2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

The 2018 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Huskies were led by sixth-year head coach Rod Carey. They played their home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois as members of the West Division of Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 8–6, 6–2 in MAC play to finish as champions of the West Division. They represented the West Division in the MAC Championship Game where they defeated East Division champion Buffalo to become MAC champions for the first time since 2014. They were invited to the Boca Raton Bowl where they lost to UAB.

Previous season
The Huskies finished the 2017 season 8–5, 6–2 in MAC play to finish in a tie for second place in the West Division. The Huskies received an invitation to the Quick Lane Bowl, their 11th bowl game in the previous 14 years. There they lost to Duke 36–14.

Preseason media poll
The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Huskies predicted to finish as champions of the West Division.

Coaching staff
Source:

Schedule
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Utah

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Central Michigan

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at Florida State

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at Eastern Michigan

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at Ball State

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Ohio

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at BYU

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at Akron

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Toledo

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Miami (OH)

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at Western Michigan

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vs Buffalo (MAC Championship Game)

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vs UAB (Boca Raton Bowl)

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