(RB Cam Porter – Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
RB Cam Porter, WR/RS AJ Henning, WR Bryce Kirtz, OC Ben Wrather, OG Jordan Knox, OT Caleb Tiernan, OT Josh Thompson, DE Richie Hagarty, DE Jaylen Pate, DT Carmine Bastone, LB Xander Mueller, LB Kenny Soares Jr., CB Garnett Hollis Jr., CB Theran Johnson, NB Devin Turner, FS/KR Coco Azema, PK Jack Olsen, and PT Hunter Renner.
Key Players Departing:
QB Ben Bryant, WR Cam Johnson, OG Dom D’Antonio, LB Bryce Gallagher, and SS Rod Heard II (Notre Dame transfer).
DE Troy Regovich – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
3 Star Recruits: DE Troy Regovich (Lakewood, Ohio), EDGE Patrick Schaller (Northbrook, Illinois), DE Callen Campbell (Sault St. Marie, Michigan), OL Idrys Cotton (Canton, Michigan), OT Adrian Oratokhai (Austin, Texas), DS Tito Williams (Cleveland, Tennessee), QB Ryan Boe (Batavia, Illinois), EDGE Gayvier Johnson (Hamden, Connecticut), OL Jack Bailey (Colorado transfer), and OT Matt Keeler (Texas Tech transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 @ Rutgers L 7-24
G02 UTEP W 38-7
G03 @ #21 Duke L 14-38
G04 MINNESOTA W (OT) 37-34
G05 #6 PENN STATE L 13-41
G06 HOWARD W 23-20
G07 @ Nebraska L 9-17
G08 MARYLAND W 33-27
G09 vs. Iowa L 7-10
G10 @ Wisconsin W 24-10
G11 PURDUE W 23-15
G12 @ Illinois W 45-43
BOWL vs. Utah W 14-7
Team info:
2023 Record: 8-5 (2nd in Big Ten West)
Home: 5-1
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 5-4
Non-B10: 3-1
Head Coach: David Braun
Northwestern: 8-5
Career: 8-5
Bowls: 1-0
(Bryce Kirtz – Chicago Tribune)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Ryan Hilinski (2-4, 88 yards, 50.0%, 22.0 avg., 1 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Cam Porter (166 car., 651 yards, 3.9 avg., 4 TD)
Receiving: Bryce Kirtz (49 rec., 701 yards, 14.3 yards, 5 TD)
TDs Scored: AJ Henning/Bryce Kirtz/Cam Porter (5)
Sacks: Aidan Hubbard (6)
Tackles: Xander Mueller (110)
Tackles For Loss: Xander Mueller (10.5)
Interceptions: Xander Mueller (3)
Pass Deflections: Theran Johnson/Sean McLaughlin/Davin Turner (5)
Forced Fumbles: Braydon Brus (2)
Kick Returns: AJ Henning (15 ret., 330 yards, 22.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: AJ Henning (10 ret., 69 yards, 6.9 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: Jack Olsen (14-19 fg/fga., 74%, 33-33 xp/xpa., 75 pts.)
Punting: Hunter Renner (70 punts, 2702 yards, 38.6 avg., 19 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 0 Mike Wright (SR/TR)
RB: 4 Cam Porter (GR)
WR: 17 Bryce Kirtz (GR)
WR: 8 AJ Henning (GR/TR)
WR: 15 Calvin Johnson II (RS JR)
TE: 87 Thomas Gordon (GR)
LT: 72 Caleb Tieman (RS JR)
LG: 75 Jordan Knox (SO)
OC: 0 Jack Bailey (GR/TR)
RG: 56 Josh Thompson (RS JR)
RT: 0 Matt Keeler (RS JR/TR)
KR: 8 AJ Henning (GR/TR)
PK: 82 Jack Olsen (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 52 Richie Hagarty (GR/TR)
DT: 95 Najee Story (RS JR)
DT: 90 Carmine Bastone (RS JR)
DE: 41 Jaylen Pate (GR/TR)
LB: 37 Mac Uihlein (RS JR)
LB: 34 Xander Mueller (RS SR)
NB: 6 Robert Fitzgerald (RS SO)
CB: 10 Theran Johnson (RS JR)
CB: 7 Ore Adeyi (RS JR)
FS: 0 Coco Azema (GR)
SS: 8 Devin Turner (JR)
PR: 8 AJ Henning (GR/TR)
PT: 99 Hunter Renner (GR)
(QB Jack Lausch – UDA Today Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: C
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: B
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: B
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 MIAMI (OH) REDHAWKS | Northwestern trails the series 3-7. The Wildcats lost (14-17) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
09/06 DUKE BLUE DEVILS | Northwestern trails the series 10-13. The Wildcats are 2-5 since restarting the series in 2015, and their last series win (24-13) was in 2016.
09/14 EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHERS | Northwestern leads the series 2-0. The Wildcats won (41-0) the last meeting between schools in 2015.
09/21 @ Washington Huskies | Northwestern trails the series 0-3. The Wildcats lost (0-26) the last meeting between schools in 1984.
10/05 INDIANA HOOSIERS | Northwestern leads the series 47-35-1. The Wildcats lost (3-34) the last meeting between schools in 2019.
10/12 @ Maryland Terrapins | Northwestern leads the series 3-1. The Wildcats won (33-27) last season’s meeting between schools, and their only series loss (24-31) was at the prior meeting in 2022.
10/19 WISCONSIN BADGERS | Northwestern trails the series 38-62-5. The Wildcats are 5-5 since 2014, and their last series loss (7-42) was in 2022.
10/26 @ Iowa Hawkeyes | Northwestern trails the series 28-54-3. The Wildcats are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series win (21-20) was in 2020.
11/02 @ Purdue Boilermakers | Northwestern trails the series 34-53-1. The Wildcats are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (9-17) was in 2022.
11/16 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes | Northwestern trails the series 14-65-1. The Wildcats lost (7-21) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/23 @ Michigan Wolverines | Northwestern trails the series 15-59-2. The Wildcats lost (733) the last meeting between schools in 2021.
11/30 vs. Illinois Fighting Illini | Northwestern trails the series 55-57-5. The Wildcats are 7-3 since 2014, and their last series loss (3-41) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 2-3
Road: 0-5
Neutral: 0-2
B10: 1-8
Non-B10: 1-2
Overall: 2-10 (18th in Big Ten)
gridironpredictions.net 