Coming into the 2015 season, expectations lied reasonably low for the Northwestern Wildcats. After failing to reach a bowl game for the second year in a row, many doubted Northwestern’s relevance as an FBS football program.
Right out of the gate, the ‘Cats ousted #21 Stanford at Ryan Field, 16-6. This upset brought back hidden excitement surrounding the Wildcats. Then, a 41-0 victory against an Eastern Illinois team came as no surprise, lifting Northwestern to a 2-0 start.
Time for Duke, a trap game for the Wildcats. The Blue Devils found themselves favored by three at home, but the ‘Cats flipped the script, winning ugly, 19-10. Back home NU went, to face Ball State under the lights, where Northwestern grabbed their fourth victory of the season, 24-19.
The ‘Cats broke into big ten play by winning a statement game in Evanston, 27-0 over Minnesota, to rise to #13 in the AP Poll.
In case you’ve been under a rock today, Northwestern reached its highest ranking since 2000. http://t.co/wn6R9GxG49 pic.twitter.com/jfLRcAGKek
— Inside NU (@insidenu) October 5, 2015
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So how has Northwestern pulled this off?
The Wildcats have posted one of the best defensive performances in a five game stretch in Northwestern history. They rank 1st, yes..1st, in the NCAA with an average of just seven points allowed per game. The ‘Cats have posted multiple shutouts, and have suffered just 35 points against them all season.
On the offensive side, Northwestern has been able to control the pace of the game. Freshman QB Clayton Thorson has been competent as an offensive manager, he needs to do nothing special. Sophomore RB Justin Jackson has impressed yet again, posting 636 yards and a touchdown in just five games. Jackson has been accompanied by a slew of running back companions in the Wildcat backfield. 6’1 Junior Warren Long has rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns, Solomon Vault has added 128 yards of his own, and Clayton Thorson has totaled for four touchdowns, adding to his 165 yards of rushing in 2015.
The Wildcats face the toughest challenge of their season on Saturday, when they travel to Ann Arbor to face the #18 Michigan Wolverines. Aside from losing to Utah, who is now ranked #5 in the AP Poll, Michigan has dominated opponents.
This game will tell the tale of Northwestern’s season. If they win, it becomes likely that the ‘Cats will run undefeated into the Big Ten Championship game. A loss and Northwestern may suffer another heartbreak campaign filled with added expectation like 2013.
Following Michigan, the Wildcats will endure a difficult stretch of games; Home against #22 Iowa and in Lincoln to face Nebraska. The rest of the way sees matchups against Penn State, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Illinois, which all seem relatively winnable.
The ‘Cats currently find themselves in uncharted territory. On Saturday, we’ll find out if the small program from Evanston can remain on the national stage of college football or if they may drift back into irrelevancy we’ve seen in the past.
Charlie Clarke 