The football team (8-4, 6-2 Mid-American Conference) is officially returning to a bowl game as they will take on the Duke University Blue Devils (6-6, 3-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) in the Quick Lane Bowl Tuesday at Ford Field in Detroit.
“We’re obviously happy about being in a bowl game,” Head Coach Rod Carey said. “Last year we didn’t have a chance. I know we’re facing a well-coached team in Duke, and we’ll make it a great experience.”
This will be NIU’s 10th bowl game in the last 11 years after a 5-7 record in 2016 put them out of bowl eligibility, ending a MAC record of eight consecutive bowl appearances since 2008-15.