The 2017 season's largest margin: Northern Illinois 63, Ball State 17. A 46-point win — the year's high-water mark.
2017 — The Winning Chapter
Northern Illinois's 2017 season (8-5) is a middle chapter: table-stakes progress, no crown in the ledger, the program still writing the book.
The Shape — week-by-week · cumulative W–L below
Who carried it
- Marcus ChildersQB1,674 passing yards
- Daniel SantacaterinaQB712 passing yards
- Jordan Huff?740 rushing yards
- Marcus JonesRB350 rushing yards
- Tre HarbisonRB290 rushing yards
- Spencer TearsWR528 receiving yards
- Christian BlakeWR442 receiving yards
- Chad BeebeWR417 receiving yards
- Bobby Jones IVLB107 tackles
- Jawuan JohnsonLB98 tackles
- Mykelti WilliamsS73 tackles
- Sutton SmithDE14 sacks
- Josh CorcoranDE3.5 sacks
- Ben LeRoyDT3 sacks
Season leaders, 2017.
The season's deepest loss: Northern Illinois 14, Duke 36. A 22-point margin the season is remembered by.
The season's last act: Northern Illinois fell to Duke 14-36 in the postseason.
"Forward, Together Forward"
2017 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.