NIU students head to Miami to cheer on Huskies in Orange Bowl
Posted:
Updated:
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) -
The Northern Illinois Huskies play the biggest football game in school history Tuesday night.
They'll face off against the Florida State Seminoles in the Orange Bowl.
More than 1,300 students were expected to arrive in Miami New Year's Eve, to watch the game on Jan. 1. They boarded 26 buses Sunday for the 24 hour trip.
This will be a David versus Goliath match-up. NIU is a double digit underdog.
Florida State's biggest weakness heading into their Orange Bowl game against Northern Illinois might be Midwestern geography.
The Seminoles concede they'd be hard-pressed to locate their opponent in an atlas.
Cue the cliche: A victory Tuesday night would put Northern Illinois on the map. The No. 16-ranked Huskies have been widely derided as unworthy of a BCS bowl berth, which makes them eager for validation when they face No. 13 Florida State.
Northern Illinois (12-1) is the first Mid-American Conference team to play in the Bowl Championship Series. The Huskies made it when they cracked the top 16 in the final standings by 0.0404 points.
Until kickoff, it's impossible to know how seriously Florida State (11-2) will take a supposedly unimposing opponent.
Thursday, May 16 2013 9:49 PM EDT2013-05-17 01:49:53 GMT
Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
Mayor Emanuel will celebrate two years in office by unveiling "Elevate Chicago" on Thursday, a series of construction projects to improve Navy Pier and McCormick Place.
Monday, February 25 2013 1:41 PM EST2013-02-25 18:41:37 GMT
Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.
Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.
Thursday, April 18 2013 8:02 PM EDT2013-04-19 00:02:55 GMT
Former Northern Illinois and Miami (Ohio) head football coach Bill Mallory, who led the Huskies to their first Mid-American Conference title, has been selected for induction into the MAC Hall of Fame
Former Northern Illinois and Miami (Ohio) head football coach Bill Mallory, who led the Huskies to their first Mid-American Conference title, has been selected for induction into the MAC Hall of Fame
Tuesday, March 5 2013 9:46 PM EST2013-03-06 02:46:17 GMT
Matt Smith scored 16 points as Toledo crushed Northern Illinois 70-46 Tuesday night to snap a two-game skid and move into a tie for first in the Mid-American Conference West Division.
Matt Smith scored 16 points as Toledo crushed Northern Illinois 70-46 Tuesday night to snap a two-game skid and move into a tie for first in the Mid-American Conference West Division.
Wednesday, February 27 2013 10:59 PM EST2013-02-28 03:59:42 GMT
Glenn Bryant and Derek Thompson scored 14 points apiece and Eastern Michigan's defense stifled Northern Illinois for the second time this season, defeating the Huskies 53-41
Glenn Bryant and Derek Thompson scored 14 points apiece and Eastern Michigan's defense stifled Northern Illinois for the second time this season, defeating the Huskies 53-41
Tuesday, May 21 2013 8:27 AM EDT2013-05-21 12:27:00 GMT
Search and rescue crews worked through the night after a tornado barreled through the Oklahoma City suburbs. At least 51 people were killed, including at least 20 children, and those numbers were expected to climb.
Search and rescue crews worked through the night after a tornado barreled through the Oklahoma City suburbs. At least 51 people were killed, including at least 20 children, and those numbers were expected to climb.
Monday, May 20 2013 8:33 PM EDT2013-05-21 00:33:23 GMT
A Merrillville police officer shot a man Monday afternoon when the two got into a fight in the parking lot of the Merrillville Planned Parenthood office.
A Merrillville police officer shot a man Monday afternoon when the two got into a fight in the parking lot of the Merrillville Planned Parenthood office.
Monday, May 20 2013 5:52 PM EDT2013-05-20 21:52:14 GMT
Gov. Pat Quinn said Illinois lawmakers have a chance to make history on two fronts this month by approving a plan to fix the state's decades-old pension crisis and legalizing same-sex marriage.
Gov. Pat Quinn said Illinois lawmakers have a chance to make history on two fronts this month by approving a plan to fix the state's decades-old pension crisis and legalizing same-sex marriage.