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5 unusual facts about Northern Illinois


Daryl Richardson

He was picked second to last in the entire draft, the only player to proceed him was Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish, who was selected by the Indianapolis Colts with the 253rd pick.

Julian Posey

In 2009, he played 12 games including the game against Northern Illinois in which he started.

Northern Illinois

Northern Illinois University (NIU), in DeKalb, IL, is located at the heart of Northern Illinois and is the state's second largest institute of higher education.

Other institutions of higher education are found in Rockford, including Rockford College, Rock Valley College, Northern Illinois University-Rockford, University of Illinois College of Medicine-Rockford, a branch of Rasmussen College, and a branch of Judson University.

Wayne Larrivee

He also does a daily sports commentary segment called The Back Page, which originates from Packers flagship WTMJ-AM (620) in Milwaukee, and is syndicated to stations throughout Wisconsin and Northern Illinois and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.


EJ Manuel

Manuel led the Seminoles to numerous wins over ACC rivals, an ACC Championship, and an Orange Bowl win against Northern Illinois for a 12-2 finish to his senior season.


see also

2012 MAC Championship Game

The rushing attacks differed; Northern Illinois' was led by junior quarterback Jordan Lynch, who finished fourth in the nation in rushing, while Kent State's was led by a running back tandem consisting of Dri Archer and Trayion Durham.

Bronze Stalk Trophy

Designed by nationally recognized sculptor and DeKalb, Illinois (home to Northern Illinois University) artist Renee Bemis, the trophy depicts several cornstalks in tribute to the prevalence of maize around the respective home states of the rivals.

Dick Bennett

His daughter Kathi Bennett is currently head women's basketball coach at Northern Illinois and is a former head women's basketball coach at Indiana University.

Little Ten Conference

Founded in 1919, it was originally comprised the following small high schools in northern Illinois: Earlville, Hinckley, Leland, Paw Paw, Plano, Rollo, Sandwich, Shabbona, Somonauk, and Waterman.

Love 101

It was written and directed by Adrian Fulle and shot entirely on the campus of Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois.

Lowden State Park

The Galena-Platteville Aquifer's spring water in the area travels south from Platteville and Glenwood, Wisconsin through layers of rocks into northern Illinois.

Mission of the Guardian Angel

In the 17th century the Chicago area was inhabited by a number of Algonquian peoples, including the Mascouten and Miami tribes, who had migrated into northern Illinois and Wisconsin as a result of the Beaver Wars.

Northern Illinois Commuter Transportation Initiative

The Northern Illinois Commuter Transportation Initiative (NICTI) is a body formed from county and municipal governments and agencies in the north-central region of the U.S. state of Illinois, defined as those areas to the north and west of Chicago metropolitan area, principally Rockford and Belvidere.

Northern Illinois Huskies

The Northern Illinois men's golf team currently play their home matches at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois.

Pecatonica, Illinois

Pecatonica is the hometown of Hacks Auction, Northern Illinois premier auction house and J&J Tumbling and Trampoline which has produced several world class athletes, including 1988 Woman's Tumbling World Champion Megan Cunningham Gearhart (later a coach) and National Trampoline Team member Michael Devine.

Waukegan Lightning

The Waukegan Lightning are a professional indoor soccer team from Waukegan, Illinois formally known as the Northern Illinois Rebels of the Chicago Latin American Soccer Association and more recently the American Indoor Soccer League.