After getting off to a shaky start in the first half where the offense struggled to find it’s tempo, Northwestern closed the door on South Dakota State Saturday night. After opening the Chip Kelly era with 24 points in the final four drives, the ‘Cats failed to concede even with a scary injury and sluggish mid game.
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Redzone Defense
The biggest headline of the night was Northwestern’s ability to stop South Dakota State in its tracks as they were knocking on the door of a touchdown. The Wildcats forced the Jackrabbits
to take four field goals in their five trips inside the 20-yard line, allowing just one touchdown all game. That’s an impressive number considering SDSU racked up a total of 432 yards. LB Kobie McKinzie credited the daily routine and reps they had in practice in what he called a redzone “mentality”. DB Damon Walters, playing his first extended action since he lost his 2025 season to injury, walked away with the lone interception of the game, a moment David Braun called “pretty damn cool”. Robert Fitzgerald, still wearing his No. 6, went right back to business with a game-high 14 tackles.
Aidan Chiles’ Debut
In terms of making first impressions, you could not have scripted a better start for Aidan Chiles’ first drive as a Wildcat. On the opening play, Chiles connected with former SDSU WR Griffin Wilde for a 71-yard bomb, drafted specifically by Kelly’s staff on what to expect the the Jackrabbit secondary. The very next play, Chiles found TE Alex Honig in the end zone and Northwestern was up 7-0 before fans had hardly settled in their seats.
Chiles and the offense cooled off for the middle part of the game, something he took accountability for on behalf of the team after the final whistle, saying he had spent too much time thinking instead of relying on his instincts. But he bounced back in the second half, finishing the night 14-of-24 for 273 yards, including the passing touchdown to Honig and running it in himself in the fourth quarter. After the game, Braun praised Chiles’ poise and communication, calling it a strong first step with room for growth.
The Backfield
With all the talk this summer on how good the Wildcat defense could be, they did an excellent job in the season opener meeting those expectations. The trio of Joseph Himon II, Gavin Sawchuk and Caleb Komolafe combined for a total of 202 rushing yards at Martin Stadium, with Himon leading the way with 87 yards on just four carries thanks to a 80-yard touchdown to close the door on any potential upset from SDSU. Sawchuk followed close behind with 69 yards on eight carries, while Komolafe logged 46 yards on ten carries and kicked off the scoring explosion to end the game with a 7-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Honorable Mentions: Braydon Brus (TFL that forced SDSU’s first punt), the secondary as a group (13 total pass breakups), Damon Walters’ return from injury.
Stock Down
Jackson Carsello Injury
In what was without a doubt the scariest moment of the game, sixth-year captain and center Jackson Carsello was wheeled off the field in a stretcher and neck brace after another player’s leg struck his head, an injury that silenced the fans in Martin Stadium for nearly 15 minutes as medical staff tended to him. Carsello gave his team and the fans a thumbs up as he was taken back to the locker room, and his teammates responded to his absence by scoring on that very drive. Big Ten Network’s broadcast said that Carsello was taken to the hospital after the game, but that he was able to move his extremities and Braun said postgame he was in “good spirits”.
Nikola Dugandzic’s Punting
Saturday night was far from a strong debut for punter Nikola Dugandzic. The redshirt first-year struggled with the wind from the lake, averaging 24.0 yards across five punts. After the game, Braun assured his confidence in the Winnetka native, saying he’d have gone back to him despite the rough outing. He added that Dugandzic is “one of the most talented punters in the country and will become one of the best punters in all of college football”.
Midgame lulls
For as big of the margin of victory ended up being, the Wildcat offense struggled in the middle frame of the game. After the opening drive score, the offense stalled into what Braun called it a “rhythm” issue as opposed to a scheme problem. Braun said it’s an issue he’ll be able to answer better after reviewing the tape, but the struggles are something to watch as Northwestern awaits its next matchup against Colorado on Sept. 19.
Honorable Mentions: Unusually early bye week, defense in the open field, the wind.
