Football
Northern Illinois
Best finish
No. 12
Seasons ranked
6 / 22
Best finish
No. 12 (2003-2004)
Sports
Football
Polls
Media · Coaches
Years in the Rankings
Any poll, any sportBest ranking by season · 2003-2004 – 2024-2025
Each point is Northern Illinois's best rank that season. Lower is better; gaps are seasons unranked.
A year is lit when Northern Illinois was ranked in any poll that season; the best rank reached is shown. Click a year to open that season's poll board and cycle it week by week.
2020s1 ranked
2010s3 ranked
2019Unranked
2018Unranked
2017Unranked
2016Unranked
2015Unranked
2014Unranked
2013
Best · No. 16
FB2012
Best · No. 16
FB2011Unranked
2010
Best · No. 23
FB2000s2 ranked
2009Unranked
2008Unranked
2007Unranked
2006Unranked
2005Unranked
2004
Best · No. 22
FB2003
Best · No. 12
FBRecent Season
Media Top 25 · 2024-2025Ranking by week
Lower is better. Gaps mark weeks the team was unranked. Open this season's board →
2024-2025 Schedule
8–5Opponent ranks are their Media Top 25 position that week. Ranked wins are highlighted.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | vs | Western Illinois | W 54–15 |
| Wk 2 | at | 5 Notre Dame |
W 16–14 |
| Wk 4 | vs |  Buffalo |
L 20–23 |
| Wk 5 | at |  NC State |
L 17–24 |
| Wk 6 | vs |  Massachusetts |
W 34–20 |
| Wk 7 | at |  Bowling Green |
W 17–7 |
| Wk 8 | vs |  Toledo |
L 6–13 |
| Wk 9 | at |  Ball State |
L 23–25 |
| Wk 11 | at |  Western Michigan |
W 42–28 |
| Wk 12 | vs | Akron | W 29–16 |
| Wk 13 | at |  Miami (OH) |
L 9–20 |
| Wk 14 | vs |  Central Michigan |
W 24–16 |
| Bowl | vs |  Fresno State · neutral |
W 28–20 |