The Northern Illinois University football team will play its first four home games, including non-conference contests versus in-state foe Southern Illinois and Tulsa, on September and October Saturdays and will play host to Mid-American Conference foes Ball State and Western Michigan in November #MACtion games as NIU and the MAC announced the complete 2023 Huskie football schedule Wednesday.
The previously announced four-game non-conference slate to open the season begins with the game at Boston College on September 2 and concludes with the home contest versus Tulsa on September 23. In between, NIU will play Southern Illinois in the home opener September 9 and play at Nebraska on September 16.
“The non-conference schedule is a great opportunity to see where we are,” said NIU head coach Thomas Hammock. “It’s a jam-packed non-conference schedule, it will be very competitive, and we’ll have to play our best. For us, it’s about getting prepared, staying healthy, getting through the non-conference schedule, and knowing what we are facing in the MAC. We want to be prepared to play our best football going into the first conference game, which is against the defending MAC Champs in Toledo.”
NIU’s league schedule starts at Toledo on Saturday, Sept. 30, followed by a trip to Akron for an October 7 game. The Huskies have not played in Akron since 2018. NIU opens its MAC home schedule and celebrates its 116th Homecoming on Saturday, October 14 versus Ohio and is home again the following Saturday, October 21, to take on Eastern Michigan.
“Obviously, our goal is to win the MAC,” Hammock said. “The MAC is a very competitive league; it changes from year to year. When you look at the home schedule, the goal is to win every game at home. We’ll have to fight like heck to do that. We want to hold serve at home and find a way to win on the road.”
After a Halloween night contest on Tuesday, October 31 at Central Michigan to open the #MACtion portion of its schedule, the Huskies and Ball State will battle for the Bronze Stalk Trophy in Huskie Stadium on Tuesday, November 7. NIU closes out its home schedule on Tuesday, November 14 versus Western Michigan.
The Huskies play the regular season finale at Kent State on Saturday, November 25 with the 2023 MAC Championships game set for Saturday, December 2 at Ford Field in Detroit. The Huskies have won six MAC Championships all-time, more than any other current league team, with the most recent title in 2021.
Hammock said this year’s team has already started preparing for the 2023 season and will open spring practices on March 22.
“The important thing right now is build our bodies, build our minds to get ready for the grind,” he said. “Our players are doing a phenomenal job right now to get ready for a 12-game season with the opportunity to play more. I like where we’re headed. I like the leadership. They’ve seen the highs and lows; they know what it takes and they’re doing the things necessary to get it done.”
NIU Football season tickets are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com/MyHuskies or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225). Through the new Build Your Membership plan, NIU fans can customize their game day experience by adding parking, hospitality passes and more to their season ticket orders on an a la carte basis.
Football season ticket prices for NIU’s six-game home schedule in 2023 are unchanged from a year ago, beginning from as little as $97 annually (less than $11/month with the nine-month payment plan) for general admission (East Side) tickets. Reserved seat pricing on the West Side is still set at $144 (sections A, B, F) and $162 (sections C, D, E) annually or $16/$18 per month with the nine-month payment option. Purchase four season tickets with Huskie Family 4 Pack for even greater discounts.
While parking in the NIU Convocation Center lots remains free, any season ticket member now can purchase a spot in a premium lot to upgrade their experience or can purchase season passes to the HAF Hospitality Tent or the Coaches Club (West Side tickets only). Adding parking or hospitality to any season ticket purchase automatically provides fans with additional benefits as a member of the Huskie Athletic Fund, including invitations to special events throughout the year. For more information on the Huskie Athletic Fund benefits, and the new Build Your Membership plan, click here.
You can find the schedule below or online HERE.
