By Woodrow Carroll
At the conclusion of the Saturday, Dec. 23 Camellia Bowl game, you might have heard Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” emanating from the Northern Illinois University (NIU) side. Well, probably not, however, that memorable number would have fit right in given the location.
The NIU Huskies defeated Arkansas State, 21-19, in the Camellia Bowl. Not only did the Northern Illinois victory end a seven-game losing streak in bowl games for the Huskies, it reaffirmed Alabama as the destination of choice for NIU’ football.
The Camellia Bowl is played in Montgomery, Ala. and The Camellia is Alabama’s State Flower. Prior to last Saturday, the last Northern Illinois victory in a bowl game was in 2012 when the Huskies beat Arkansas State, 38-20, in the GoDaddy.com Bowl held in Mobile, Ala. and Northern Illinois improved to 8-1 lifetime against Arkansas State.
Let’s go back to 2003. Arguably, the finest regular-season victory ever turned in by the Huskies was in Alabama in 2003. Try to remember!
September 20, 2003, the Huskies found themselves in Tuscaloosa, Ala. to take on the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.
In that tussle between Alabama and Northern Illinois, with Alabama a heavy favorite, the game may have turned on a blocked extra point. The Huskies blocked an Alabama extra point attempt and returned it for two points after Alabama opened the scoring with a touchdown. Thus, a possible 7-0 Alabama advantage was only 6-2 and from there the two teams battled on relatively even terms.
In that tussle between the Huskies and the Crimson Tide in 2003, the Huskies moved in front, 19-9, before a late Alabama score made it 19-16 which proved to be the final score. With it, the Huskies laid claim to what many call the finest victory in the school’s gridiron history.
Think about it! The crowd for the NIU game at Alabama was 83,818. Probably the largest crowd ever to view a Huskies’ victory. Yes, the Huskies have played in front bigger crowds in places such as Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State. As to claiming victory at those venues? Such was not the case!
The victory in the Camellia Bowl closed out a 7-6 season for Northern Illinois this season. A very up and down campaign for the Red and Black, although finishing up with a victory is the way to go.
Northern Illinois opened the 2003 campaign with a 27-24 overtime victory at Boston College. A victory over the Eagles of the ACC held the promise of great things to come for the Huskies. Then came a four-game losing streak.
Written off by many at 1-4, Northern reeled off three consecutive victories to get back into bowl contention if not the Mid-American Conference race. Two defeats followed and a bowl invitation was once again in jeopardy with the Huskies sporting a 4-6 record at that point.
Regular-season-ending victories over Western Michigan and Kent State lifted Northern Illinois back into bowl contention. From there it was on to Montgomery and the Camellia Bowl to confront the Red Wolves of Arkansas State.
The Camellia Bowl was a tense affair which the final score indicates. Northern Illinois led for much of the game, but, the Huskies had to stave off a late charge by the Red Wolves to claim the 21-19 victory.
For Northern Illinois football, the cup was 65% full this season. A final won-loss record of 7-6 and a bowl victory support that claim.
If things go as planned, and the word tentative and phrase subject to change are always present, the Huskies will play at Notre Dame next season. Having Notre Dame on the schedule is a positive even if the contest does not go the Huskies’ way.
- On the same Saturday, Dec. 23 victory by Northern Illinois in Camellia Bowl, Northwestern captured the Las Vegas Bowl with a 14-7 victory over Utah. The Wildcats scored a second-half touchdown to break a 7-7 tie and finish the season with an 8-5 overall record and four successive victories.