In the days leading up to Northern Illinois’ game at then-No. 5 Notre Dame, coach Thomas Hammock had a message for his Huskies as they prepared for what many saw as a David-and-Goliath matchup. “We were told early by Coach Hammock we don’t need luck and that we should trust our abilities, and that’s exactly what we did,” said kicker Kanon Woodill, whose 35-yard field goal with 31 seconds left was the difference in NIU’s 16-14 upset on Sept. 7. “We didn’t make them such a momentous opponent that we didn’t try. We didn’t make them too big to the point where it was like we already lost in our minds.” The program’s first win against an AP top-five opponent — the first such victory by any Mid-American Conference team — made NIU the center of the college football world for a week. Now up to No. 23 in the AP poll — their first ranking since 2013 — the Huskies (2-0) resume play after an open date with Saturday’s MAC opener against Buffalo in DeKalb, Ill. (2:30 p.m., ESPN+). The work to beat the Irish didn’t start the Monday before the game. Beginning in the offseason, Hammock pushed his team to work as hard as possible in camp, knowing the early opportunity on the schedule. For Hammock, an NIU alumnus, business was personal. As a two-time 1,000-yard rusher and one of the top players in school history, he has been where his players were. In 2002, Hammock rushed for 172 yards in a 42-41 overtime victory against Wake Forest — one of the program’s 19 “Boneyard” wins, the Huskies’ term for victories over power-conference schools or prominent independents. The Huskies are 26-33 under Hammock, who was named head coach in January 2019 after Rod Carey left a week earlier to coach Temple. A former NIU assistant coach (2005-06) as well as player, Hammock returned to DeKalb after assistant coaching stops with Minnesota (2007-10), Wisconsin (2011-13) and the Baltimore Ravens (2014-18). “This program means a lot to me,” Hammock said at his introductory news conference. “I’m going to give it everything I have. This is all I’ve wanted. This is all I’ve dreamed of. I want to build a legacy.” Northern Illinois coach Thomas Hammock runs practice on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune) After going 0-6 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Hammock guided the Huskies to a 9-5 record and their sixth MAC championship in 2021. He was named MAC Coach of Year and received an extension through the 2026 season. “You can tell that he’s very passionate about the program,” Woodill said. “He’s clearly stated he doesn’t want to leave anytime soon or maybe at all. Maybe this will be his project for who knows how long. He’s been very good to all of us. He’s been pretty honest on how he does things here.” Hammock wears his love for his alma mater on his sleeve. He preaches the messages of not needing luck and getting it “the hard way.” “The hard way for us is doing it the right way,” Hammock said. “That means going to class, respecting women, respecting yourself, respecting your teammates, doing all the little things that you’re going to need to do when you become an adult. Our job as coaches is to get them prepared for life, not to get them prepared for a game. Because I truly believe if you can reach the person, the player is going to follow. “We spend a lot of time with real and authentic relationships. I don’t believe in transactional relationships. I spent five years in the National Football League, and that league is littered with transactional relationships. And so when I came back to college, I wanted to leave an impact. I had a great experience in college, was developed as a man under Coach (Joe) Novak, and I want to leave that same impact with the guys in our program.” Northern Illinois running back Antario Brown walks on the field during practice on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune) Quarterback Ethan Hampton and Woodill said Hammock’s faith in his players is at the heart of the team, and their commitment to Hammock simply reflects his dedication to them. “His confidence in us is part of the reason we got that victory,” said Hampton, a redshirt junior from Aurora Christian. “Just his instinctive belief in us early, and when it came to Saturday, there was no ‘lights too bright’ moment. We were ready to go and we went out and executed. “He’s always the same guy. There’s no surprises. Some coaches change a little bit when you get on campus, but Coach Hammy has always been super honest and super upfront with us.” Senior defensive tackle Cade Haberman, whose blocked field goal as time expired sealed the victory over Notre Dame, called Hammock “one of the most genuine people” he has met. He credited Hammock’s straight talk and honesty for NIU’s culture of physicality and energy on the field, as well as its brotherhood and loyalty. “I don’t know if there’s anyone on the team anymore that’s not Coach Hammock-recruited, so we’ve all come up with him as a head coach,” said Woodill, a senior from Plainfield North. “He knows that we are capable of something and that we need to start to believe that too. “We have a good culture. We have a lot of seniors and a lot of those are fifth- and sixth-years, and we’ve all stuck around. We make sure the freshmen and sophomores and all the underclassmen are acclimated well and they understand the culture and the expectations and what the standards are here. And it’s also kind of understood around here, like a lot has to be earned.” Northern Illinois kicker Kanon Woodill sits with teammates during practice on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb, Ill. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune) With 32 seniors on the roster, the Huskies are a mature team. The win against Notre Dame was a signature victory for the players who also won the 2021 MAC championship and the 2023 Camellia Bowl. “We’ve got a lot of guys that have been here a long time and have done things the right way,” Hammock said. “They believe in our program. They are invested. And so when you are invested like they are, you have no choice but to believe. And so they checked every box along the way.” With all of the excitement in DeKalb after the win in South Bend, Ind., NIU players are trying to take it in stride and keep their minds focused on the task at hand. A victory over Buffalo on Saturday would give the Huskies their first 3-0 start since 2014. After that comes another “Boneyard” opportunity Sept. 28 at N.C. State — but first things first. “It’s one week at a time. Right now, it’s just Buffalo,” Haberman said. “Obviously the win against Notre Dame is a really cool win, but if we don’t beat Buffalo, all it’s going to be is a really cool win and it’ll be hard to build off of that.”