Programs / History / Northern Illinois
NIU

FBS PROGRAM EXPLORER

Northern Illinois

latest conference era: Mountain West

Loaded Seasons23
Latest Season2026
Peak Power2024 | +17.7
Best Finish#17 in 2010
World-Class Team Page →Current RankingsHistory Hub
Program Explorer

Program Arc

Win rate shows the results layer. End-of-season power shows the strength layer. A serious history page needs both.

Bars: win rate Line: public power vs average team
100% 50% 0% PWR +17.7 PWR -5.2 2017: 8-5, margin +90, power +3.6, resume 70 / 100, final rank #922018: 8-6, margin -35, power +3.2, resume 58 / 100, final rank #992019: 5-7, margin -64, power +0.2, resume 34 / 100, final rank #1632020: 0-6, margin -83, power -5.2, resume 8 / 100, final rank #1252021: 9-5, margin -21, power +6.1, resume 84 / 100, final rank #1432022: 3-9, margin -66, power +12.1, resume 39 / 100, final rank #1852023: 7-6, margin +51, power +16.0, resume 74 / 100, final rank #1032024: 8-5, margin +78, power +17.7, resume 80 / 100, final rank #842025: 3-9, margin -87, power +10.4, resume 40 / 100, final rank #2222026: 0-3, margin -69, power +15.0, resume 34 / 100, final rank #112 2017: 8-5, margin +90, power +3.6, resume 70 / 100, final rank #92+3.62018: 8-6, margin -35, power +3.2, resume 58 / 100, final rank #99+3.22019: 5-7, margin -64, power +0.2, resume 34 / 100, final rank #163+0.22020: 0-6, margin -83, power -5.2, resume 8 / 100, final rank #125-5.22021: 9-5, margin -21, power +6.1, resume 84 / 100, final rank #143+6.12022: 3-9, margin -66, power +12.1, resume 39 / 100, final rank #185+12.12023: 7-6, margin +51, power +16.0, resume 74 / 100, final rank #103+16.02024: 8-5, margin +78, power +17.7, resume 80 / 100, final rank #84+17.72025: 3-9, margin -87, power +10.4, resume 40 / 100, final rank #222+10.42026: 0-3, margin -69, power +15.0, resume 34 / 100, final rank #112+15.0 20178-520188-620195-720200-620219-520223-920237-620248-520253-920260-3

Historical Snapshot

A fast read on what this program usually is, what its peak looks like, and how the latest season compares.

Loaded Seasons 23

The number of fully modeled seasons currently attached to this program.

Program Baseline +14.7

A recent multi-year closing-power average. This is the kind of anchor that should matter in preseason priors.

Current Vs. Baseline +0.3

How the current season's closing power stacks up against the program's recent standard.

Gap To Peak 2.7

How far the current season finished below the strongest loaded team in program history.

Peak Loaded Season 2024 | +17.7

The strongest closing power this program has posted in the loaded archive.

Best Power Since Since 2024

This is the program's best power season since 2024.

Best Resume Since Since 2025

This is the program's best resume season since 2025.

Best Finish 2010 | #17

The highest loaded all-level board finish currently attached to this program.

Best Resume Season 2013 | 92 / 100

The strongest body-of-work season currently attached to this program in the loaded archive.

Current Season Standing Resume #20 | Power #3

Where the current season sits inside this program's loaded history on the two main scales.

Program Percentile Resume 17th | Power 91th

A cleaner fan-facing answer to the question: is this near the top of the program's arc or just another solid year?

Best Record 2013 | 12-2

The cleanest results season in the loaded archive, regardless of whether it was also the strongest by power.

Current Context

The premium fan question is not only "how good is this team?" It is "how good is this season relative to the program I know?"

Current board #112 Where the latest loaded season sits on today's all-level board.
Latest season 2026 0-3
Program baseline +14.7 Recent multi-year closing-power standard.
Gap to peak 2.7 How far the latest season sits below the program's strongest loaded team.

Program Signals

The clearest historical takeaways, written for scan speed.

Strongest Loaded Team

2024 Season

Ended at power +17.7, record 8-5, and final loaded-board rank #84.

Best Loaded Resume

2013 Season

Resume 92 / 100 with 12 wins and a 86% win rate.

Year-Over-Year Swing

+4.5 power

From 2025 to 2026, the program moved from +10.4 to +15.0.

Best Record

12-2

The cleanest loaded season by results came in 2013, with a margin of +204.

Best Resume Season

2013 | 92 / 100

The strongest body-of-work season in the loaded archive for this program.

Latest Vs. Standard

+0.3

Positive means the latest season closed above the program's recent baseline. Negative means it finished below the standard.

Season Explorer

Every loaded season, with conference era attached to the correct year and filters built for the questions fans actually ask.

23 seasons visible
Season Conference Lens Record Final Rank End Power End Resume Margin Season Page
2026 Mountain WestFBS CurrentThis season anchors the current board. 0-3 #112 +15.0 34 -69 Open season page
2025 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 3-9 #222 +10.4 40 -87 Program view
2024 Mid-AmericanFBS Peak powerStrongest loaded closing power for the program. 8-5 #84 +17.7 80 +78 Program view
2023 Mid-AmericanFBS In rangeA season that landed inside the normal historical band. 7-6 #103 +16.0 74 +51 Program view
2022 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 3-9 #185 +12.1 39 -66 Program view
2021 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 9-5 #143 +6.1 84 -21 Program view
2020 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 0-6 #125 -5.2 8 -83 Program view
2019 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 5-7 #163 +0.2 34 -64 Program view
2018 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 8-6 #99 +3.2 58 -35 Program view
2017 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 8-5 #92 +3.6 70 +90 Program view
2016 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 5-7 #98 +2.7 50 +2 Program view
2015 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 8-6 #90 +3.4 62 +49 Program view
2014 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 11-3 #59 +5.8 83 +82 Program view
2013 Mid-AmericanFBS Best resumeBest body-of-work season in the loaded archive. 12-2 #28 +8.8 92 +204 Program view
2012 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 12-2 #27 +8.8 90 +262 Program view
2011 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 11-3 #18 +9.6 88 +112 Program view
2010 Mid-AmericanFBS Best finishHighest loaded final board finish. 11-3 #17 +10.2 86 +267 Program view
2009 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 7-6 #96 +2.1 53 +91 Program view
2008 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 6-7 #98 +2.1 63 +80 Program view
2007 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 2-10 #195 -0.7 22 -141 Program view
2006 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 7-6 #50 +5.5 62 +56 Program view
2005 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 7-5 #25 +8.3 78 +115 Program view
2004 Mid-AmericanFBS Down yearFinished meaningfully below the program's recent standard. 9-3 #20 +8.2 90 +117 Program view