The defending Mid-American Conference Champion Northern Illinois University Huskies will officially open the Thomas Hammock era at Huskie Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 31 against Illinois State in the first of five 2019 home games, according to the 2019 NIU Football schedule released today.

Hammock, the former Huskie player named the 23^rd head coach in school history on Jan. 18, will then lead his Huskies into a trio of “Power 5” stadiums in the month of September. Following the home opener, NIU plays at Utah (Sept. 7), at Nebraska (Sept. 14) and at Vanderbilt (Sept. 28), with an open date between the Nebraska and Vandy contests.

“It’s a great schedule, we embrace it,” Hammock said. “It’s hard to say right now what the emotions will be entering the first game, it’s so far away.  We’re going through the process of preparing the team to be ready.  We’re going to embrace the challenge of the non-conference schedule. To me, everyone on the schedule right now is nameless and faceless because the focus is on getting our team prepared.”

The Huskies open defense of their 2018 MAC Championship on Oct. 5 when Ball State visits DeKalb for the annual Battle for the Bronze Stalk. NIU is at MAC East foes Ohio (Oct. 5) and Miami (Oct. 12) in back-to-back weeks before welcoming Akron to Huskie Stadium on Oct. 26 for the 113^th Homecoming game.

The first opportunity to see Hammock and the Huskies football team in action prior to the regular season will be on Saturday, April 20 at the 2019 Huskie Bowl at the conclusion of spring football practice.

2019 NIU HUSKIES FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

Day, Date            OPPONENT (TV)                                                            SITE                        

Sat., August 31   ILLINOIS STATE                                                              DEKALB, ILLINOIS   

Sat., Sept. 7          at Utah                                                                           Salt Lake City, Utah

Sat., Sept. 14        at Nebraska                                                                    Lincoln, Neb.

Sat., Sept. 21        Open Date

Sat., Sept. 28        at Vanderbilt                                                                   Nashville, Tennessee

Sat., Oct. 5          BALL STATE*                                                                  DEKALB, ILL.    

Sat., Oct. 12          at Ohio*                                                                          Athens, Ohio

Sat., Oct. 19          at Miami (Ohio)*                                                              Oxford, Ohio

Sat., Oct. 26        AKRON*                                                                         DEKALB, ILL.    

Sat., Nov. 2           at Central Michigan*                                                        Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Wed. Nov. 13       at Toledo* (ESPN2/ESPNU)                                               Toledo, Ohio

Tues. Nov. 19      EASTERN MICHIGAN* (ESPN2/ESPNU)                           DEKALB, ILL.   

Tues., Nov. 26     WESTERN MICHIGAN* (ESPNU/ESPN3/ESPN+)               DEKALB, ILL.

Sat., Dec. 7           Marathon MAC Championship Game                                 Detroit, Mich.

* Mid-American Conference Game

Home games in BOLD, ALL CAPS.