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Mountain West Matchups
Northern Illinois vs Illinois State
Who wins Northern Illinois vs Illinois State?
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Head-to-head on record
| Team | Wins | Series |
|---|---|---|
 Northern Illinois Huskies | 10 | Northern Illinois leads |
 Illinois State Redbirds | 5 |
Meetings since 1972: 15. Source: CollegeFootballData game log.
The series in numbers
10-5 Regular season
7-3 Last 10
25-16 Avg score
5 Longest Northern Illinois win run
Biggest Northern Illinois win 52-0 in 2000, a 52-point margin.
Biggest Northern Illinois loss 10-27 in 1975, a 17-point margin.
Every Northern Illinois vs Illinois State meeting
| Season | Result | Site | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Illinois State win | DeKalb | 24-28 |
| 2019 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 24-10 |
| 2000 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 52-0 |
| 1992 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 26-19 |
| 1991 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 27-24 |
| 1981 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 40-7 |
| 1980 | Illinois State win | DeKalb | 18-28 |
| 1979 | Northern Illinois win | Normal | 33-7 |
| 1978 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 49-21 |
| 1977 | Illinois State win | Normal | 7-16 |
| 1976 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 7-3 |
| 1975 | Illinois State win | Normal | 10-27 |
| 1974 | Illinois State win | DeKalb | 14-24 |
| 1973 | Northern Illinois win | Normal | 28-14 |
| 1972 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 21-7 |
Scores from the Northern Illinois perspective. Source: CollegeFootballData game log, since 1972.
Matchup stats
Last five games
Completed results from CollegeFootballData via the CFB Data Hub
Northern Illinois Huskies lead the series since 1972, 10-5. Here is the series on record and how to watch when Northern Illinois and Illinois State meet.
How to watch Northern Illinois vs Illinois State
When Northern Illinois and Illinois State are scheduled, here is how to find the game.
- National TV National windows are set by Set weekly by the conference TV partners (ESPN, ABC, FOX, FS1).
- Streaming ESPN+ and the FOX Sports app stream the national windows.
- Radio Listen on the Northern Illinois radio network.
- Confirm kickoff Kickoff and the exact channel are set by the networks before game week. Check the match center for the Northern Illinois vs Illinois State time and line.
The live time, line and how-to-watch details land on the match center and how to watch pages once the game is scheduled.
The Northern Illinois this season
Follow Northern Illinois in the title race on the Mountain West standings, and model the finish with the title race calculator. For the conference series that define the year, see the Mountain West rivalry pages, or browse every Mountain West matchup.
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Northern Illinois vs Illinois State: the essentials
Northern Illinois Huskies vs Illinois State Redbirds is a non-conference matchup that sets the Mountain West against the Missouri Valley (FBS). Northern Illinois Huskies lead the series since 1972, 10-5. Across 15 meetings on record the series is one-sided so far, and whenever the two programs are scheduled this page carries the Northern Illinois vs Illinois State head-to-head record, the matchup numbers for both sides, and how to watch on TV and streaming. It sits alongside the Northern Illinois Huskies team hub, the Mountain West this week round-up and the live conference standings. For Illinois State against the whole conference, see Illinois State vs the Mountain West.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the all-time record between Northern Illinois and Illinois State?
Northern Illinois Huskies lead the series since 1972, 10-5. The two programs have met 15 times on record.
How can I watch Northern Illinois vs Illinois State?
National windows are set by Set weekly by the conference TV partners (ESPN, ABC, FOX, FS1). Kickoff time and the exact channel are set by the networks before game week.
Are Northern Illinois and Illinois State in the same conference?
No. Northern Illinois plays in the Mountain West. Illinois State plays in the Missouri Valley (FBS). This is a non-conference game.