Northern Illinois Record vs Ranked Teams
Every opponent's AP Top 25 rank is taken from the time of the game—not the final poll—with all-time, site, decade, and season splits.
- Overall record
- 5-34
- Win percentage
- 12.8%
- Current streak
- 1W
AP-ranked opponent summary
All Top 25
5-34
39 games · 12.8%
Against Top 10
1-13
14 games · 7.1%
Against Top 5
1-7
8 games · 12.5%
Streaks
1W
Current ranked-opponent streak · longest win streak 2
Record by site
| Site | Record | Games | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 1-2 | 3 | 33.3% |
| Road | 3-26 | 29 | 10.3% |
| Neutral | 1-6 | 7 | 14.3% |
Record by decade
| Decade | Record | Games | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 1-3 | 4 | 25% |
| 2010s | 2-7 | 9 | 22.2% |
| 2000s | 2-8 | 10 | 20% |
| 1990s | 0-9 | 9 | 0% |
| 1980s | 0-4 | 4 | 0% |
| 1970s | 0-2 | 2 | 0% |
| 1960s | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
Record by season
| Season | Record | Games | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1-0 | 1 | 100% |
| 2022 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2021 | 0-2 | 2 | 0% |
| 2019 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2017 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2015 | 1-2 | 3 | 33.3% |
| 2014 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2012 | 1-1 | 2 | 50% |
| 2011 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2009 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2008 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2006 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2005 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2003 | 1-1 | 2 | 50% |
| 2002 | 1-1 | 2 | 50% |
| 2001 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 2000 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1999 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1998 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1997 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1996 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1995 | 0-2 | 2 | 0% |
| 1991 | 0-2 | 2 | 0% |
| 1990 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1989 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1986 | 0-2 | 2 | 0% |
| 1985 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1971 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1970 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
| 1968 | 0-1 | 1 | 0% |
Highest-ranked wins
Win over No. 5
Notre Dame, 2024
16-14 · Road · Northern Illinois was unranked
Win over No. 18
Kent State, 2012
44-37 · Neutral · Northern Illinois was No. 19
Win over No. 20
Toledo, 2015
32-27 · Road · Northern Illinois was unranked
Win over No. 20
Bowling Green, 2002
26-17 · Home · Northern Illinois was unranked
Win over No. 21
Alabama, 2003
19-16 · Road · Northern Illinois was unranked
All 39 qualifying games
| Season | Result | Opponent at game time | Team rank | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | W 16-14 | No. 5 Notre Dame | Unranked | Road |
| 2022 | L 23-31 | No. 8 Kentucky | Unranked | Road |
| 2021 | L 41-47 | No. 22 Coastal Carolina | Unranked | Neutral |
| 2021 | L 10-63 | No. 25 Michigan | Unranked | Road |
| 2019 | L 17-35 | No. 13 Utah | Unranked | Road |
| 2017 | L 28-34 | No. 19 San Diego State | Unranked | Road |
| 2015 | L 7-55 | No. 21 Boise State | Unranked | Neutral |
| 2015 | W 32-27 | No. 20 Toledo | Unranked | Road |
| 2015 | L 13-20 | No. 1 Ohio State | Unranked | Road |
| 2014 | L 23-52 | No. 19 Marshall | Unranked | Neutral |
| 2012 | L 10-31 | No. 13 Florida State | No. 16 | Neutral |
| 2012 | W 44-37 | No. 18 Kent State | No. 19 | Neutral |
| 2011 | L 7-49 | No. 7 Wisconsin | Unranked | Neutral |
| 2009 | L 3-27 | No. 23 South Florida | Unranked | Neutral |
| 2008 | L 14-45 | No. 16 Ball State | Unranked | Road |
| 2006 | L 7-37 | No. 17 TCU | Unranked | Road |
| 2005 | L 17-33 | No. 4 Michigan | Unranked | Road |
| 2003 | L 18-34 | No. 23 Bowling Green | No. 12 | Road |
| 2003 | W 19-16 | No. 21 Alabama | Unranked | Road |
| 2002 | W 26-17 | No. 20 Bowling Green | Unranked | Home |
| 2002 | L 21-24 | No. 22 Wisconsin | Unranked | Road |
| 2001 | L 20-41 | No. 25 Toledo | Unranked | Road |
| 2000 | L 14-31 | No. 20 Auburn | Unranked | Road |
| 1999 | L 9-41 | No. 13 Marshall | Unranked | Road |
| 1998 | L 7-73 | No. 5 Kansas State | Unranked | Road |
| 1997 | L 7-47 | No. 21 Kansas State | Unranked | Home |
| 1996 | L 0-49 | No. 6 Penn State | Unranked | Road |
| 1995 | L 20-58 | No. 3 Florida | Unranked | Road |
| 1995 | L 0-44 | No. 16 Kansas State | Unranked | Road |
| 1991 | L 10-41 | No. 6 Florida | Unranked | Road |
| 1991 | L 7-58 | No. 9 Iowa | Unranked | Road |
| 1990 | L 14-60 | No. 8 Nebraska | Unranked | Road |
| 1989 | L 17-48 | No. 4 Nebraska | Unranked | Road |
| 1986 | L 0-34 | No. 1 Miami | Unranked | Road |
| 1986 | L 3-57 | No. 15 Iowa | Unranked | Road |
| 1985 | L 20-48 | No. 4 Iowa | Unranked | Road |
| 1971 | L 8-23 | No. 14 Toledo | Unranked | Home |
| 1970 | L 7-45 | No. 15 Toledo | Unranked | Road |
| 1968 | L 12-28 | No. 17 Ohio | Unranked | Road |
Methodology and coverage
A game qualifies when the opponent was ranked in the AP Top 25 at kickoff. Regular-season games use the poll recorded for that game week; postseason games use the last regular-season AP poll before bowl and playoff results. Final-season rankings never change qualification. Top 5 is a subset of Top 10, and Top 10 is a subset of Top 25. Games without a final score or a matching game-time poll row are excluded. Records use the final scores stored in the database and are not adjusted for wins or losses that were later vacated.
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