Led by 19th-year head coach Chick Evans, the Huskies compiled an overall record of 4–3–3 with a mark of 2–1–1 in conference play, placing second in the IIAC.
Northern Illinois State was invited to the Hoosier Bowl, where they lost to Evansville.
In the final Litkenhous Ratings released in mid-December, Northern Illinois was ranked at No.
[1] The team played home games at the 5,500-seat Glidden Field, located on the east end of campus, in DeKalb, Illinois.
This college football 1940s season article is a stub.