The Northern Illinois Huskies have added the Western Illinois Leathernecks to their 2030 football schedule, FBSchedules.com has learned. A copy of the football game contract was obtained from Western Illinois University via a state Freedom of Information Act request.
Northern Illinois will host Western Illinois at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill., on Saturday, August 31, 2030. The Huskies will pay the Leathernecks a $400,000 guarantee for playing the game, according to the copy of the contract.
Northern Illinois enters its first season in the Mountain West Conference this fall, ending a 29‑year run in the MAC. The Huskies have faced Western Illinois—now an Ohio Valley Conference member at the FCS level—41 times, holding a narrow edge in the all‑time series at 22‑18‑1.
The Huskies now have three non-conference opponents set for their 2030 schedule. Northern Illinois is also scheduled to host Middle Tennessee on Sept. 14 and BYU on Sept. 21.
Western Illinois is the fourth FCS opponent on NIU’s future schedules, joining Illinois State in 2026, Stony Brook in 2027, and Rhode Island in 2028.
Northern Illinois is the second scheduled non-league opponent for Western Illinois for the 2030 season. The Leathernecks are also scheduled to visit Indiana State on Sept. 14.
Western Illinois also has future FBS games scheduled against Wisconsin this fall, Purdue in 2028, Wyoming in 2029, and Northwestern in 2031.
Football Schedules