Northern Illinois has been a member of the MAC since 1997. In that time, the Huskies have won five conference titles, including three from 2011-14, with their most recent coming in 2021.

Northern Illinois went 8-5 overall and 4-4 in the MAC this season and posted a stunning upset of then-No.5 Notre Dame in September. That was the program's first-ever victory over a Top 10 program.