When Northwestern beat UCLA 17–14 in late September, it looked like a solid win over a struggling Big Ten newcomer. Two weeks later, it looks like something more.
The same Bruins team that left Ryan Field
0–4 just shocked No. 7 Penn State 42–37 in Pasadena, earning their first win of the year and pulling off the biggest upset of the 2025 college football season by point spread. Behind first-time playcaller Jerry Neuheisel and breakout quarterback Nico Iamaleava, UCLA jumped out to a 27–7 halftime lead and never trailed. The win snapped Penn State’s 34-game streak against unranked opponents and marked the first time since 1985 that a top-10 team lost to a winless opponent.
For Northwestern, that result suddenly reframes what happened two weeks ago, and slots its next tilt against Penn State as surprisingly winnable.
A stronger win in hindsight
At the time, Northwestern’s victory over UCLA felt like an escape. The Wildcats led 17–0 before giving up a late touchdown and field goal to make it close. David Braun called his team’s inability to close out the game a missed opportunity.
“We had an opportunity in the second half to really pull away from a team and close out a football game. We didn’t do that,” Braun said after the win.
But the same Bruins offense that managed only 14 points in Evanston just put up 42 against Penn State. Iamaleava ran for 128 yards and three touchdowns, threw for two more, and gashed the Nittany Lions on third downs and in the red zone. That contrast makes Northwestern’s defensive effort look better in hindsight. The Wildcats were the first team this season to consistently contain Iamaleava, holding him to one touchdown and forcing UCLA to settle for field goals in key spots.
Braun said Monday that his staff never looked at UCLA as a team defined by its record.
“When we played UCLA, their record was 0–3, and never once did we mention that,” Braun said. “We saw a very talented football team that was extremely dangerous, especially with their level of quarterback play.”
Now that the Bruins have proved Braun right with a statement win, the ‘Cats should feel all the better about what was a seemingly mundane victory at the time.
What Neuheisel’s game plan exposed
Neuheisel, promoted to offensive coordinator just four days before the Penn State game, put together an aggressive plan built around misdirection and quarterback mobility. The Bruins scored on all six trips inside the red zone and went 10-for-14 on third down, consistently keeping Penn State off balance with read options and rollouts. The early onside kick and a few designed scrambles from Iamaleava caught the Nittany Lions unprepared and set the tone for an upset that no one saw coming.
That blueprint could be relevant for Northwestern. Braun noted that UCLA “did a great job, especially in situational football, of utilizing quarterback run” and said the Wildcats could lean on Preston Stone’s athleticism in a similar way. Stone has quietly become more effective with his legs, rushing for a career-high 49 yards in Northwestern’s 42–7 win over Louisiana-Monroe (ULM) last week.
“It has been really encouraging to see Preston’s development in terms of extending plays,” Braun said. “He’s proven he can utilize his athleticism to be a threat and keep us ahead of the chains.”
This becomes important if Stone has any desire to match the performance Iamaleava just put up, and it opens up a whole new list of possibilities in terms of play calling for Northwestern offensive coordinator Zach Lujan. Penn State may even be expecting the ‘Cats to simply replicate the UCLA game script, so Lujan has a chance to incorporate some creativity and trickery too in response.
How Northwestern can compete
Penn State’s defense has cracked in back-to-back losses to Oregon and UCLA, allowing a combined 72 points and more than 200 rushing yards per game. The unit struggled with quarterback scrambles and gave up explosive plays in coverage. Those weaknesses align with Northwestern’s recent strengths. The Wildcats have found a rhythm on the ground behind Caleb Komolafe, Joseph Himon II and redshirt freshman Dashun Reeder, who led the team in rushing last week with 79 yards.
On defense, Northwestern’s front has been physical and disciplined, with Braun crediting its ability to “settle in” after slow starts. That poise will be tested against Penn State running back Kaytron Allen, who has six touchdowns this season.
“If we want to win in the Big Ten, we’ve got to find ways to effectively stop the run,” Braun said. “That guy’s a special football player, and we’re going to have to tackle well and populate the football.”
Additionally, along with a 200 yard performance, Nittany Lions’ QB Drew Allar rushed for a team-leading 78 yards in Pasadena. This makes it clear that the backfield workload will be unpredictable and needs to be considered at all times.
Braun also emphasized limiting turnovers and playing complementary football. Northwestern is 2–0 this season when Stone avoids interceptions. Him being comfortable targeting nine different receivers against ULM lends well to that fact, as it theoretically should help limit throws that feel forced due to his newfound familiarity with previously untrusted players.
Penn State’s perspective
Penn State enters this week desperate to steady its season. The Nittany Lions have lost two straight Big Ten games for the first time since 2021. Head Coach James Franklin admitted after the UCLA game that his team “did not handle [the Oregon] loss well,” and alluded to a lack of preparation for a lesser opponent as a result.
“We made mistakes today that we normally don’t make,” Franklin said. “We had a ton of missed assignments, turnovers at critical times, penalties at critical times. Things that we really don’t do and have not done for a very long time.”
Despite that, oddsmakers still opened Penn State as a 21.5-point favorite over Northwestern. The Nittany Lions are 0–5 against the spread this year and will play under mounting pressure in front of their homecoming crowd at Beaver Stadium. Thus, after a win in their own iteration of the event, the ‘Cats will look to play spoiler.
A confident team, a steeper test
For Northwestern, the trip to Happy Valley represents both its toughest challenge yet and a chance to validate its progress. The Wildcats have won two straight and continue to improve each week. Braun said his message to the team this week was simple.
“Comfort is our enemy,” he said. “Just because we’ve found a little bit of success doesn’t mean we are where we need to be.”
Still, there is a growing sense of belief inside the locker room.
“This is a fun group to coach,” Braun said. “You can sense the confidence starting to go up.”
If UCLA’s resurgence proved anything, it is that perception in college football can change quickly. For Northwestern, a win in Happy Valley would not just redefine its season. It would make that mid-September win over UCLA look like the first sign that this team is for real.
