Western Illinois to play at Northern Illinois in 2024

By Kevin Kelley -

The Western Illinois Leathernecks will play at the Northern Illinois Huskies in 2024, FBSchedules.com has learned.

A copy of the football game contract was obtained from Western Illinois University via a state of Illinois Freedom of Information Act request.

Western Illinois will travel to take on Northern Illinois at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill., on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. Western Illinois will receive a $350,000 guarantee from Northern Illinois for playing the game, according to the copy of the contract.

Western Illinois and Northern Illinois first met on the gridiron in 1903 and have played a total of 40 contests. In their most recent meeting in 2016, the Leathernecks upset the Huskies 28-23 in DeKalb, but the Huskies still lead the overall series 21-18-1.

Northern Illinois is the second scheduled non-conference opponent for Western Illinois in 2024. The Leathernecks are also scheduled to play at Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 14, which is the first game of a home-and-home series that concludes the following season at Western Illinois.

With the addition of Western Illinois, the Northern Illinois Huskies have completed their 2024 non-conference schedule. Northern Illinois is also scheduled to travel to Notre Dame on Sept. 7 and New Mexico State on Sept. 14 before hosting UMass at Huskie Stadium on Oct. 5.

Western Illinois is currently scheduled to open the 2020 season at home on Thursday, Sept. 3 against the North Alabama Lions. Northern Illinois is slated to open their season two days later on Saturday, Sept. 5 at home against the Rhode Island Rams.

Football Schedules