Boneyard to bourbon: NIU commemorates 125 years, historic Notre Dame upset

Mammoth upsets are remembered forever in fan lore. The Northern Illinois Huskies‘ September victory over the then-No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish, however, is getting a more tangible memorial — a bourbon line.

On Monday, Northern Illinois announced the release of the “Boneyard Blend” bourbon, a collaboration with local distilling company Whiskey Acres. The blend serves as a celebration of both the landmark win as well as the 125th anniversary of Huskie athletics.

Like all milestone wins the Huskies pull off against bigger and more well-resourced programs, the victory was first commemorated in Northern Illinois’ “Boneyard” back in DeKalb. Dating back to 1983, the Huskies have recorded 19 total “boneyard wins,” including triumphs over the likes of Notre Dame, the Alabama Crimson Tide and Iowa Hawkeyes.

But the 16-14 upset of the Fighting Irish in South Bend, Northern Illinois’ first win over a top-five ranked opponent in program history, was deemed to deserve more than just a bone.

Join #NIU head coaches and staff Friday, November 15 @WhiskeyAcres to celebrate the release of the new NIU Athletics/Whiskey Acres co-branded Boneyard Blend bourbon!

Details: https://t.co/Jg9GUdeiyl pic.twitter.com/O9au5cNsj1

— NIU Athletics (@NIUAthletics) November 4, 2024

Bottles — which are each branded with a gold 125th anniversary logo as well as the text “Boneyard Blend, No Luck Needed” and “16-14” — will be officially released Friday, Nov. 15 and retail for $57.99 apiece. Ten dollars from each purchase will be donated to Northern Illinois athletics.