Northern Illinois 9/25/82-10/23/82

Two hours after I write this, Northern Illinois will take on Akron in the MAC championship game, and during the last few years, Northern Illinois has had some very good teams and represent the Mid-American Conference well. However, it is the Huskies of NIU that Northwestern finally beat to end their 34-game losing streak, and therefore became the first team to wear the Shame Mask.

Northern Illinois began the 1982 campaign with a loss at Toledo followed by a home win over the Kent State team that would lose every game they played that year. Then on September 25, 1982, NIU headed into the city take on the Wildcats of Northwestern. The Huskies lost 31-6 and returned home westward to DeKalb, tail between its legs, Shame Mask shackled around its face.

The following week, they lost at home to Ball State by the score of 14-7, and then after a week off, they lost a squeaker at Bowling Green 20-18.

At 1-4, things were looking down for the Huskies, but then the Eagles of Eastern Michigan rolled into DeKalb on October 23, and NIU won 10-0.

With the Shame Mask now removed, the season brightened for Northern Illinois. While they did lose the following week, they won their final game of three games of the season to finish with a 5-5 record.