It’s almost time for the Wrigley Field sequel.
After the 5-5 Northwestern Wildcats narrowly dropped a heartbreaker to Michigan on Saturday, they are seeking to regroup, hoping that a victory over Minnesota
to secure bowl eligibility is in the cards. The Golden Gophers represent the best shot the ‘Cats have left to clinch a bowl, as taking on No. 21 Illinois on the road on Nov. 29 won’t be easy by any means.
Let’s dive in to what could go right, or wrong, for NU this weekend.
Why Northwestern will beat Minnesota
A stronger ground attack
As the Michigan game proved, it’s no secret to defenses that NU wants to rely on star running back Caleb Komolafe to churn out yards on offense. To a large degree, that’s because Preston Stone has been inconsistent at quarterback this season. While Stone has managed to cut down on turnovers with just three interceptions in his last seven games, he’s still had trouble getting on the same page with his receivers, many of whom struggle to gain separation as well.
That necessitates pounding the rock early and often. The Wolverines keyed in on Komolafe last Saturday, holding him to just 31 yards rushing. Fortunately for the ’Cats, he should have a slightly easier time finding running room against the Golden Gophers, who average 115.2 rushing yards allowed per game compared to Michigan’s 96.3.
Stone certainly has the arm to make deep throws, and the Wildcats shouldn’t entirely abandon a strong passing attack, particularly as the game progresses. But Komolafe has been the engine to this team’s success in 2025. Against a lesser-tier defense, he should have the ability to break off some big gains behind NU’s stellar offensive line, allowing the ‘Cats to control the pace of the contest.
A revitalized pass rush
This Wildcat defensive line may have struggled early in the year, but it has turned things up as of late. Despite not putting up huge numbers, the pass rush chased USC quarterback Jayden Maiava all over California two weeks ago. Against Michigan, the ‘Cats sacked quarterback Bryce Underwood three times, and they generated consistent pressure throughout the game, inducing mistakes like Underwood’s two interceptions and Andrew Marsh’s fumble forced by Anto Saka.
The availability of defensive end Aidan Hubbard, who was banged up in Saturday’s loss, remains in question. Nonetheless, though, Saka and others have played with a fire that they didn’t necessarily possess at the beginning of 2025. Sure, the secondary has looked great too, but a lot of the big plays from the defensive backs have been facilitated by NU’s game-wreckers and their abilities to make plays in the backfield.
Fortunately for Northwestern, Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey isn’t a dual-threat. He’s been sacked 16 times in 10 games, which isn’t a crazy margin by any means, but it still ranks seventh-most among Big Ten quarterbacks. Expect the Wildcats to be in Lindsey’s face early and often on Saturday, which could easily lead to some big momentum-shifting plays.
Robert Fitzgerald
What else is there to say? Northwestern’s safety has been unreal this season, able to force turnovers, stuff the run and cover anybody in the Big Ten. The game against the Wolverines may have been Fitzgerald’s best yet, as he picked up an interception and a pass defensed while recording a whopping 15 tackles to reach 92 on the year.
Fitzgerald plays with a hard-hitting intensity that has elevated the standard for Northwestern’s defense. He rarely makes mistakes and plays without fear, always ready to make a difference on the next snap. All of the ‘Cats will certainly be hungry to clinch a bowl berth, but the dominance of Fitzgerald could be just what they need to finally secure that sixth win.
Why Northwestern won’t beat Minnesota
The ’Cats are a Stone’s throw away from disaster
Maybe this pun isn’t literally the case, but it has felt that this Wildcat squad has a very small margin for error, as when Stone struggles, wins can quickly escape NU’s grasp. Northwestern needs to make some big plays to win against Minnesota, but the stressful part for ‘Cats fans is that there simply haven’t been many big plays to be found this year.
Indeed, Stone hasn’t thrown for 200 yards in a game in over a month and a half (and he’s never done it against a power conference opponent this year). The Wildcats don’t need their QB to play hero-ball, but the fact remains that outside of Griffin Wilde, there’s still no consistent No. 2 wide receiver option on offense. That could play to the Wildcats’ detriment on Saturday, and given how the offense played in the fourth quarter against the Maize and Blue, there’s legitimate reason to worry that NU’s passing attack won’t offer enough upside to win.
Play-calling
It’s no secret that many fans have been frustrated with Northwestern head coach Zach Lujan for his play-calling throughout this season. Often, it’s felt like the ‘Cats have had a cohesive plan on offense, but in other instances, NU has been read like a book, and it showed on Saturday when Michigan schemed perfectly against the Wildcat rushing attack.
Lujan has to walk a tight balance in Big Ten battles, as he needs to focus on the run to take pressure off Stone while also allowing his quarterback to get comfortable making big throws. NU doesn’t have enough dominant offensive weapons to afford to be predictable, but the ‘Cats often fall into that trap anyway. If they fail to make adjustments, it could be a long Saturday at Wrigley Field.
Injuries?
Aside from Hubbard, defensive lineman Richie Hagarty and Damon Walters are both highly uncertain for Saturday. That could leave NU in a bind, as without two of its top bodies in the trenches and one of its top safeties, there’s room for Minnesota to churn out yardage on offense.
Wildcat reserves have stepped up when necessary this season. But those three names have all been some of the biggest keys to success for Northwestern. If the ’Cats are without their respective presences, it’s very possible Minnesota gets off to a fast offensive start, leaving Stone and Co. in the dust.
The bottom line
This game feels like a toss-up. In theory, NU should have the home-field advantage, but we all know how that worked out last week against the Wolverines.
Ultimately, as have many Wildcat games this season, this one will likely come down to a few plays. The ‘Cats have a real shot to win, but they’ll have to play true complementary football to do so.
