Notre Dame Loses At Home To Northern Illinois In Historic Upset

Down go the Irish. After an impressive win in Week One over Texas A&M on the road, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish entered Saturday ranked in the top-5 and ready to cruise to an easy win over the overmatched Northern Illinois Huskies. 

Not so fast. 

Entering the game as 28-point favorites, it looked like Notre Dame would run away with an easy win. The Irish started the game with a 13-play, 75-yard drive for a touchdown. They'd only score once more in the next three and a half quarters.

The Huskies stormed back with a 98-yard touchdown drive, capped by an 83-yard catch and run.

A quick Irish three-and-out led to an NIU field goal for a 10-7 lead. A brutal Riley Leonard interception led to another Huskies field goal, and Notre Dame punted twice in the second quarter before having a 48-yard field goal attempt blocked to end the first half.

SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 07: Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Rylie Mills (99) is called for roughing the passer on this hit against Northern Illinois Huskies quarterback Ethan Hampton (2) on September 7, 2024, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Notre Dame Thoroughly Outplayed At Home By Northern Illinois

After a missed NIU field goal, Notre Dame got in the end zone on its first possession in the third quarter, taking a 14-13 lead. Time and time again, when underdogs miss opportunities and the favorite takes the lead, things snowball quickly. Not this time. 

NIU held serve, keeping the Irish out of the end zone, before another terrible throw by Riley Leonard led to a Huskies interception.

Northern Illinois picked up a crucial fourth down to move the ball down to the Irish 28-yard-line. The Huskies faced another third-and-two from the Irish 20 and seemed to easily pick up the first down, but a terrible spot by the officiating crew and bewildering review process led to a fourth down field goal attempt with 36 seconds left. And NIU kicker Kanon Woodill drilled it right through the uprights for a 16-14 lead.

SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 07: Northern Illinois Huskies kicker Kanon Woodill (92) is congratulated by teammates after making the winning field goal against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 7, 2024, at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Notre Dame Playoff Hopes Dashed?

The Huskies blocked a desperation 62-yard field goal try by the Irish as time expired before storming the field. 

Unsurprisingly, NIU head coach Thommas Hammock was emotional after the end of the game, the first win by the Huskies over a top-5 team in the program's history.

Northern Illinois got a $1.4 million check from Notre Dame to come to South Bend, and they're going home with a program-changing win. And NIU deserved to win; the Huskies had 6 yards per play to Notre Dame's 4.7. The Irish averaged just 4.9 yards per attempt through the air and 4.4 on the ground, putting up just 286 total yards. At home, against Northern Illinois, as a 28-point favorite. Amazing. It's why you have to love college football, and why you can never count on preseason projections.

Speaking of, after the Irish win over Texas A&M, many analysts projected Notre Dame as an easy playoff team considering their relatively easy remaining schedule. Their path just got a lot, lot harder. Florida State is 0-2, providing little in the way of a schedule boost. And the season-ending game against the USC Trojans is no longer a lock for the Irish either, considering USC's impressive win over the LSU Tigers.

If Notre Dame runs the table, the loss likely won't prevent it from getting into the playoff. But the margin for error is gone. And based on the Irish's performance Saturday, they may not deserve to get in any way.