“We didn’t need luck,” Hammock said. “That was our theme. I didn’t think we needed luck. We just need to play our best. It wasn’t the cleanest for us, but we played hard for four quarters and stayed together. They worked together, they believed, and they made enough plays to win a game.

“This is a program-changing type win, no different than when we beat Alabama a while ago.”

Hammond said his Huskies measured up to Notre Dame.

“I think we were bigger than what they thought,” Hammock said. “We’re not a normal MAC team, in my opinion. We’re big on the offensive and defensive lines and we’re physical. I didn’t look at it as a mismatch in that capacity.”

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said the loss was disappointing, especially on the heels of an impressive road win over then-No. 20 Texas A&M.

“You know, it’s our job as coaches to make sure these guys are ready to go. You go from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows in a tale of two weeks, but we’ve got to own this thing,” Freeman said. “As coaches and players, we’ve got to own it, and we’ve got to fix it.”

Notre Dame (1-1) looked like it was in position to get some separation from Northern Illinois (2-0) as it clung to a 14-13 lead in the fourth quarter.

The Fighting Irish gained possession after a punt with 7:49 left and drove from their 25 to the Northern Illinois 49.

Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard launched a pass deep up the middle intended for Kris Mitchell, but Amariyun Knighten made the interception and returned it 33 yards to the 50-yard line with 5:55 to play