2014 — The Ten-Win Year

Northern Illinois's 2014 season (11-3) is a middle chapter: table-stakes progress, no crown in the ledger, the program still writing the book.

Record 11-3
Final Result 11-win season
AP Final — post-bowls
SP+ +0.4 last-week
Era —
The Shape — week-by-week · cumulative W–L below
W vs Presby 55-3 W @ Northw 23-15 W @ UNLV 48-34 L @ Arkansas 14-52 W vs Kent Sta 17-14 L vs Cent Mic 17-34 W vs Miam (OH 51-41 W @ East Mic 28-17 W @ Ball Sta 35-21 W vs Toledo 27-24 W @ Ohio 21-14 W @ West Mic 31-21 W @ Bowl Gre 51-17 L vs Marshall 23-52 CFP

Who carried it

Season leaders, 2014.

Defining Moments
The Statement

The 2014 season's largest margin: Northern Illinois 55, Presbyterian 3. A 52-point win — the year's high-water mark.

The Setback

The season's deepest loss: Northern Illinois 14, Arkansas 52. A 38-point margin the season is remembered by.

The Postseason

The season's last act: Northern Illinois fell to Marshall 23-52 in the postseason.

"Forward, Together Forward"
— Northern Illinois fanbase voice · 2014· synthesized
What It Meant

2014 is a middle chapter for Northern Illinois — neither a crown year nor a crisis. It is the kind of season that fills the ledger between the named ones and gives the arc its shape.