Notre Dame Suffers Shock Loss to Northern Illinois

In an unexpected turn of events, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish faced a heartbreaking defeat at home against the Northern Illinois Huskies on Saturday. The Irish entered the match as a considerable four-touchdown favorite following a notable season-opening victory against then-No. 20 Texas A&M.

The game took a dramatic twist when Kanon Woodill successfully kicked a 35-yard field goal with only 31 seconds left on the clock. In a desperate attempt to secure a win for Notre Dame, Mitch Jeter‘s 62-yard field goal attempt was blocked, allowing the Huskies to recover the ball as time expired.

This surprising loss has placed Marcus Freeman‘s team in a precarious position, dampening their earlier optimism about the season ahead. The defeat has raised questions about the team’s prospects moving forward.

In addition to the disappointing outcome on the field, Notre Dame is also financially impacted by the loss. The university is obligated to pay Northern Illinois $1.4 million for their participation in the game. This financial commitment stems from a contract signed in February 2019, which stipulates that the payment must be made no later than 60 days after the game’s conclusion.

Notre Dame has another such arrangement this season, as they are scheduled to host Miami (Ohio) on September 21, a game for which the Irish have agreed to pay $1.25 million. Miami (Ohio) enters the matchup as the reigning MAC champions and was picked to win the conference this season, coming in ahead of Northern Illinois.

This recent incident is not unprecedented for the Fighting Irish; they have previously suffered significant losses against Group of Five opponents despite their substantial financial commitments. In 2022, during Freeman’s second game as head coach, Notre Dame faced a defeat against Marshall, for which they had allocated $1.25 million.