Notre Dame Suffers Shocking Defeat to Northern Illinois in Home Opener

SOUTH BEND — In an unexpected twist, the Notre Dame football team faced a surprising defeat during their home opener on Saturday. The Irish, ranked No. 7 in the US LBM Coaches Poll and No. 5 in the AP Poll, were unable to secure a victory against Northern Illinois University (NIU), resulting in a final score of 16-13.

This marks the second consecutive loss to a school from the Mid-American Conference (MAC), as Notre Dame had previously fallen to Marshall in their 2022 home opener. This defeat came during coach Marcus Freeman‘s second year at the helm.

The game’s scoring commenced with Jeremiyah Love’s impressive 34-yard touchdown run at 8:34 in the first quarter, following a Northern Illinois missed field goal. The drive consisted of six plays that gained 64 yards within 2:43. Love’s leap over a defender was a notable highlight of the scoring run. A 10-yard completion from Riley Leonard to Kris Mitchell was the only other significant play gaining ten or more yards during this drive.

Following this, Kanon Woodill put NIU on the board with a 21-yard field goal at 13:39, achieved after a Notre Dame interception led to a swift five-play, 51-yard drive lasting 2:08. A remarkable 43-yard pass from Ethan Hampton to Antario Brown initiated the scoring opportunity.

Later in the game, Kanon Woodill added another score for the Huskies with a 42-yard field goal at 2:13. This was the result of a drive of five plays that covered 30 yards in 1:27, after a Notre Dame punt. An important contribution came from a 28-yard run by Antario Brown, although a wide receiver attempted trick play ended in an errant pass near the end zone.

In a standout moment, Ethan Hampton connected with Antario Brown for an 83-yard touchdown pass at 5:35. The five-play, 98-yard drive took 2:51, following a Notre Dame kickoff. A collision between two Irish defenders allowed Brown to catch the pass, leading to a clear run for the touchdown.

Riley Leonard later contributed to Notre Dame’s efforts with an 11-yard touchdown run at 8:28. This drive was significant, consisting of 13 plays that accumulated 75 yards in 6:25 following the opening kickoff. The drive featured designed runs with Leonard, including a crucial 14-yard pass to tight end Mitchell Evans on a pivotal 3rd-and-12 play.