Interim coach Rob Harley said NIU didn’t stay rattled after Hammock’s departure: “There’s a lot of excitement for what is next.”

Beating Notre Dame. Winning the Mid-American Conference in 2021. Joining the Mountain West Conference. NIU athletic director Sean Frazier said the biggest accomplishments of Huskies football for the last seven years don’t happen without Thomas Hammock.

After seven seasons leading the Northern Illinois University football program, head coach Thomas Hammock has resigned to return to a coaching position in the National Football League

The New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks will face off against each other in Super Bowl LX and there will be plenty of Illinois connections. Here is a list of players and coaches participating in the Super Bowl who have a connection to Illinois or the Chicago Bears.

NIU announced its finalized 2026 football schedule on Thursday with a trip to Georgia State. That leaves the Huskies with three FBS road games to start the season and a home game against FCS runner-up Illinois State before its inaugural Mountain West slate.

More than a decade after his playing career ended, Jordan Lynch is still making NIU history. Lynch was introduced as a member of the 2026 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class by the National Football Foundation on Wednesday.

Former Northern Illinois University quarterback and current Mount Carmel High School head football coach Jordan Lynch was named as a member of the 2026 National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame class.

NIU’s first Mountain West slate is set, so here’s a quick look at every 2026 opponent — from first matchups to long‑distance trips and a few familiar faces. A new league means new storylines for the Huskies.

State championships. Easier access to state championships. State championships in DeKalb. Long winning streaks. Long losing streaks snapped. And long tenures in conferences ended. We look at the 10 biggest sports stories in the Daily Chronicle area this year.