Northwestern enters Saturday’s matchup against Michigan sitting at five wins and searching for the elusive sixth that would secure bowl eligibility. The ’Cats are also looking to earn their first victory
at Wrigley Field, but it won’t come easily against a Michigan team built around a strong rushing attack. Though it is officially a home game, the Wolverines’ large fan presence will turn Wrigley into hostile territory. Here are three keys for Northwestern to pull off the upset and keep its postseason hopes alive.
Stop the run
Michigan ranks ninth in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 225.2 yards per game. The Wolverines will be without leading rusher Justice Haynes, who underwent foot surgery last week. Haynes has been outstanding this season, surpassing 100 yards in six of seven games with 857 yards and 10 touchdowns overall.
Even without him, the ground game remains a major threat. Sophomore Jordan Marshall has stepped up with 759 yards and eight touchdowns, including a standout performance last week with 25 carries for 185 yards and three scores. In addition, first-year quarterback Bryce Underwood adds a dual-threat dimension with 272 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season.
Michigan leans heavily on the run, calling rushing plays on 61 percent of its snaps. For Northwestern to stay competitive, containing the Wolverines’ rushing attack will be critical. Limiting chunk plays and forcing Michigan into long passing situations will give the ’Cats their best chance to control the game.
Control time of possession
Northwestern has excelled at dictating tempo, averaging 32 minutes and 19 seconds of possession per game, which ranks 17th nationally. Michigan, by comparison, ranks 86th at 29 minutes and 29 seconds per game. The ’Cats also limit opponents to just 60.3 plays per contest, the fifth fewest in the country. Northwestern clearly holds an advantage in controlling the clock and must use that strength to its benefit.
A major reason for this edge is the effectiveness of the running game. Caleb Komolafe continues to shine, recording his second straight 100-yard performance last week with 17 carries for 118 yards and a touchdown. Getting Joseph Himon II and Dashun Reeder back this week would provide valuable depth, and Coach David Braun has expressed optimism that both will be available.
As mentioned last week, the foundation of this success is the offensive line. NU’s running backs have been impressive, but the line has been the true constant. Despite injuries, every back who enters the game finds success behind its blocking. Northwestern’s line has been one of the most dependable units in the country, consistently creating space and setting the tone physically. To stay in control against Michigan, the ’Cats will need to lean on both their ground attack and offensive line to maintain possession and keep the Wolverines’ offense off the field.
Play to win
Northwestern’s game management decisions against USC on Friday night have sparked plenty of discussion. The most notable came early in the third quarter with NU trailing 21-14 and facing a fourth-and-3. The ’Cats looked ready to go for it, but the play clock ran down and Preston Stone had to call a last-second timeout. Stone was visibly frustrated as the team failed to get the snap off in time.
After the game, Coach David Braun said there was a miscommunication between Stone and the coaching staff, who were preparing to take a delay of game. Instead, the timeout was used, and rather than going for it, NU punted. That decision immediately backfired as USC completed back-to-back passes to move into Northwestern territory within two plays.
Two issues stood out in that sequence. First, the ’Cats had struggled to stop USC all night, and with it still a one-score game, that was a chance to seize momentum. Second, using a timeout only to punt compounded the mistake. It sent a message that Northwestern was playing not to lose instead of playing to win. While it may seem insignificant given the 21-point final margin, that decision was a key moment that could have shifted the game’s momentum if the ’Cats had gone for it. Coach Braun has done an impressive job guiding this team beyond expectations this season, but his in-game decisions have been far too conservative.
For NU to find success on Saturday, Coach Braun will need to manage the game more effectively, use timeouts wisely and take a more aggressive approach.
