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Northern Illinois pulled the stunner of the college football season thus far by going to South Bend and knocking off No. 5 Notre Dame.
It was a monumental victory for the Huskies, evidenced by NIU head coach Thomas Hammock’s emotional postgame reaction.
Cameras captured Hammock in tears as the final seconds ticked off the clock. It meant something to him!
@nbcsports Northern Illinois HC Thomas Hammock spoke from the heart after an incredible upset over Notre Dame. #cfb #upset #win #emotional #coach #interview ♬ original sound – NBC Sports
The win was the Huskies’ third win over a P4 team since 2021, but it was easily the biggest. The scenes continued into the locker room celebration as Northern Illinois took over Notre Dame’s venue.
This is what you can do with the power of belief, and working together… I told you all week, we did not need luck!”
-Thomas Hammock
Those postgame images made immediate headlines following the contest, but the head coach filled listeners in on his pregame message while on the Dan Patrick Show Monday.
The NIU coach wasn’t scared of Notre Dame.
The lore of Notre Dame football is one instilled in viewers’ minds at a young age. Tradition, success, and a championship history are deeply seeded in the sport with the Fighting Irish boasting one of the top brands in college football.
That said, the program hasn’t won a national title since 1988, long before any current college players were born.
Thomas Hammock emphasized that fact to his team the night before the game. In doing so, he hilariously dated himself with a reference to a former Notre Dame player.
NIU football coach Thomas Hammock told us that he told his team the night before the ND game….”Rocket Ismail isn’t running out of that tunnel.” He said that nobody on his team had any idea who he was talking about. “I had to switch it up to Joe Montana.”
-Paul Pabst / X: @PaulPabst
For those unaware, Rocket Ismail was one of the most prolific rushers, receivers, and return men in the game during his time in South Bend. He was a true triple threat!
He was also a member of that 1988 championship squad.
Unfortunately, Ismail wasn’t on the field for the Irish on Saturday.
Born in the early 1980s, Hammock witnessed the program’s rise to the top of the sports world. He knew that this Notre Dame team wasn’t the same as years past!
Now, he can proudly say that he led his alma mater to a win in South Bend.