Northern Illinois vs. Notre Dame football history: H2H, records and more ahead of Week 2 matchup

One of the more unusual matchups of Week 2 is Notre Dame versus Northern Illinois. With the Fighting Irish fresh off a top-25 battle with Texas A&M to open the season, the Huskies were chosen for a non-conference battle. Northern Illinois bested Western Illinois 54-15 in Week 1 on Sunday.

The Fighting Irish are a 28-point favorite, but there's some interesting history behind these teams.

Northern Illinois vs. Notre Dame football history

QB Riley Leonard won his first game with the Irish against Texas A&M and now faces Northern Illinois. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

Northern Illinois vs. Notre Dame head-to-head

This is the first matchup between the programs. The Fighting Irish are 10-0 all-time against opponents from the Mid-American Conference. Last year, the team was favored by 34.5 against MAC foe Central Michigan. The team won 41-17 and has gone 52-11 at home over the past decade.

Meanwhile, Northern Illinois had a 7-6 record last year. The Huskies' last double-digit win came in 2014, when they finished 11-3. In the last five years, Northern Illinois' biggest upset was a 22-21 win as a 19-point underdog against Georgia Tech to open the 2021 season.

Fighting Irish vs. Huskies program history

One of the most successful programs in the history of College Football, the Fighting Irish have 11 national titles and have produced seven Heisman Trophy winners. That said, the last Irish national title came in 1988. While Notre Dame has made the playoffs twice, it has a 0-2 record in the postseason.

Northern Illinois made its first FBS bowl game in 1983 and has won five bowl games. The highest Heisman finisher in NIU history is quarterback Jordan Lynch, who finished third in 2013.

Who is Notre Dame's QB?

The Fighting Irish start Duke transfer Riley Leonard at QB. Leonard had an excellent 2022 season at Duke, passing for 2,967 yards and 20 touchdowns in 250 games. He battled injuries in 2023, averaging 1,102 yards with three touchdowns in 95 games played before transferring to Notre Dame. In Week 1, Leonard was 18 for 30 for 158 yards.

Who is Northern Illinois' QB?

Northern Illinois senior Ethan Hampton got the starting nod in the opener for the Huskies. Hampton had a big performance in Week 1, going 18 for 20 for 328 yards and five touchdowns. For his career, Hampton has passed for 1,296 yards and 14 touchdowns. Hampton won the MAC Player of the Week award after Saturday's game, where his passing efficiency of 310.3 set a new record for NIU QBs.

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