DeKalb, Ill. • Four years ago, tens of thousands of Michigan fans went home during a weather delay and Utah followers moved into prime seats in the fourth quarter. Not counting that snapshot, Ute fans likely accounted for the highest percentage of occupancy of a road venue in the program’s history Saturday night at Northern Illinois.
Several hundred fans in the crowd of 16,762 celebrated a 17-6 victory in the southwest corner of Huskie Stadium, near the visiting locker room. By the time he appeared in the postgame news conference in the north end zone, though, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham was looking and sounding defeated.