily Chronicle | Reader's top 10 most important stories of the year

Northern Illinois has new Orange Bowl uniforms - Hustle Belt

Huskie Wire | Take 2: Orange Bowl win would make NIU best MAC team in history

Huskie Wire | ORANGE BOWL TAB: Jacobson: 2013 could be difference-maker for NIU

Northern Illinois QB says offense will wear down Seminoles | jacksonville.com

Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey, players enjoying Orange Bowl limelight - Chicago Sun-Times

Huskie Wire | ORANGE BOWL TAB: Q&A with Coach Rod Carey

Huskie Wire | ORANGE BOWL TAB: CB Evans grew up a Seminoles fan

Huskie Wire | ORANGE BOWL TAB: Huskies use BCS bowl as recruiting opportunity in south Florida

Huskie Wire | ORANGE BOWL TAB: Last trip to Miami wasn't pretty for NIU

Huskie Wire | ORANGE BOWL TAB: Journey to Miami started long ago

Underdogs rise up: Ex-Dwyer star Tommylee Lewis lives BCS... | www.palmbeachpost.com

Orange Bowl has homecoming appeal for South Floridian members of Northern Illinois football team - Orange Bowl - MiamiHerald.com

Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey, players enjoying Orange Bowl limelight - Chicago Sun-Times

NIU defense overshadowed, still elite - ACC Blog - ESPN

Ex-Dwyer star Tommylee Lewis lives BCS dream with Northern Illinois | High School Buzz

Huskie Wire | NIU's Miami natives see Orange Bowl as 'dream come true'

Huskie Wire | Friday Video Roundup: HuskieWire's latest videos from the Orange Bowl

NIU players face pressure - Northern Star Online: Sports

Florida State offense vs NIU defense will be key - Northern Star Online: Sports

Florida State recognizes NIU as formidable opponent - Northern Star Online: Sports

NIU football: Orange Bowl exposure could boost NFL stock for NIU players - chicagotribune.com

Huskie Wire | Long-time assistant Sabock returns for last hurrah

Clark comes back with a vengeance - Northern Star Online: Sports

Jordan Lynch proves he belongs as Northern Illinois Huskies quarterback -- college football - ESPN

Florida State will see new Northern Illinois unis in the Orange Bowl - OrlandoSentinel.com

Northern Illinois look to show midwestern grit against Florida State in Orange Bowl - Orange Bowl - MiamiHerald.com

Orange Bowl odds: Florida State vs Northern Illinois betting preview, pick, trends - SBNation.com

Northern Illinois soaking up first BCS bowl experience | TribLIVE

Florida State Northern Illinois Orange Bowl: Florida State and Northern Illinois have early-week Orange Bowl drama - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Florida State Seminoles DJ Eliot: Florida State Seminoles defense being led by D.J. Eliot - OrlandoSentinel.com

James Coley unleashed: Florida State offensive coordinator says Jimbo Fisher calling plays has ‘worked out well’ | Seminole Post: Florida State Seminoles news & reports | PalmBeachPost.com

Northern Illinois star takes shot at FSU defense | Pensacola News Journal | pnj.com

Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois burning to prove itself against Florida State - NCAA Football - Sporting News

Huskies' second practice doesn't go as smoothly as first - Northern Star Online: Sports

NIU’s overlooked QB, Jordan Lynch, has only begun to talk - Chicago Sun-Times

Florida State hears about NIU star Jordan Lynch’s chirping, says it will respond on field - Chicago Sun-Times

FOOTBALL OUTSIDERS: Innovative Statistics, Intelligent Analysis | Futures: Martel Moore

Huskie Wire | Korcek's Corner: When will the NIU bashing stop?

Huskie Wire | Korcek's corner: U of I frustrations should not be passed on to DeKalb

Baxter breaks out - Northern Star Online: Sports

Wide receivers lead way with blocking - Northern Star Online: Sports

Florida State, Northern Illinois arrive at Orange Bowl each... | www.palmbeachpost.com

Huskie Wire | NIU secondary up for challenge against Florida State

Running back to play increased role in Orange Bowl game - Northern Star Online: News
While quarterback Jordan Lynch was the prime source of offense during the course of the regular season, expect to see an increased role in the Orange Bowl from running back Akeem Daniels.

Miami, baby: NIU arrives in Sunshine State for bowl game - Northern Star Online: Sports
Over the course of the last five weeks, NIU football has been through a whirlwind of events.

Schoffel column: Northern Illinois QB takes page from familiar playbook | Tallahassee Democrat | tallahassee.com
During a string of boasts in the media, UNI quarterback Jordan Lynch said FSU's defense will be in for a rude awakening in the Orange Bowl. Democrat sports editor Ira Schoffel says there's a method to Lynch's madness.

Northern Illinois football news: Huskies enjoying BCS Bowl treatment - chicagotribune.com

NIU practice not as sharp with distractions

Code Orange: Wells, Northern Illinois set to crash Orange Bowl | Appleton Post-Crescent | postcrescent.com

Quite by accident, Northern Illinois has become one of the leading universities in the country to promote healthy eating. 'There are oranges all over the place on campus, just in random places,' said Jamison Wells, a former Kimberly High School standout w

Wisch: Why Can’t NIU Football Draw A Crowd In DeKalb? " CBS Chicago

When it comes to college football, the state of Illinois has an attendance deficit.

2013 Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois players taking it all in - SB Nation Tampa Bay

After playing in the GoDaddy.com Bowl last season, the Wolfpack players are getting used to the increased media spotlight for a BCS bowl game.

Huskie Wire | Northern Illinois unveils new uniforms

Northern Illinois to sport New Uniforms for Orange Bowl

Mike Breese — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 15:41:25 -0000

Northern Illinois will be making significant changes to their road white uniforms for the first time since 2007. That year added some minor improvements and a black stripe to each side of the jersey.

This is a special uniform for a special 12-1 NIU Huskies team. Adidas, who provided the new uniforms, has been partners with NIU for several years.

Florida State had better watch out. This is the first time red pants has ever been introduced to the uniform. It's always been a black before this. The gray letters are slick as well.

The Huskie on the right sleeve and the word Huskie on the left will introduce incentive for a flex contest on the field and I so hope that happens after some touchdowns.

Images and video via NIUHuskies.com

What do you guys think?

This will be the first time the Huskies wear TECHFIT, which features multiple innovations to reduce the weight of the jersey by 30 percent, including a streamlined fit, new fabric, reduced seams and an ultra lightweight numbering system. The adidas TECHFIT jersey keeps players cool with integrated ventilation zones and moisture management fabric. Reduced seams and a restriction-free, high-stretch collar design increases range of motion to support player agility and speed.

The front of NIU’s white away jersey features a new custom front highlighted by a red “NIU” and silver numbers on the chest and shoulders. They Huskies will wear red TECHIFT pants, red/white Team Speed Vertical Crew Socks and black adizero 5-Star and crazyquick cleats.

NIU News: First Day in Miami (12/27/12) Edition

Mike Breese — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:31:54 -0000

NIU in Miami: Orange Bowl Trip Day One - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site - Good first practice and bowl swag shopping.

Huskie Wire | Huskies arrive in Miami, run through first practice. - The Orange Bowl is a business trip for these Huskies.

Code Orange: Wells, Northern Illinois set to crash Orange Bowl | Appleton Post-Crescent | postcrescent.com - Feature story on Jamison Wells and his Orange Bowl excitement.

Upon arrival, Northern Illinois Huskies feel larger than life - Orange Bowl - MiamiHerald.com - Huskies are taking in all the moments, including seeing themselves on the side of a bus.

South Florida prepares to host Orange Bowl, BCS Championship game - Orange Bowl - MiamiHerald.com - South Florida enjoys hosting BCS games, go figure.

Florida State, Northern Illinois arrive at Orange Bowl each... | www.ajc.com - Jimbo Fisher on Jordan Lynch.

NIU arrives in Miami for Orange Bowl | Wed., Dec. 26, 2012 - Miami Herald - PICTURE GALLERY

Images: Northern Illinois arrives in Miami for Orange Bowl - DailyHerald.com - MOAR PICTURES

Huskie Wire | NOTEBOOK: RBs Settle, Harris ruled out for Orange Bowl - Not great, but these guys have been out for a while and it hasn't been a big deal.

Diersen leaves FAU for Northern Illinois - OwlAccess.com - Coach Carey knows a recruiting coordinator in Florida? Awesome.

Cash-Strapped Southern Miss Tries To Wring More Money Out Of Its Schedule, Considers Canceling BYU Series - Other teams struggling with scheduling future opponents and $$$

Northern Illinois University's football team is bound for college bowl history, fans will hit the stands | WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Florida State Northern Illinois Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Northern Illinois Orange Bowl story lines - OrlandoSentinel.com - Coaching changes continue to be a top storyline.

Fans of the Northern Illinois Huskies are traveling to South Florida seeking to stun the Florida State Seminoles in the Orange Bowl - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

FSU & Northern Illinois Prep For Orange Bowl " CBS Miami

NCAA College Football Preview - Northern Illinois Huskies at Florida State Seminoles - Jan 01, 2013 - CBSSports.com

NIU Football Team Headed To Florida For Orange Bowl " CBS Chicago

Seminoles head south | Tallahassee Democrat | tallahassee.com

Florida State Seminoles and Northern Illinois Huskies gear up for Orange Bowl - OrlandoSentinel.com

Tate: Northern (Illinois) exposure | IlliniHQ.com

College Football: Can you feel Northern Illinois' Huskie fever? - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Huskie Wire | Season of giving

The Best Individual MAC Football Performances of 2012 - Hustle Belt

Novak thrilled about NIU's success

Northern Illinois' success pleases former coach Joe Novak - SB Nation Chicago

Huskie Wire | MAC in position to ride wave of change

2013 Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois has ability to keep it close against Florida State - SB Nation Tampa Bay

Huskie Wire | From walk-on to the BCS

saukvalley.com | Northern Illinois tackle put on bulk before filling in for Loos in Dixon IL, Sterling, IL and Rock Falls IL

Broken leg sidelines key blocker in NIU’s Orange Bowl season - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

NIU football: NIU a one-man gang? Hardly - Chicago Tribune

NIU News: Friday (12/21/12) End of the World Edition

Mike Breese — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:25:17 -0000

The world can't end today because then we'd miss a very important game on January 1st. GO HUSKIES!!

Huskie Wire | NIU sees few weaknesses in Florida State defense - FSU's defense is scary good.

Grading college football's coaching hires - Yahoo! Sports - Pat Forde obviously doesn't know what he's talking about.

Mike Trout - Breakout Athletes of 2012 - Photos - SI.com - Lynch makes an appearance.

Whatever Happened To The Orange Bowl? - Forbes

Thirteen Northern Illinois Student-Athletes Conferred Degrees in December Commencement - Northern Illinois Huskies

NIU's Jordan Lynch: 'I didn't make it to the Orange Bowl all by myself' - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star

Huskie Wire | Bork marvels at current Huskies' success

Daily Chronicle | Applications to NIU surge in wake of Orange Bowl pick

N. Illinois-Florida St. Preview - Yahoo! Sports

Huskie Wire | Carey to call offensive plays at Orange Bowl

Huskie Wire | Lynch continues where Harnish left off

NIU’s defensive line isn’t worried about Florida State’s size advantage - Chicago Sun-Times

Weekly Football Press Conference Quotes - Dec. 18, 2012 - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site

Huskie Wire | Former Huskie Fleck new head coach at Western Michigan

Huskie Wire | Must block to play

Huskie Wire | Longtime assistant Sabock back for the Orange Bowl

Huskie Wire | Huskies' Jefferson has right state of mind

For a sense of NIU perspective, just talk to Korcek - DailyHerald.com

Huskie Wire | Huskies fight the rain

Northern Illinois won't change their approach in the Orange Bowl - SB Nation Chicago

Alabama-Notre Dame BCS game tops 2012 college football bowl picks - College Football - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

Notre Dame, Northern Illinois will be facing the Miami heat this bowl season - Chicago Sun-Times

Huskie Wire | MAC teams underdogs in bowl games

Florida State loses one assistant coach, retains another | www.ajc.com

Seminoles' success leads to coaching turnover

Florida State Northern Illinois Orange Bowl: Florida State begins preparing for Northern Illinois, Orange Bowl - OrlandoSentinel.com

Underdogs _ like Northern Illinois _ get little love, fewer opportunities in college football - The Washington Post

A flood of quality coaches has raised the Mid-American Conference's national profile -- college football - ESPN

2012-13 College Football Bowl Predictions From WhatIfSports.com

Florida State, Northern Illinois to have SEC referees in Orange Bowl - chicagotribune.com

Huskie Wire | Teammates rivals, too

Orange Bowl reaction: Don't count out Northern Illinois - SB Nation Chicago

P.J. Fleck to be next Head Coach at Western Michigan

Mike Breese — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 22:01:48 -0000

Per the Kalamazoo Gazette

Almost a year ago, P.J. Fleck was anointed offensive coordinator for the Northern Illinois Huskies for one single day.

Apparently the role didn't suit P.J. and after Greg Schiano was hired for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers job, he took over as position coach for the Wide Receivers.

Now he's ready for a head coaching job at a division rival that NIU will play every year? It sure will build up excitement for playing the Broncos every year. Bill Cubit sure couldn't do anything himself in that regard.

P.J. Fleck is regarded as one of the best and most-beloved players in NIU history. Fleck played at NIU from 1999-2003 and excelled as a senior as NIU became one of the first teams to be a potential BCS Buster. He was also a WRs coach and recruiting coordinator from 2007-09.

Considering that Rod Carey is the new head coach after being promoted from offensive coordinator, P.J. may have made a mistake here. Anyways, we will always love you outside of one day a year now Mr. Fleck.

Northern Illinois to play Nebraska at Soldier Field in 2016

Mike Breese — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 21:34:49 -0000

NIUHuskies.com Official Release

The Northern Illinois Huskies will take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Soldier Field in 2016.

The date is set for September 24th, 2016 for the NIU Huskies 4th trip heading into Soldier Field for a home game. The Huskies barely lost 17-18 in the opener against Iowa at Soldier Field, the only blemish on an otherwise perfect season.

After the 2016 game against Nebraska in Soldier Field, the Huskies will then make return trips to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska on September 2nd, 2017 and September 14th, 2019.

I'm perfectly fine with this happening, even though it might help if we got some of these big schools to come to Huskie Stadium every once in a while. And you wonder why our attendance is low??? It's a financial windfall for everybody involved, but obviously some fans aren't going to be happy with this.

What are your predictions for 2016?

Will Rod Carey be in his 4th year coaching the NIU Huskies?

Will NIU be in the same conference? Will Nebraska?

Northern Illinois, Florida State in the Orange Bowl will be closer than you think

Mike Breese — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:14:09 -0000

I'm a big fan of advanced, unbiased statistics, so I was pretty excited when I saw that stat guru Bill Connelly was writing up the Orange Bowl today. If you want to take a glance at all the fancy numbers, make sure you check out the F/+ rankings here.

Florida State is ranked 12th and they've achieved that record by beating up on really bad teams. The ACC was horrible. It goes Clemson ranked at #25, the Northern Illinois Huskies at #31 and then a huge dropoff occurs with Virginia Tech at #47. The ACC was terrible this past year.

The first point that Bill makes is that the NIU Huskies are much better than N.C. State, which comes in at a paltry #63 on the F/+ rankings.

But before you decide that FSU is too dominant and will beat a smaller MAC team, realize that the Seminoles have only outscored Top 70 opponents in 2012 by an average score of 28.8 to 24.7. NIU is much better than not only N.C. State (which somehow beat FSU on October 6), but also Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech, both of whom came awfully close to taking out the 'Noles.

Connelly then goes on to say that NIU should ditch the empty backfield, which is something I completely agree with. In terms of skill players, the Jordan Lynch and Akeem Daniels is a bit of a thunder and lightning combination running inside and outside. Daniels has been the unsung hero over the latter part of the season and is a key component against the Florida St. Seminoles.

He has exploded recently: In the first 11 games, he carried 36 times for 192 yards and four touchdowns and caught 14 passes for 125 yards; in the last two, he has carried 29 times for 240 yards and five scores and caught four passes for 67 yards (almost all of which were yards after catch). He will need to have a lovely game because Lynch alone isn't going to beat Florida State.

The NIU offense likes to spread the ball around. I'm sure Martel Moore and TommyLee Lewis and Perez Ashford will get opportunities to make plays if Jordan Lynch has time to get them the ball. The leading receiver in the MACC was Moore with 4 catches for 39 yds and a TD, but you should look at his regular season stats and highlights to get a real picture. TommyLee can hurt you in any sort of way, whether it be returning kicks, rushing or receiving.

The Huskie defense will be the 3rd best FSU has played this season according to the F/+ rankings at #35, but they are going to tested. The FSU QB actually seems to do better when he's under pressure, so the Huskies may want to time out their blitzes a little more than they usually do.

the problem is that, if they do not bring down the passer on passing downs, they are likely allowing a first down. NIU ranks 32nd in Standard Downs S&P+ but only 88th on passing downs. Whereas senior corner Rashaan Melvin (18 passes defensed) is active and exciting, fellow corners Marlon Moore, Sean Evans and Jhony Faustin perhaps leave something to be desired.

It really could go either way and NIU should not be counted out of this game:

Good FSU, the one that scoffs at physically inferior opponents, wins this game handily and sets the table for another Top 10 preseason ranking next season; Bad FSU, however, the one that falls asleep for at least a while against any semi-decent team, will lose. What say you, 'Noles?

Huskie fans, what do you think a win depends on? Can NIU beat Florida State?

NIU News: Thursday (12/13/12) Edition

Mike Breese — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 16:46:57 -0000

FSU vs. NIU, Orange Bowl preview: The Huskies are good enough - SBNation.com - BOOM. SB Nation's Bill Connelly with arguably the best Orange Bowl preview you are going to see.

Huskie Wire | Korcek: Bowl bid a quantum leap for NIU - A classic Korcek column (which one isn't?) with historic trivia to keep you interesting at those fancy NIU alumni parties. Did you know we declined a Tangerine Bowl invite in 1951 because of academic reasons?

Huskie Wire | Under new leadership - Steve Nitz with an interesting look at how coaches fare without the coach that they had for the regular season.

NIU football: Mike Dunbar unseen force for NIU - chicagotribune.com - This David Haugh piece on coach Mike Dunbar is a tearjerker.

College Football: Secondary now one of NIU’s greatest strengths - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star - Secondary will be extremely key in the Orange Bowl.

NIU Discover Orange Bowl Ticket Priority Deadline Nears - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site - BUY YOUR TICKETS.

Orange Bowl: Northern Illinois has sold 5,500 tickets - SB Nation Tampa Bay - More press on this - keep buying tickets!!

Florida high school sports | MAC recruiters enjoying Florida's hospitality, snapping up football talent - MACtion has the need for speed in the Sunshine State.

Gone Baby Gone: Greg Garmon Leaving Iowa Football Program - Black Heart Gold Pants - The Iowa running back curse continues. Somehow they managed to beat us with one guy this past season, so I'm not 100% confident in a win just yet.

VIDEOS

NIU News: Wednesday (12/12/12) Edition

Mike Breese — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:04:02 -0000

Jordan Lynch Garners AP, Sports Illustrated All-America Recognition - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site - Lynch was named 2nd Team "All-Purpose Player" by the AP. Ahead of Trayvon Austin of West Virginia and ahead of Dri Archer of Kent State. Interesting.

2013 Orange Bowl: NIU vs. Florida State, The Moneyball Matchup - Hustle Belt - Ultimate visual comparison between the have-nots of MAC Athletic budgets vs. the big boys of the BCS in Florida State. Thank you Hustle Belt.

College football playoff revenue distribution set - Prez Peters was on this committee:

"We think it's fair," Peters said last month. "It does recognize that some conferences contribute more in a revenue way. … From my point of view for my conference, what it means is more."

NIU Alumni Association - Support a Bowl Experience - Support poor college kids!

Daily Chronicle | DeKalb declares Jan. 1 ‘NIU Huskies Day’ - YES WE GET OUR OWN HOLIDAY ON ANOTHER HOLIDAY!

Huskie Wire | Mid-majors make big strides in BCS - The goal of becoming "the next Boise State" has nearly been accomplished. Now we just need to win.

Dave Doeren misses out on sizable BCS bonus pot - CBSSports.com - Doeren ain't even mad

Huskie Wire | NIU's ROAD TO MIAMI - Huskie Wire got themselves a fancy website that you can check out right here: Daily Chronicle | NIU's Road to Miami

NIU Has Distributed More Orange Bowl Tickets Than Florida State So Far " CBS Chicago - A mild hurrah so far.

Northern Illinois to add Jumbotron to Huskie Stadium in 2013

Mike Breese — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:08:16 -0000

In the Sun-Times article about attendance the other day, you may have glossed over one paragraph that actually broke some news to NIU Huskie fans:

"It’s going to get better," Doeren said, pointing to the stadium outside his old office window. "They’re putting a new Jumbotron in here next year, they’re putting all these signs on the side, those ribbon LEDs. The [new] indoor training facility opens in October. The state [high school football] championships are here next year. This place is taking off. The last thing is to fill the stadium."

Steve Nitz of Huskie Wire confirmed it today.

What do we know? We're getting a new scoreboard and video board next season and it's going to cost $3.3 million. That means it's going to be really nice. NIU was very particular about how they wanted to build the Chessick indoor practice facility for next year and that will be ready to open in October. I'm sure the administration has taken their time with this project as well.

It's a small step in the large scheme of getting fans into Huskie stadium and keeping them there.

And they better fix the sound system as well.

NIU News: Tuesday (12/11/12) Edition

Mike Breese — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:09:18 -0000

Northern Illinois is a BCS team years in the making - Paul Myerberg with an excellent article for USA Today talking about the beginnings of success for this NIU program. Lots of Joe Novak and Cary Groth quotes!

Ten things you need to know about Northern Illinois - Myerberg again with some interesting NIU factoids.

Northwestern, Northern Illinois Take The Top Spots in the Academic BCS | TIME.com - NIU is #2 on a Times list by New America Foundation. Send your kids here to play football and get a good education!! Some really interesting graduation statistics to look at.

Huskie Wire | NITZ: Doeren’s departure almost lost in the mix - Steve Nitz on how Dave Doeren leaving wasn't big on the tornado of news over the past week and a half. Also a dig on Kill.

Huskie Wire | Alumni take pride in NIU's success - Jeff Arnold talks to Garrett Wolfe, Ryan Diem and Chandler Harnish on bring up the program and what to expect in Miami.

Huskie Wire | Williams preparing for his opportunity - Freshman QB Matt Williams will get a bunch of practice time leading up to the Orange Bowl.

Mid-American Conference to make sure NIU doesn’t lose money on Orange Bowl - Chicago Sun-Times - More on the financial stuff we've already covered.

Huskie Wire | New scoreboard for Huskie Stadium - A NEW SCOREBOARD AND VIDEO BOARD? YES!

2012 Detmer Award: Jordan Lynch Runs Away With It - Saturday Blitz - Lynch wins yet another internet award, thus becoming the #1 player for college football nerds.

NIU rush attack led by Jordan Lynch goes up against tough FSU run defense - SB Nation Chicago - Rodger Sherman of SB Nation Chicago on why it might be tough to run against Florida St.

St. Paul's running back Jordan Huff commits to Northern Illinois - al.com - We got ourselves one of them good running backs.

Northern Illinois, Florida State both possess talented ground games - Jimmy Johnson on the run games of both teams in the Orange Bowl.

Huskie Wire | Against all odds - Another "building the program" article that you may not have seen yet.

NIU News: Monday (12/10/12) Edition

Mike Breese — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 17:24:01 -0000

Practice is underway for the Orange Bowl matchup against the Florida St. Seminoles and the reallity has set in that it's actually going to happen for the Northern Illinois Huskies.

Are you going to the game?

Huskie Wire | Against all odds

MAC to help cover NIU's costs for Orange Bowl - Northern Star Online: Sports

Orange Bowl bringing everyone together - Northern Star Online: Sports

Though Northern Illinois keeps winning, team keeps struggling at turnstiles - Chicago Sun-Times

Northern Illinois becomes BCS busters | Sports | The Sun Herald

Daily Chronicle | Northern Illinois rises through ranks the hard way

Northwest Herald | NIU goes from obscurity to Orange Bowl

Huskie Wire | NIU takes field for first Orange Bowl practice

Rob Oller commentary: Sorry, all you naysayers, Northern Illinois belongs | Buckeye Xtra Sports

Northern Illinois Says It Belongs In The Orange Bowl | Only A Game

Huskie Wire | Start the hype machine

Florida State bowl foe Northern Illinois enjoying the ride | jacksonville.com

Northern Illinois Has Found a Perfect Fit in Rod Carey

NIU alums proud of Orange Bowl-bound Huskies - SB Nation Chicago

NIU alumni celebrate Orange Bowl bid at holiday party

ACC hasn't brought much juice to Orange bowl

Florida State, Northern Illinois players get Tourneau watch, gift suite - OrlandoSentinel.com

Northern Illinois enjoying moment after crashing BCS party, landing spot in Orange Bowl | Fox News

UPS Team Performance Index: Orange Bowl favorite might be Northern Illinois - NCAA Football - Sporting News

2012 Underdog Award

NIU fans hustling to see Huskies at the Orange Bowl - DailyHerald.com

Friday Fun: Orange Bowl Caption Contest

Mike Breese — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 13:39:55 -0000

What were Rod Carey and Jimbo Fisher thinking about in this photo?

How will Northern Illinois stack up against the Florida St. Seminoles?

Consider this your Friday open thread.

NIU News: Awkward Orange Bowl Press Photos, Basketball Wins

Mike Breese — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:36:48 -0000

I can't post them here right now, check out some of the first links below to get a peek at some serious coaching pics for the Orange Bowl.

Orange Bowl Press Conference Notes

Orange Bowl coaches share laughs at kick off event - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com - "It's normal," Carey said. "It's like walking down the aisle when I was marrying my wife, you have those last second thoughts, but those thoughts don't stop you from doing it. It's ten years later, and I'm married. Don't tell her, though."

Mark Stoops, D.J. Eliot will help Seminoles in Orange Bowl - SB Nation Tampa Bay - FSU coaches leaving for Kentucky will stay and help coach.

Fisher says Stoops, Eliot likely to help FSU prepare for Orange Bowl | FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com - Check out the awkward press photo.

FSU, Northern Illinois coaches getting used to Orange Bowl - Orange Bowl - MiamiHerald.com - More awkward press photos, Orange Bowl helping recruiting.

Northern Illinois football news: Huskies ready to take their talents to South Beach - chicagotribune.com

Northern Illinois football team, new coach ready for moment on... | www.palmbeachpost.com - "My wife was like, ‘You got time for me?’ " Carey joked. "I was like, ‘Oh yeah.’ ’’

Now Orange Bowl-bound, new Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey gets a tiny bit of sleep - The Washington Post

FSU's next foe: Little Northern Illinois has Big MAC attack | FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com

Basketball and Football Celebrations

Huskie Wire | NIU football team honored at halftime pep rally

Men's basketball feeds off crowd support, beats SIU-E - Northern Star Online: Sports

Defense helps men's basketball find victory - Northern Star Online: Sports

Pep Rally Crowd Sparks Huskies to Victory Over SIU Edwardsville - Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site

Misc

Michael Turner pumps up the Huskies in the Atlanta Falcons locker room.

Scout.com: College Football Awards Night - Who Will Win? - Looks like Lynch might get snubbed for the Davey O'Brien Award.

My Heisman Trophy pick isn’t going to New York: It’s Jordan Lynch of Northern Illinois | TheGazette

Rivals.com Football Recruiting - Rankings of Yore: Brown a find for Eagles - A look back at Jordan Lynch when he was being recruited at Mt. Carmel High School.

Huskie Wire | Korcek's Corner: So-called ‘experts’ show their ‘expertise’ - Classic Korcek take on the whole Kirk Herbstreit thing.

Unlikely new NIU football coach Rod Carey was players’ choice - Chicago Sun-Times - Compher still wasn’t convinced. He knew just whom to call. Bill Mallory coached Carey at Indiana. He also knew NIU, having been the last coach before Doeren to win a MAC title (in 1983).

Northern Illinois, an Upstart, Finds the B.C.S. Spotlight - NYTimes.com

Huskie Nation Fires Back Against Orange Bowl Haters

Whitehall graduate Bobby Cole is a member of the Northern Illinois coaching staff - Morning Call

Projecting bowl lineup with playoff, sizing up SEC hires; Mailbag - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

Huskie Wire | T-shirt smacks Herbstreit's criticism of NIU's Orange Bowl berth

Notre Dame-Alabama BCS title game tops annual bowl rankings - Stewart Mandel - SI.com

Orange Bowl capsule: Florida State vs. Northern Illinois | Dr. Saturday - Yahoo! Sports

Videos:

Northern Illinois won't lose money attending the Orange Bowl

Mike Breese — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:18:49 -0000

I've switched my major from accounting to finance to business admin, so I'll try to make this article about as least dry as possible for you guys.

The problem with the bowl system in general is that it is set up for the bowls to make money no matter what so that they can stick around every year. Therefore, they give thousands and thousands of tickets to schools to sell for face value when trust me you can find a better deal online. I assure that this is a known fact and not some low-down secret. That being said, I inquire NIU fans to buy tickets through NIUHuskies.com

That is a problem because the nosebleed seats that are the cheapest cost $75 bucks a pop. I don't know about you, but if I'm either a college student or young alumni that has just graduated, this might be a little tough. Especially considering that you have to book a hotel and a trip down there as well.

NIU is on the hook for 17,500 tickets. Jeff Compher says that is $2.4 million worth of ticket sales that NIU is responsible for.

The horror stories are everywhere. UConn lost $1.8 million in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. Virginia Tech lost $2.2 million in the 2009 Orange Bowl and $1.6 million in 2011.

That's where the almighty Dr. Jon Steinbrecher is coming through to bail the Huskies out. This a rare occurrence in college football, but it's also a rare occurrence that a MAC team makes a BCS Bowl game (never). That means that NIU is NOT going to lose money on the bowl game. However, any of those ticket sales are going to be pumped back into the conference.

As usual we first turn to Huskie Wire for their coverage:

Here are the deets that everyone is reporting:

How much do non-AQ conferences get? $12 million

How much does the MAC get of that 12 mil? Around 2/3rds or $8 million.

but that's not all

Non-AQs get an extra $12-14 million as well.

According to ESPN, that money will be split equally between non-AQ conferences.

Huskie Wire says that money will be allocated according to how well the MAC does this postseason, which doesn't fare well because most of the 7 teams in bowl games are underdogs.

This ESPN article does a good job summarizing the money talk and points out that this could wake fans up and make a good showing:

"What I'm most excited about is that I believe this will re-energize our fan base," Compher said. "I want people to jump on the bandwagon because it could be as big as we want it to be. We have 180,000 alumni that live within an hour drive of our campus. People think that we're a little school. We're not."

How much does NIU get?

Well, it all depends on ticket sales. If you divide all the money around the conference, it could range anywhere up to 830K or more for each school. Of course, this is just an estimate. Divide the $10.8 million or so for the MAC around the 13 schools. Minus the lost money for NIU and voila. Of course I could be wrong and somebody correct me if I am.

How much did other BCS busters sell?

The Huskie Wire article gets depressing towards the end when it talks about how much money Boise and Utah made off their first BCS Bowl appearances.

NIU's home attendance was 15,670 this year. There's no denying that fact. There's also no denying it's a lot easier to get down to Arizona from Idaho and Utah than it is to go from Dekalb/Chicago, IL to Miami, FL.

Free tickets for students

Personally, I don't agree with free tickets and think they should be cheaper for say $10, but you can't blame Donna Turner for making it possible for our students to attend the big games that NIU has played in while allocating their costs towards hotels. Turner says that NIU has been doing this for every postseason since the 2008 Independence Bowl.

Merchandise

Here's a great article about how Orange Bowl merch is just flying off the shelves. If I know Huskie fans, I know they like their merch and they are going to be asking for a lot of it.

NIU NEWS: Talking Orange Bowl Coaches and Business

Mike Breese — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:40:38 -0000

From elation, to uncertainty to answering the critics: Four days Northern Illinois will never forget - Yahoo! Sports

The best article from yesterday was Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports breaking down the wild four days of Huskie Mayhem. Some other questions of the day:

How lucky is Northern Illinois to have a commissioner that is going to help them out with a ridiculous amount of face-value tickets to sell?

How awesome is it students are getting free tickets to the bowl game of their lives?

Is the Orange Bowl a top-5 bowl game to watch?

The full coaching staff will be coaching the bowl game, but who will leave with Doeren?

Should Big 12 Coaches get their voting rights taken away? (Coach Novak thinks so)

Smack Apparel's "Kirk Herbstreit can bite me!" T-Shirts now on sale

Mike Breese — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:34:16 -0000

I don't do many promotions, but these guys let me ramble on their SMACKcast and gave five free shirts away to lucky fans that listened to the podcast on twitter. Just a great company and I couldn't have had a better experience with them so far.

Show your Northern Illinois pride at the Orange Bowl and get back at ESPN. What's not to like?

BUY THE T-SHIRTS HERE

Make sure to follow @SmackApparel on twitter as well.

GO NIU HUSKIES!!