2002 Northern Illinois Huskies football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 2002

| team = Northern Illinois Huskies

| sport = football

| image = Northern Illinois Huskies football wordmark.svg

| image_size =

| conference = Mid-American Conference

| division = West Division

| short_conf = MAC

| record = 8–4

| conf_record = 7–1

| head_coach = Joe Novak

| hc_year = 7th

| off_coach = Dan Roushar

| oc_year = 5th

| off_scheme =

| def_coach =

| dc_year =

| def_scheme =

| mvp = Michael Turner

| mvp2 = Larry Williams

| captain = Eric Didesch

| captain2 = P. J. Fleck

| captain3 = Thomas Hammock

| captain4 = Vince Thompson

| captain5 = Tim Vincent

| captain6 = Larry Williams

| stadium = Huskie Stadium

| champion = MAC West Division co-champion

}}

The 2002 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by seventh-year head coach Joe Novak, the Huskies compiled an overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 7–1 in conference play, sharing the MAC's West Division title with Toledo. By virtue of their head-to-head win over Northern Illinois, the Toledo Rockets advanced to the MAC Championship Game. Despite reaching bowl eligibility, the Huskies were not invited to a bowl game. Northern Illinois played home games at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Illinois.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 2002

| poll = AP

| timezone = Central

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = August 29

| time = 6:30 pm

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Wake Forest

| site_stadium = Huskie Stadium

| site_cityst = DeKalb, IL

| tv = FSN

| score = 42–41

| overtime = OT

| attend = 19,653

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 7

| time = 6:00 pm

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = South Florida

| site_stadium = Raymond James Stadium

| site_cityst = Tampa, FL

| tv =

| score = 6–37

| attend = 23,559

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 14

| time = 11:00 am

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Wisconsin

| opprank = 22

| site_stadium = Camp Randall Stadium

| site_cityst = Madison, WI

| tv = ESPN Plus

| score = 21–24

| attend = 77,460

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 21

| time = 6:30 pm

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Western Illinois

| site_stadium = Huskie Stadium

| site_cityst = DeKalb, IL

| tv =

| score = 26–29

| attend = 23,598

| source = {{cite news |last1=Narang |first1=Bobby |title=Leathernecks put the bite on Huskies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87956300/ |access-date=October 30, 2021 |work=The Daily Chronicle |date=September 22, 2002 |page=B1 |via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 28

| time = 1:00 pm

| w/l = w

| opponent = Kent State

| site_stadium = Huskie Stadium

| site_cityst = DeKalb, IL

| tv =

| score = 13–6

| attend = 16,302

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 5

| time = 1:00 pm

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Ball State

| site_stadium = Ball State Stadium

| site_cityst = Muncie, IN

| gamename = rivalry

| tv =

| score = 41–29

| attend = 14,499

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 12

| time = 1:00 pm

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Miami (OH)

| site_stadium = Yager Stadium

| site_cityst = Oxford, OH

| tv =

| score = 48–41

| attend = 15,234

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 19

| time = 1:00 pm

| w/l = w

| opponent = Central Michigan

| site_stadium = Huskie Stadium

| site_cityst = DeKalb, IL

| tv =

| score = 49–0

| attend = 20,186

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 26

| time = 12:00 pm

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Western Michigan

| site_stadium = Waldo Stadium

| site_cityst = Kalamazoo, MI

| tv =

| score = 24–20

| attend = 15,049

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 9

| time = 1:30 pm

| w/l = w

| opponent = Bowling Green

| opprank = 20

| site_stadium = Huskie Stadium

| site_cityst = DeKalb, IL

| tv = FSN

| score = 26–17

| attend = 25,822

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 16

| time = 12:00 pm

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Eastern Michigan

| site_stadium = Rynearson Stadium

| site_cityst = Ypsilanti, MI

| tv =

| score = 49–21

| attend = 5,567

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 23

| time = 11:00 am

| w/l = l

| opponent = Toledo

| site_stadium = Huskie Stadium

| site_cityst = DeKalb, IL

| tv = FSN

| score = 30–33

| attend = 20,154

}}

}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/niu-m-footbl-2002.html |title = Northern Illinois Official Athletic Site - Football |access-date=October 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228205614/http://www.niuhuskies.com/sports/m-footbl/archive/niu-m-footbl-2002.html |archive-date=December 28, 2010 |url-status=dead }}

Roster

{{American football roster/Header

| year = 2002

| team = Northern Illinois Huskies

| teamcolors = f

| offensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=89|class=Fr|first=Brad|last=Cieslak|pos=TE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=82|class=Sr|first=P. J.|last=Fleck|pos=WR|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=6|class=Jr|first=Ryan|last=Gilbert|pos=QB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=10|class=So|first=Josh|last=Haldi|pos=QB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=28|class=Sr|first=Thomas|last=Hammock|pos=TB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=24|class=Fr|first=A. J.|last=Harris|pos=RB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=84|class=Fr|first=Sam|last=Hurd|pos=WR|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=Fr|first=Edgar|last=Rodriquez|pos=WR|rs=yes}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=83|class=Fr|first=Shatone|last=Powers|pos=WR}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=8|class=Fr|first=Jeremy|last=Pugh|pos=TB|rs=yes}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=88|class=Jr|first=Turner|last=Pugh|pos=WR}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=80|class=Fr|first=Pat|last=Raleigh|pos=TE}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=34|class=Jr|first=Mike|last=Scaramella|pos=FB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=64|class=Jr|first=Shaun|last=Schroeder|pos=G}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=5|class=So|first=Dan|last=Sheldon|pos=WR}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=69|class=Jr|first=Graham|last=Sleight|pos=G}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=32|class=Jr|first=Michael|last=Turner|dab=Michael Turner (American football)|pos=RB|link=y}}

| defensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=91|class=Jr|first=Leonard|last=Cooksey|pos=DT}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=51|class=Sr|first=Eric|last=Didesch|pos=DT}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=|class=Fr|first=Keafta|last=Dokes|pos=FS}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=37|class=Sr|first=Justin|last=Dole|pos=SS}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=18|class=Jr|first=Randee|last=Drew|pos=CB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=45|class=Jr|first=Nick|last=Duffy|pos=LB}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=29|class=Fr|first=Deon|last=Smith|pos=CB|rs=yes}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=48|class=Fr|first=Ray|last=Smith|pos=SS}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=40|class=So|first=Willie|last=Smith|pos=LB}}

| special_teams_players=

}}

{{American football roster/Footer|roster_url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021002154945/http://www3.niu.edu:80/athletics/football/roster.html

| head_coach = *Joe Novak

| asst_coach =

George McDonald – Wide receivers

| accessdate= October 2, 2002

}}

References

Northern Illinois

Category:Northern Illinois Huskies football seasons

Northern Illinois Huskies football