(Photo Credit: AP Photo)
Key Players Returning:
QB Jack Lausch, RB Cam Porter, OC Jackson Carsello, OG Anthony Birsa, OG Cooper Lovelace, OT Caleb Tiernan, DE Aidan Hubbard, DE Anto Saka, DT Najee Story, LB Mac Uihlein, CB Josh Fussell, CB Evan Smith, CB Braden Turner, NB Robert Fitzgerald, FS Damon Walters, KR Jospeh Himon II, PK/PT Luke Akers, and PK Jack Olsen.
Key Players Departing:
WR/PR AJ Henning, WR Bryce Kirtz, TE Thomas Gordon, OT Ben Wrather, DE Jaylen Pate, DT RJ Pearson, LB Grayson Metz, LB Xander Mueller, LB Kenny Soares Jr., CB Theran Johnson, FS/KR Coco Azema, SS Devin Turner, and PT Hunter Renner.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: DL Mason Mayne (Lawton, Michigan).
3 Star Recruits: EDGE Caden O’Rourke (Frankfort, Illinois), WR Griffin Wilde (South Dakota State transfer), RB Daniel Anderson (Bryant, Arkansas), OT Michael O’Connell (Glen Ellyn, Illinois), TE Tyler Kielmeyer (Westerville, Ohio), WR Robby Preckel (Ballwin, Missouri), LB Jack Sadowsky V (Iowa State transfer), DS Dillon Tatum (Michigan State transfer), and OL Martes Lewis (Minnesota transfer).
2024 Results:
G01 MIAMI (OH) W 13-6
G02 DUKE L/2OT 20-26
G03 EAASTERN ILLINOIS W 31-7
G04 @ Washington L 5-24
G05 #23 INDIANA L 24-41
G06 @ Maryland W 37-10
G07 WISCONSIN L 3-23
G08 @ Iowa L 14-40
G09 @ Purdue W/OT 26-20
G10 #2 OHIO STATE L 7-31
G11 @ Michigan L 6-50
G12 vs. #23 Illinois L 28-38
Team info:
2024 Record: 4-8 (16th in Big Ten)
Home: 2-4
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 0-1
B10: 2-7
Non-B10: 2-1
Head Coach: David Braun
Northwestern: 12-13
Career: 12-13
Bowls: 1-0
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jack Lausch (150-296, 1714 yards, 53.7%, 5.8 avg., 7 TD, 8 INT)
Rushing: Cam Porter (126 car., 501 yards, 4.0 avg., 6 TD)
Receiving: Joseph Himon II (15 rec., 96 yards, 6.4 yards, 1 TD)
TDs Scored: Cam Porter (6)
Sacks: Aidan Hubbard (6)
Tackles: Mac Uihlein (85)
Tackles For Loss: Aidan Hubbard (7)
Interceptions: Devin Turner (3)
Pass Deflections: Josh Fussell (5)
Forced Fumbles: Carmine Bastone/Mac Uihlein (1)
Kick Returns: Joseph Himon II (20 ret., 479 yards, 24.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Drew Wagner (2 ret., 71 yards, 35.5 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Luke Akers (10-14 fg/fga., 71%, 11-11 xp/xpa., 41 pts.)
Punting: Luke Akers (39 punts, 1679 yards, 43.1 avg., 16 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 8 Preston Stone (GR/TR)
RB: 4 Cam Porter (GR)
WR: 3 Frank Covey IV (RS SO)
WR: 17 Griffin Wilde (JR/TR)
WR: 20 Chase Farrell (RS FR/TR)
TE: 88 Alex Lines (GR/TR)
LT: 72 Caleb Tieman (RS SR)
LG: 75 Martes Lewis (GR/TR)
OC: 69 Jack Bailey (GR/TR)
RG: 60 Evan Beerntsen (GR/TR)
RT: 63 Xavior Gray (GR/TR)
KR: 6 Joseph Himon II (RS JR)
PK: 11 Luke Akers (GR/TR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 91 Aidan Hubbard (RS SR)
DT: 95 Najee Story (RS SR)
DT: 94 Miguel Jackson (GR/TR)
DE: 4 Anto Saka (RS JR)
LB: 37 Mac Uihlein (RS SR)
LB: 14 Yanni Karlaftis (GR/TR)
NB: 6 Robert Fitzgerald (RS JR)
CB: 2 Fred Davis (GR/TR)
CB: 12 Josh Fussell (RS SO)
FS: 21 Damon Walters (RS SO)
SS: 00 Dillon Tatum (RS JR/TR)
PR: 19 Drew Wagner (SO)
PT: 38 Niki Dugandzic (FR)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: C
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: A
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/30 @ Tulane Green Wave | Northwestern trails the series 1-3. The Wildcats lost (13-20) the last meeting in 1956, and they lost (0-21) the prior meeting in 1955.
09/06 WESTERN ILLINOIS LEATHERNECKS | Last season’s 24-7 win was the first meeting between schools.
09/13 OREGON DUCKS | Northwestern won (14-10) the only prior meeting in 1974.
09/27 UCLA BRUINS | The series is tied 3-3. The Wildcats lost (38-50) the last meeting in 2005, and they lost (7-12) the prior meeting in 1970.
10/04 ULM WARHAWKS | First meeting.
10/11 @ Penn State Nittany Lions | Northwestern trails the series 5-16. The Wildcats are 1-3 since 2015, and they lost (13-41) the last meeting in 2023.
10/18 PURDUE BOILERMAKERS | Northwestern trails the series 35-53-1. The Wildcats are 7-3 since 2015, and their last series loss (9-17) was in 2022.
10/25 @ Nebraska Cornhuskers | Northwestern trails the series 7-10. The Wildcats are 5-4 since 2015, and they lost (9-17) the last meeting in 2023.
11/08 @ USC Trojans | Northwestern trails the series 0-5. The Wildcats lost (32-41) the last meeting in 1996, and they lost (6-48) the prior meeting in 1969.
11/15 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | Northwestern trails the series 15-60-2. The Wildcats are 0-4 since 2015, and their last series win (21-14) was in 2008.
11/22 MINNESOTA GOLDEN GOPHERS | Northwestern trails the series 37-56-5. The Wildcats are 4-4 since 2015, and they won (37-34) the last meeting in 2023.
11/29 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | Northwestern trails the series 55-58-5. The Wildcats are 7-3 since 2015, and their last series win (45-43) was in 2023.
Predictions:
Home: 4-3
Road: 2-3
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 4-5
Non-B10: 2-1
Overall: 6-6 (10th in B10 – Bowl Eligible)
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