32 SEPT. 7, 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED
GAME PREVIEW: NORTHERN ILLINOIS
BY JACK SOBLE
N
otre Dame has been here before.
Two years ago, the Irish laid
it all on the line in a respect-
able, hard-fought loss to Ohio
State. They came back to South Bend
expecting not so much a competition,
but a coronation in Marcus Freeman's
first home game as head coach: a Week 2
matchup against Marshall.
That is, of course, not what they got.
Notre Dame's offense spent multiple
quarters without scoring, never find-
ing its groove until it was too little, too
late. Its defense didn't shut down the
Thundering Herd as expected, failing
to force a turnover all afternoon. And a
pick six in the fourth quarter replaced
nervous energy in the Notre Dame Sta-
dium crowd with absolute shock.
Marshall won 26-21. As Freeman
would later admit, he and the Irish made
a costly mistake after keeping pace with
Ohio State.
"You play well enough that you're
kind of like, 'All right, we've got a good
team,'" Freeman said the following
DÉJÀ VU
Notre Dame finds itself in a familiar
spot against a Northern Illinois team
that can't be overlooked
Senior defensive end Raishein Thomas finished the 2023 season with the most tackles (74) of any defensive lineman in the country.
PHOTO COURTESY NORTHERN ILLINOIS ATHLETICS
