Senior defensive tackle Dasean Dixon (6) poses with family during the Senior Day lineup before Friday’s game against Kent State University at Huskie Stadium. NIU recognized 21 seniors during the Senior Day ceremony. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)NIU football head coach Thomas Hammock taps the Huskie statue outside of Yordon Center as the NIU football team follows behind to line up at the north end zone before facing Kent State University on Friday at Huskie Stadium. NIU is second to last in the Mid-American Conference, only ahead the University of Massachusetts Amherst. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Freshman running back Lazaro Rogers (21) poses for the camera as he enters the field during pregame on Friday against Kent State University at Huskie Stadium. NIU lost their final game of the 2025 season 35-31 against Kent State University, making their home record against the Golden Flashes 13-3. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Redshirt freshman running back Elijah Porter (24) attempts to slip through Kent State University’s defense in the first quarter on Friday at Huskie Stadium. Porter had two of NIU’s 58 rushes, gaining 14 yards in total. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Senior kicker Andrew Glass (60) kicks a field goal in the first quarter of Friday’s game against Kent State University. NIU struggled to claim two wins in a row in the 2025 season and had a losing streak of six games. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Redshirt sophomore defensive end Jay’shon Thomas (16) attempts to cut off Kent State University redshirt sophomore quarterback Dru DeShields in the first quarter of Friday’s game at Huskie Stadium. NIU led in rushing yards, 307-231, but trailed in passing yards, 207-27. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)NIU fans celebrate redshirt senior linebacker Quinn Urwiler’s interception in the second quarter against Kent State University on Friday at Huskie Stadium. Urwiler had his career first interception on Friday. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Freshman punter Jake Ference (36) punts from the NIU 40-yard line to the 17-yard line in the third quarter against Kent State University on Friday at Huskie Stadium. NIU will face University of Iowa, Illinois State University and University of Arizona on Sept. 5, 12 and 19 for their 2026 non-conference opponents. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Redshirt senior running back Chavon Wright (10) jukes toward a gap in the defense in the third quarter against Kent State University on Friday at Huskie Stadium. Wright had the most rushing yards in the game, gaining 188 yards across 30 rushes. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Redshirt freshman safety Taylor Powell (33) breaks away after recovering Kent State University’s fumble in the fourth quarter, returning it for 49 yards to the one-yard line. There were 3090 attendees on Black Friday, the least amount of attendees all season. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Redshirt freshman safety Taylor Powell and redshirt senior safety Muhammed Jammeh (4) take down Kent State University redshirt senior running back Jordan Nubin (27) in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game against Kent State University at Huskie Stadium. The last time NIU had less than a 0.500 percentage was in 2022 where NIU matched their 2025 record, 3-9 overall and 2-6 in the MAC. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)NIU PAT block special teams attempts to block a field goal after Kent State University scored their fourth touchdown in the fourth quarter of Friday’s game at Huskie Stadium. NIU matched the Golden Flashes touchdowns, but trailed due to the Flashes’ two-point conversion and extra field goal. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)Redshirt junior quarterback Jalen Macon (14) looks for an open receiver in the fourth quarter against Kent State University on Friday at Huskie Stadium. Macon was NIU’s only quarterback on Friday, with 10 attempted passes and 17 attempted rushes. (Totus Tuus Keely | Northern Star) (Totus Tuus Keely)
