Written by
The MOUNTAINWESTFOOTBALL.CO Desk
Conference Newsroom · Independent Mountain West coverage since 2026
The house desk of MOUNTAINWESTFOOTBALL.CO - independent researchers tracking every Mountain West game, stat and storyline.
Mountain West Matchups
Northern Illinois vs Kent State
Who wins Northern Illinois vs Kent State?
Tap your pick, it saves on this device.
Head-to-head on record
| Team | Wins | Series |
|---|---|---|
 Northern Illinois Huskies | 23 | Northern Illinois leads |
 Kent State Golden Flashes | 7 |
Meetings since 1966: 30. Source: CollegeFootballData game log.
The series in numbers
23-7 Regular season
8-2 Last 10
28-20 Avg score
10 Longest Northern Illinois win run
Biggest Northern Illinois win 50-7 in 1999, a 43-point margin.
Biggest Northern Illinois loss 0-42 in 1976, a 42-point margin.
Every Northern Illinois vs Kent State meeting
| Season | Result | Site | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Kent State win | DeKalb | 31-35 |
| 2023 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 37-27 |
| 2021 | Northern Illinois win | Neutral | 41-23 |
| 2021 | Kent State win | Kent | 47-52 |
| 2017 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 24-3 |
| 2016 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 31-21 |
| 2014 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 17-14 |
| 2013 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 38-24 |
| 2012 | Northern Illinois win | Neutral | 44-37 |
| 2011 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 40-10 |
| 2008 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 42-14 |
| 2007 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 27-20 |
| 2005 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 34-3 |
| 2002 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 13-6 |
| 2001 | Kent State win | Kent | 34-44 |
| 1999 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 50-7 |
| 1984 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 24-10 |
| 1983 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 38-7 |
| 1982 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 23-15 |
| 1981 | Kent State win | Kent | 10-31 |
| 1980 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 35-14 |
| 1979 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 25-0 |
| 1978 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 27-21 |
| 1977 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 21-18 |
| 1976 | Kent State win | Kent | 0-42 |
| 1975 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 38-15 |
| 1972 | Northern Illinois win | DeKalb | 28-7 |
| 1971 | Northern Illinois win | Kent | 26-7 |
| 1967 | Kent State win | Kent | 0-35 |
| 1966 | Kent State win | DeKalb | 7-26 |
Scores from the Northern Illinois perspective. Source: CollegeFootballData game log, since 1966.
Northern Illinois formation
Northern Illinois's base personnel from its latest published depth chart (week 3, from school depth charts and school game notes). Kent State has no published depth chart we can read yet, so only Northern Illinois is shown.
Line of scrimmage
Northern Illinois offense11 personnel · 1 RB · 1 TE · 3 WRMatchup stats
Last five games
Completed results from CollegeFootballData via the CFB Data Hub
Northern Illinois Huskies lead the series since 1966, 23-7. Here is the series on record and how to watch when Northern Illinois and Kent State meet.
How to watch Northern Illinois vs Kent State
When Northern Illinois and Kent State are scheduled, here is how to find the game.
- National TV National windows are set by Set weekly by the conference TV partners (ESPN, ABC, FOX, FS1).
- Streaming ESPN+ and the FOX Sports app stream the national windows.
- Radio Listen on the Northern Illinois radio network.
- Confirm kickoff Kickoff and the exact channel are set by the networks before game week. Check the match center for the Northern Illinois vs Kent State time and line.
The live time, line and how-to-watch details land on the match center and how to watch pages once the game is scheduled.
The Northern Illinois this season
Follow Northern Illinois in the title race on the Mountain West standings, and model the finish with the title race calculator. For the conference series that define the year, see the Mountain West rivalry pages, or browse every Mountain West matchup.
About the author and reviewer
Fact-checked by
MOUNTAINWESTFOOTBALL.CO Coverage Review
Fact & Data Review · Primary-source verification
Every stat and historical claim on data pages is checked against official box scores and the live feed before publication.
Independence: MOUNTAINWESTFOOTBALL.CO was not paid by any school, network or sportsbook for this page. Corrections are logged in our editorial policy.
Northern Illinois vs Kent State: the essentials
Northern Illinois Huskies vs Kent State Golden Flashes is a non-conference matchup that sets the Mountain West against the Mid-American (Group of 6). Northern Illinois Huskies lead the series since 1966, 23-7. Across 30 meetings on record the series is one-sided so far, and whenever the two programs are scheduled this page carries the Northern Illinois vs Kent State head-to-head record, the matchup numbers for both sides, and how to watch on TV and streaming. It sits alongside the Northern Illinois Huskies team hub, the Mountain West this week round-up and the live conference standings. For Kent State against the whole conference, see Kent State vs the Mountain West.
The Mountain West Report
One conference, in your inbox every Tuesday.
Standings, the title race and one opinion on the Mountain West. No filler.
Frequently asked questions
What is the all-time record between Northern Illinois and Kent State?
Northern Illinois Huskies lead the series since 1966, 23-7. The two programs have met 30 times on record.
How can I watch Northern Illinois vs Kent State?
National windows are set by Set weekly by the conference TV partners (ESPN, ABC, FOX, FS1). Kickoff time and the exact channel are set by the networks before game week.
Are Northern Illinois and Kent State in the same conference?
No. Northern Illinois plays in the Mountain West. Kent State plays in the Mid-American (Group of 6). This is a non-conference game.