NIU Seeks First Win of 2026 Season in Las Vegas
The winless Huskies travel to UNLV on Saturday, bringing a junior running back who is fifth in the conference in yards per game.
By Marco Graham ·
Northern Illinois University football travels to Las Vegas on Saturday to face the UNLV Rebels. The Huskies are looking to end a seven-game losing streak that has left them winless on the season. They have not beaten the Rebels since 2015, though they hold a 5-0 record in all previous meetings between the two programs.
The teams shared a conference history from 1993 to 1995. NIU defeated UNLV 62-14 in DeKalb in 1995. In the most recent matchup in 2015, the Huskies won 38-30 at home. Their last visit to Las Vegas in 2014 resulted in a 48-34 victory for NIU.
The Rebels enter the game with a 4-3 record and a 2-1 mark in the Mountain West Conference. UNLV’s three-game winning streak was broken last week by a 41-31 loss at Air Force. The Rebels were leading in the third quarter before the Falcons completed the comeback.
NIU’s junior running back Telly Johnson Jr. remains a productive force despite the team’s overall struggles. He has rushed for 502 yards and four touchdowns this season. His 5.28 yards per carry ranks 50th nationally and fifth in the Mountain West. The Huskies, however, rank 132nd in rushing offense with an average of 100.1 yards per game.
Interim head coach Rob Harley said the team’s offensive strategy shifts when they fall behind. He explained that the Huskies throw the ball more frequently to catch up, which changes the flow of the game. "We’ve made it an emphasis and we’ve had a chance to go hit some big plays," Harley said. He noted that the statistics may not fully reflect what is happening in the flow of the game.
The coaching staff has adjusted its practice routine to reduce inconsistent performances. Harley said the team is reducing time spent with the scout team and instead having the first-team offense play directly against the first-team defense. "We’re going to raise the competition in practice and just put them in those situations that are hard to create," he said. The goal is to ensure that when mistakes happen, they do not become catastrophic.
Junior defensive back Yassine Falke added a fourth interception of his season in the most recent game against Hawaii. He led the Mountain West and ranked third nationally with 0.57 interceptions per game. Harley described Falke as an athlete who reads and reacts well, often finding himself near the football to make plays.
