The 9-0 Northern Illinois Huskies are streaking!! NIU, who is currently ranked 15th in the BCS, doesn't play old school (see what I did there?) football. Either way, they're good...real good - not a flash in the pan or some fluke unbeaten this year. Since 2010, the Huskies boast an impressive record of 43-8, winning 11+ games in the last three season. Only three other FBS teams can claim that: Alabama (44-5), Oregon (44-5), and Stanford (43-6). The Huskies have been strong for most of the past decade, but it has been over the last four years that they have become one of the most consistent teams in the nation - and have some heavy winning streaks to prove it. These streaks are so long that they all started before their Heisman hopeful quarterback, Jordan Lynch, even started a football game for the Huskies.
1. 24 Consecutive Home Wins (Second best: South Carolina with 15)
No senior on the Huskies' roster has lost a home game. It was way way back on September 26, 2009 that NIU last lost at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois. Idaho snuck away with a 34-31 win back when Chandler Harnish was the Huskie signal caller. Since then, Harnish and Lynch have rallied 24 straight wins, most in convincing fashion. Since that Idaho game, NIU has won by an average of 23 points per game at home. The Huskies have outscored opponents at home 972 to a mere 422, for an average score of 41-18. The 24 straight at home is the longest streak ever for a MAC school (Marshall won 22 in a row before NIU eclipsed that earlier this year). And as we have been talking about all week, next up for the Huskies is their biggest challenge this year as the 9-1 Ball State Cardinals head to DeKalb to take a crack at ending the streak.
2. 22 Consecutive Conference Wins (Second best: Florida State and Ohio State with 13)
It hasn't just been at home that the Huskies have won. They have dominated the MAC over the last 2+ seasons. Central Michigan was the last Mid-American team to top the Huskies, back on October 1, 2011, when the Chippewas won 48-41 in Mount Pleasant. But 22 straight wins against conference opponents later, and the Huskies own the longest MAC-winning streak in history, surpassing Bowling Green's old record of 19 MAC wins in a row from 1991-93. However, the longest MAC unbeaten streak still belongs to Miami as they went 25-0-2 over a 27 game span from 1953-58...back when you could still have a tie in college football. If all goes right, and the Huskies win out the rest of this season, NIU would surpass Miami's streak in the Huskies' second MAC game next season.
3. 15 Consecutive Road Victories (Second best: Alabama with 11)
When Oregon fell at Stanford last week, the Huskies added the longest road winning streak to their repertoire as well. Once again, this record stems from that CMU game back in 2011. Since that 48-41 loss to the Chippewas, the Huskies have only lost two games, both in neutral sites: Soldier Field (against Iowa) and Sun Life Stadium (against Florida State in the Orange Bowl).
And because we love you guys, we've added a fourth bonus streak for you.
Bonus Streak: 6 Road Wins This Season (Second best: seven schools tied at 4)
With everyone scared to play the Huskies at home, NIU's been forced to play more and more road games every year. This season NIU has won a FBS-leading six road games - two more than anybody else. Clemson, Florida State, Fresno State, Louisville, Missouri, Oregon State, and UCF are all tied in second place with four of their wins coming on the road.