It is believed to be the first Hail Mary, walk-off win in regulation in Husker history. Jordan Westerkamp reached out his hands and reminded Husker fans that great programs hold on as long as possible. Win a game like that, where things look totally hopeless, and it lops the suffix right off that word. Everything you ever wanted to know about the Huskers. Advertise Shop. Full Huskers. NU wins on Hail Mary.
Roster Depth. Stats Sked. Media Guide. Game Notes. Predictions Stats matchup. Series history. Steven M. Derek Johnson. Not to be left out, the defense took a step forward last season and returns experience on each level. Schedule-wise, Northwestern opens up Big Ten play against Legends division favorite and national title contender Ohio State, but these Wildcats are talented and experienced enough to compete with any team in the league, both at home and on the road.
Trips to Madison, Wis. The pieces are in place for Northwestern to be just as good as it was last season, if not better. That is especially the case if the offensive line jells, the key players stay healthy and the entire team doesn't settle for what it accomplished in Ten wins was the result of a growing program continuing to build a winning foundation under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, who continues to produce more with less overall talent than many of his counterparts.
But that's not to suggest Northwestern is lacking talent, because that is certainly not the case. Venric Mark rushed for over 1, yards and emerged as one of the Big Ten's top offensive players who could also do damage on special teams. The Wildcats also have one of the top quarterbacks in the Big Ten in Kain Colter, but the offensive line could be a concern.
With some holes to plug on the line, keeping Colter protected and giving Mark room to work with could be more of an issue this season. As was the case last season, Northwestern has a defense that will not quit but the talent is not particularly deep in the secondary. Opposing offenses should be able to expose that often enough to keep Northwestern's defense scrambling at times.
The linebackers should be fine to hold their own in the middle of the field, so the pressure will be on Northwestern's defensive line to keep the pressure on consistently. This has been one of the problems in recent years as the line seems to break down physically later in games and in the season. This year's schedule is not exactly favorable either, with road games at Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska. Getting Ohio State at home after a bye week could be cause for an upset alert in early October, but I have the Buckeyes taking care of business.
I look for Northwestern to be on the outside looking in on the Big Ten Championship Game, but they should absolutely playa role in the Big Ten Legends Division picture in November, with key home games against both Michigan schools in consecutive weeks.
I call Northwestern a wild card more than a legitimate contender. Home College Football. Recommended Articles. College Football. By Athlon Sports. By Steven Lassan. By Bryan Fischer.
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