The No. 18 Michigan Wolverines (7-2) are heading to Wrigley Field in Chicago to take on the 5-4 Northwestern Wildcats this Saturday.
Here’s a preview of the 2025 Wildcats.
Northwestern’s season so far
- 23-3 loss at Tulane
- 42-7 win vs. Western Illinois
- 34-14 loss vs. Oregon
- 17-14 win vs. UCLA
- 42-7 win vs. Louisiana Monroe
- 22-21 win at Penn State
- 19-0 win vs. Purdue
- 28-21 loss at Nebraska
- 38-17 loss at USC
- OVERALL RECORD: 5-4
Offensive rankings
- Total Offense: No. 95
- Scoring Offense: No. 106
- Rushing Offense: No. 42
- Passing Offense: No. 117
- Team Passing Efficiency: No. 118
- Completion Percentage: No. 105
- 3rd Down Conversion Pct: No. 29
- Red Zone Offense: No. 34
- First Downs Offense: No. 80
- Time of Possession: No. 13
- Turnover Margin: No. 111
Defensive rankings
- Total defense: No. 33
- Rushing defense: No. 64
- Passing yards allowed: No. 21
- Team passing efficiency defense: No. 45
- Scoring defense: No. 21
- Team sacks: No. 114
- First downs: No. 24
- Passes intercepted: No. 71
- Red zone defense: No. 103
- 3rd down defense: No. 114
- Tackles for loss: No. 129
PFF data
- Overall: No. 72
- Defense: No. 61
- Offense: No. 65
- SOS played: No. 25
- % run plays: 51.9%
- % pass plays: 48.1%
David Braun’s third season
Northwestern head coach David Braun went 8-5 with a Las Vegas Bowl win over Utah in his first season on the job, but struggled last season and finished 4-8. The Wildcats are a win away from bowl eligibility in his third season.
A transfer QB with experience
Preston Stone transferred to Northwestern via SMU, where he spent his first four seasons. Stone threw for
over 4,000 yards at SMU with 35 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions. Stone’s TD:INT ratio hasn’t been as stellar this season, throwing for 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions along with 1,522 passing yards and a 59.3 completion rate.
A RB1 with momentum
Caleb Komolafe is up to 726 rushing yards this season with eight touchdowns. Komolafe has rushed for over 100 yards the past two games — 125 and two touchdowns against Nebraska and 118 yards and a touchdown against USC.
A clear go-to guy at WR
6-foot-2 Griffin Wilde, a transfer from South Dakota State, leads Northwestern with 43 receptions for 593 yards and five touchdowns. No other wideout has more than 17 receptions or 224 receiving yards. Stone loves targeting Wilde.
Standout players on defense
- Linebacker Robert Fitzgerald leads the team with 77 tackles (49 solo).
- Linebacker Mac Uihlein has 69 tackles (44 solo) and leads Northwestern with four interceptions.
- Defensive backs Fred Davis III and Josh Fussell lead Northwestern with six passes defended.
- Defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard leads Northwestern with 3.5 sacks.
