Northwestern’s farewell to the lakefront couldn’t have been scripted better.
With the eyes of the iconic 1995 Rose Bowl team upon them, Northwestern did something it hadn’t done in eight years — shut out a team. The ‘Cats dominated Purdue 19-0 for its fourth consecutive victory and third straight against the Boilermakers. The win was consequential, as it it boosted the team’s record to 5-2 in the Big Ten while drawing the ‘Cats ever closer to bowl game eligibility.
In Inside NU’s three keys for a Northwestern
win against Purdue, editor-in-chief Miguel Munoz said the ‘Cats needed to win the turnover battle, gain a competent performance from the offense and effectively contain Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne. The Wildcats not only accomplished all three of those goals, but did so in resounding fashion. Let’s unpack what NU can take from this victory.
The defense steals the show
“We know that (when) all eleven of us on defense are on the same page, we’re pretty good… I think a shutout shows that.” — Braydon Brus
NU’s defense was stifling and opportunistic all afternoon. It ceded just 11 first downs, held Purdue to 5-of-14 on third-down conversions and 0-for-3 on fourth down. It also won the time of possession 37:39 minutes to 22:21, showcasing how quickly the defense got on and off the field against a Boilermaker offense that couldn’t get anything going.
In past games, the defense has taken time to find its footing. As expected, college football offenses tend to enter games with the freshest set of play calls and a full battery of energy. NU ensured that never came to fruition for Purdue, holding the Boilermakers to 57 first half yards and four straight punts, along with a 1-for-5 third down rate and just 7:39 of possession.
The second half saw equally dominant defense, but this time through forced turnovers. Purdue had two fumbles, one interception and three turnovers on downs. While many of these were the fault of Purdue backup quarterback Malachi Singleton and Co., it still reflects the resilience and disruptive nature of a Wildcat defense that was flying all over the field and halting any Boilermaker momentum.
Robert Fitzgerald was the standout player, finishing with 13 tackles a recovered fumble, two sacks and five tackles for loss. His performance helped keep Purdue’s two quarterbacks off-balance and aided the secondary’s smothering of Boilermaker receivers.
Brendan Flakes, who finished with seven tackles, also praised the relentless performance from the defensive line.
“We call ourselves the chain gang. Everybody eats, d-line… It felt like we were just in the backyard, balling,” Flakes said.
Overall, this was an impressive performance for the ’Cats against an offensive squad that came into this game with a higher threat level the most. It illustrates the development of the defense and how it’s been embraced as not only a strong part of the program, but a core identity.
“We’re super lucky to have the defense that we do… Not just doing their job, but setting the tone for our offense.” Preston Stone said.
The diverse rushing attack
“We know who we are, we want to run the football and trust our o-line. We just want to maximize those opportunities.” — head coach David Braun
One of the most commending aspects of this ‘Cats team is how the running backs have not just endured after the loss of Cam Porter, but elevated its production. The room had to adjust yet again after Caleb Komolafe’s upper-body injury sustained in the third quarter. Before going down, he had carried for 67 yards on 12 carries against Purdue. He was called to be the top back after Porter’s injury, and excelled in that role prior to him.
Although Braun said that Komolafe would be ready to go against Nebraska, Northwestern’s rushing unit still found a way to suceed without him. Notably, Joseph Himon II had a career day on the ground, rushing for 87 yards on 22 carries.
“Be patient, and trust the o-line.” Himon said regarding how he rushes.
Dashun Reeder made a case for more reps with 51 yards on an average of 10.2 yards per carry. The team also leaned further into the depth chart with freshman Robby Preckel seeing playing time.
Northwestern collectively out-rushed Purdue with 232 yards compared to 87 yards, in large part because of its reliance on multiple assets. Having three running backs rush for over 50 yards is an accomplishment cannot be taken for granted. Even in Komolafe’s absence, the Wildcats’ multitude of weapons still makes them formidable. The ground have proven to be the source of this team’s success and shouldn’t be overlooked.
The ‘Cats still aren’t fully satisfied
“I know our program made a commitment to take this one game at a time, and going 1-0 each week.” — David Braun
There’s no doubt this is a monumental win for the ‘Cats, one that proves they’re on a higher level then the gutter of Big Ten teams. But Braun has made clear that Northwestern still has plenty to be cleaned up. While the offense was particularly effective in the first half, Preston Stone struggled with consistently hitting receivers. He posted an 11-for-for-26 completion rate, his worst among collegiate games he’s started. His fourth quarter interception was his seventh this year, but first since Sept. 13. Stone’s 12-yard touchdown pass to receiver Griffin Wilde was undoubtedly a great throw — however, it ended up standing out as a great play amid frequently missed open receivers and trouble connecting with open guys in the middle of the field.
The run game’s capability prevented Stone from needing to be fantastic, but NU’s quarterback must be more accurate if the ‘Cats want to pickup further wins down the stretch. Turnovers were a major issue for the Wildcat offense at large, as they gave the ball away twice in the final frame. Braun discussed fourth quarter complacency as something that cannot happen in the future.
“Ultimately, it’s an opportunity for us to continue to evaluate and assess…. In the Big Ten, you can’t ever afford to take your foot off the gas,” Braun said.
The late-game giveaways and lack of consistency among the pass offense are the two blemishes from this game, but both are solvable. And if NU wants a bowl game appearance, it’ll need to fix those issues before this weekend’s matchup against Nebraska.
