Northern Illinois and Kent State last crossed paths in December 2021 to decide the MAC Championship Game in Detroit. The underdog Huskies claimed the crown of the conference that day with a decisive 41-23 victory over the favored Golden Flashes — claiming their fifth MAC title since 2010.
This is the first meeting since that fateful Saturday afternoon and the programs are both in different places two years later. Northern Illinois (5-6, 4-3 MAC) can clinch bowl eligibility for the second time in the five years of the Thomas Hammock era with a victory, while Kent State (1-10, 0-7 MAC) seeks its first FBS win under first-year head coach Kenni Burns.