Beware of the letdown.

Notre Dame started the 2022 season at Ohio State and fought the good fight in a 21-10 loss that was far better and tougher than the final score.

The Buckeyes came within a missed walk-off field goal of almost certainly winning the national title, and the Irish held CJ Stroud and company to just those 21 points. One week later, Marshall walked into South Bend, scored 26, and left town with a fat check and a stunning upset win.

This year, Notre Dame starts out the season against Texas A&M in what should be a whale of a fight in College Station. But there’s no need to worry about Northern Illinois a week later, right? It’s just a MAC team, and it’s not even a great one this season like Miami University likely will be.

The RedHawks come into town two weeks later on the Irish slate, there’s a road game at Purdue to prepare for in Week 3, and …

Northern Illinois 27, Boston College 24. That was the 2023 season opener.

In 2021, NIU beat Georgia Tech, the 2017 team shocked Nebraska, and the 2015 version balled out against a LOADED Ohio State team in a 20-13 loss.

Again, beware of the letdown, Irish.

The 5 things you need to know about the Huskies, Irish fans, are …

NIU’s biggest strength should be a deep and experienced group of targets that just got a little bit better.

Grayson Barnes is a dangerous tight end who can stretch the field, Trayvon Rudolph led the team with 51 grabs, and Arkansas-Pine Bluff transfer Kenji Lewis averaged 23 yards per catch at his former school. However …

Northern Illinois has traditionally been about a grinding ground game. It has been a long, long time since a Huskie O finished the season with the quarterbacks completing over 60% of their throws – it was 2015.

The Irish can take their chances that NIU won’t hit the short-range shots and worry about the deep plays and third down opportunities.

If there’s a pass rush on this year’s NIU defense, it probably won’t get going here.

The 2023 Huskie defense was good overall, and the 23 sacks weren’t awful, but 15 of them came in four games against bad offensive lines. Northern Illinois might have the best secondary in the MAC, but it won’t matter much if Irish QB Riley Leonard has time.

The Irish should be able to strike quickly and won’t care too much about controlling the clock, but if they can lean on the offensive front to pound out a few long drives, all will be okay.

Last year’s NIU team lived on control and time of possession, and it’ll be more of the same. But bad things happened when the defense got plowed on, going 0-5 when allowing 180 yards or more. It all ties together – run, don’t let the NIU offense get control and make it have to throw.

There’s no need to take a bunch of chances here, and focus will mean everything. It might seem basic, but don’t lose the turnover battle, control the clock, and don’t get hit with a ton of penalties.

How did Northern Illinois beat Boston College last season? The Eagles hit just 45% of their passes, they let the game stay close throughout, and ten penalties for 93 yards were a killer.

That, and the Huskies had the ball for almost 37 minutes.

Early Summer Notre Dame vs Northern Illinois Prediction
This can and will change when we do this for real when the season starts. Call this the soft-opening first call. The Irish lines will overwhelm the Huskies, but it’ll take about a half to get comfortable.

Notre Dame 38, Northern Illinois 13
Full breakdown of Northern Illinois here in the 2024 season preview

Notre Dame and the Expanded College Football Playoff: No Bye? No Problem

Iowa State football added its second commit of the day Sunday afternoon with three-star, 2025 recruit Mason Ellens of Glen Ellyn, Illinois pledging his talents to the Cyclones.

Earlier in the day, Karon Brookins also committed to Iowa State for the 2025 class.

Ellens is the No. 26 overall recruit from Illinois, according to 247Sports rankings, playing both defensive back and wide receiver at Glenbard West High School. The 6-foot, 175-pound athlete has top-end speed as a track star, running a 10.73 100-meter dash. He used that speed to return kickoffs in high school as well.

It appears that Ellens is trending toward being a defensive back for the Cyclones, praising safeties coach Deon Broomfield for his role in his recruitment. Ellens also lists himself as a defensive back on his social media accounts.

“Coach Campbell, thank you for this amazing opportunity,” Ellens said. “Coach Broomfield thank you for being consistent and believing in me.”

In addition to the offer from Iowa State, Ellens held offers from Iowa, Boston College, Minnesota and several other Division I programs. He is the ninth commit in Iowa State’s 2025 class and the lone defensive back in the group.

The road to playing time right away will be steep for Ellens, with 22 defensive backs currently on the roster and just four set to graduate by the time he arrives on campus. But the speed Ellens brings to the table could be a factor in special teams right away.

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23

CHICAGO – A Chicago woman spoke out after she and her husband were attacked by a group of teens in Streeterville; the hall of fame is making a special exception for Bears’ legend Steve McMichael; and a winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket worth an estimated $560 million was sold in Illinois. 

These are the top stories on Fox 32’s Week in Review.

Chicago woman speaks out after she and husband attacked by teens in Streeterville

A husband and wife were attacked after going on a date in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood on Friday.

The couple found themselves surrounded by teens around 8:30 p.m. at Grand Avenue and McClurg Court. They were kicked, stomped on, and punched repeatedly.

Nina, who didn’t want to show her face on camera, shared images with FOX 32 showing a chunk of her hair pulled out. During the interview, her eye was still bruised.

Her husband was also viciously attacked by the group, which held him down.

How the Pro Football Hall of Fame is making a special exception for Bears legend Steve McMichael

The NFL’s Hall of Fame Game is less than two months away, which means football season is right around the corner as well.

Three former Chicago Bears are set to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Devin Hester, Julius Peppers and Steve McMichael. McMichael spent 13 of his 15 seasons with the Bears.

FOX 32’s Lou Canellis got the chance to visit with the McMichael family and got an update on McMichael’s Hall of Fame celebration.

The hall of fame is making a special exception for the Bears’ legend.

2 suburban teens dead in Eisenhower Expressway crash; Chicago woman charged with reckless homicide

A Chicago woman is in custody after allegedly crashing into another vehicle and killing two people on the Eisenhower Expressway over the weekend.

Ashanti Gates, 21, has been charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol, two counts of reckless homicide and child endangerment.

On Sunday, Illinois State Police (ISP) troopers responded to a fatal crash on I-290 westbound near Paulina Avenue in Cook County.

While investigating the crash, ISP determined that a white Toyota sedan had pulled onto the right shoulder of the expressway and put its hazard lights on due to a flat tire.

Driver killed in crash on Tri-State Tollway near O’Hare airport identified

One driver has died and three others are hospitalized after a crash on the Tri-State Tollway near O’Hare International Airport.

The crash happened just before 4 p.m. Friday on I-294 southbound, near Golf Road in the inbound lanes and prompted a massive response from police and first responders. 

Details on what led to the crash are unknown, but Illinois State Police said it was a “four-unit, rear-end, chain reaction, fatal crash.”

Investigation underway after Indiana coroner releases 10-year-old boy’s cause of death

The cause of death was released this week for a 10-year-old boy who died in April after police were called to a home in northwest Indiana for a ‘medical emergency.’

According to the St. Joseph County Coroner’s Office, Dakota Stevens, of Valparaiso, died from mechanical asphyxia. His death has been ruled a homicide.

On April 25, patrol officers were called to a home in the 200 block of Falcon Way in Liberty Township, near Valparaiso, for a ‘medical emergency.’ Upon arrival, officers located the child and emergency medical services transported him to a local hospital for treatment.

Mega Millions winning jackpot ticket worth $560M sold in Illinois 

A winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket worth an estimated $560 million was sold in Illinois, lottery officials announced Wednesday.

The ticket matched all six numbers from Tuesday night’s drawing plus the gold Mega Ball 17. The winning numbers were 19, 37, 40, 63 and 69.

The jackpot-winning ticket was sold online. Lottery officials said this is the second person online to win over a million this week.  

Angel Reese, Chicago Sky fined after loss to Indiana Fever

The Chicago Sky and rookie Angel Reese were fined after Saturday’s loss to the Indiana Fever.

Reese was fined $1,000 for failing to make herself available for interviews after the team’s 71-70 loss.

Reese recorded 8 points and 13 rebounds in her first professional game against the top overall pick, Caitlin Clark. Clark had 11 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. 

Body of missing Chicago man found in Back of the Yards, homicide investigation underway

Chicago police have launched a homicide investigation after finding the body of a missing man in the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

The 47-year-old man was found unresponsive on Tuesday around 7:30 p.m. in a basement apartment in the 5300 block of South Hermitage Avenue, according to police.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cook County medical examiner’s office identified him as Oscar Valenzuela.

His mother, Aida Lemos, said she’s been searching for her son for six months after he was in an abusive relationship and was previously living with his partner.

‘Put cuffs on you’: Dolton meeting with Mayor Tiffany Henyard, Lori Lightfoot turns to chaos

A hastily called Dolton village meeting ended in chaos as opponents and supporters of controversial Mayor Tiffany Henyard almost came to blows on Monday.

Police had to break up the skirmish as Henyard and trustees cleared the room. The altercation happened immediately after trustees voted 4-2 to reinstate former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s investigation into Henyard’s activities, overriding Henyard’s veto.

“We will not let anyone stop us or obstruct our ability to get to the facts,” Lightfoot said almost inaudibly as Henyard and trustees made several attempts to talk over her.

South Side construction accident: Critically injured worker expected to fully recover, one fatality reported

A construction worker who was in critical condition after falling from a scaffolding while working on a project on the South Side is expected to make a full recovery. 

New Horizon Steel, the company that employs the injured worker, said Friday that he is now in stable condition.

The worker who died, identified as 27-year-old David O’Donnell, of Oak Forest, was employed by another contractor.