B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25

[BDawg35]

CLASS OF 2030 RECRUITING UPDATE



Northwestern adds two halfbacks,
four-star guard to recruiting class

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern should be safe in the coming years when it comes to the depth of its running back position.

The Wildcats were stuck with only three halfbacks on their 2029 roster, forcing coach B-Dawg to temporarily turn off wear and tear to prevent having to use a freshman fullback as the featured runner at some point.

He turned wear and tear back on after a few games and so far — knock on wood — has averted disaster at that position.

With the addition of two more halfbacks, Northwestern has four locked up in its Class of 2030 recruiting. The Wildcats will graduate two of their three halfbacks.

Three-star running backs Larry Edds of Frederick Md. and George Enechukwu of Durham, N.C. committed to the Wildcats.

They’ll have some help up front with the addition of four-star right guard Daniel King of Detroit. King is the third-ranked right guard and 158th overall player in the nation. He chose Northwestern over Pittsburgh and Michigan.

Edds and Enechukwu are both three-star prospects, but bring different styles to Northwestern. Edds is a 5-foot-11, 202-pound receiving back, while Enechukwu is a 5-9, 234 power back. Edds chose Northwestern over Purdue and Clemson, while Enechukwu chose the Wildcats over North Carolina State and Marshall.


NORTHWESTERN’S CLASS OF 2030 RECRUITS

JABU NEWCOMB, CB-1; 5-11, 191; West Point, Miss.; No. 2 overall; 5 stars
AIDEN McKNIGHT, RE-1; 6-4, 281; Middle Village, N.Y.; No. 4 overall; 5 stars
RICARDO RUSTON, MLB-2; 6-0, 237; Fayetteville, N.C.; No. 10 overall; 5 stars
AUSTIN MONTY, RE-4; 6-6, 274; Grand Blanc, Mich.; No. 15 overall; 5 stars
ERIC KUHN, RE-5; 6-6, 243; Des Plaines, Ill.; No. 17 overall; 5 stars
THOMAS PIFER, RT-1; 6-5, 329; Batavia, Ill.; No. 18 overall; 5 stars
DEANDRE STUMPH, RE-7; 6-5, 259; Louisville, Ky.; No. 29 overall; 5 stars
J.T. McHUGH, DT-3; 6-1, 287; Mashpee, Mass.; No. 31 overall; 5 stars
JUAN GORE, RT-5; 6-8, 328; Fishers, Ind.; No. 68 overall; 4 stars
DANIEL KING, RG-3; 6-1, 303; Detroit, Mich.; No. 158 overall; 4 stars
STAN BARON, HB-20; 6-0, 197; Barberton, Ohio; No. 233 overall; 4 stars
JAMIE STACK, WR-31; 6-3, 207; Louisville, Ky.; No. 274 overall; 4 stars
HAYDEN DiMARCO, C-11; 6-4, 282; South Bend, Ind.; No. 368 overall; 4 stars
JOEY SCIOLI, HB-41; 6-0, 207; Weare, N.H.; No. 396 overall; 4 stars
GEORGE ENECHUKWU, HB-66; 5-9, 234; Durham, N.C.; No. 645 overall; 3 stars
LARRY EDDS, HB-74; 5-11, 202; Frederick, Md.; No. 739 overall; 3 stars
BRIAN CUMMINGS, DT-70; 6-1, 321; Oak Lawn, Ill.; No, 1,445 overall; 3 stars

[BDawg35]

2029 SEASON - GAME 11




Visuals like these made it difficult for Northwestern to execute its passing game in the snow at Penn State.


Steve Gandy takes off with a 46-yard touchdown catch with 10:09 left to give Penn State the lead.


Penn State linebacker Spencer Pelshak had 19 tackles and an interception.


Northwestern’s Andres Nickey returns a kickoff 72 yards to set up a touchdown.


Penn State quarterback Cam Potts runs for a touchdown.


Penn State’s Cam Potts threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns.


Northwestern running back Nazir Kush ran for three touchdowns.


Denton Rees grabs Penn State’s third and final interception.

Wardrobe malfunction
Wearing all-white unis bad decision
for NW in snow game at Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Was Northwestern’s game against Penn State lost before it even began?

Was it lost at the start-up screen, not on the field itself?

Quite possibly.

Playing in the northern part of the country, B-Dawg knows a snow game is a possibility in mid-November playing in the Big Ten Conference.

He briefly considered going with purple pants when setting up his drip, but went with the all-white look which, as the kids say, “is so fresh and so clean.”

And then the pregame intro opened up to a glorious snow bowl at Beaver Stadium.

And B-Dawg knew he was in trouble.

Not only would he have to deal with the struggle squiggles while calling plays at the second-toughest home field in the country, but he would have difficulty picking out his own players in their all-white look with a snowy backdrop.

B-Dawg doesn’t like to make excuses, but he quickly grasped at this one following sixth-ranked Northwestern’s 38-24 loss to an unranked Penn State team on Nov. 15, 2029.

“My head literally hurt trying to see my players and figure out my passing routes,” B-Dawg said. “I really handicapped us by not dressing us in purple pants. I thought about backing out of the game and starting over, but a snow game looks cool and I welcomed the challenge. In the future, we’re wearing the darkest possible look for November Big Ten games. The passes I completed were plays in which I knew the icons very well. It really limited our playbook.”

Northwestern quarterback Vernon Starr threw three interceptions, going 15-for-29 for 219 yards.

“Not his fault,” B-Dawg said. “He’s our quarterback next week at Illinois.”

And, rest assured, the Wildcats will wear purple pants and a purple helmet for the Nov. 24 game in Champaign.

B-Dawg tried to overcome the snow by grinding it out on the ground, which worked for two quarters. Nazir Kush had three touchdown runs in the first half, staking Northwestern to a 21-14 lead. The Wildcats ran 24 times for 153 yards and three touchdowns in the first half.

Kush finished with 152 yards on 30 carries, eclipsing 5,000 career yards. Kush has 5,003 yards and 46 touchdowns on 1,083 carries in four seasons.

“We kept up fine when we could run the ball, but that stopped in the second half,” B-Dawg said.

The Wildcats (8-3) didn’t score a touchdown in the second half, settling for one field goal. Penn State tied the game 21-21 on a 4-yard pass from Cam Potts to Jose Bigsby early in the third quarter. Northwestern drove into position to tie the game, but free safety Ryan Willingham intercepted a second-and-goal pass from the 7-yard line with 1:54 left in the third.

The Nittany Lions (7-4) took a 28-21 lead on a 46-yard pass from Cam Potts to Steve Gandy with 10:09 left in the game to complete a seven-play, 99-yard drive following the pick.

Freshman Jay Olsen’s 33-yard field goal with 5:43 left got Northwestern within four points, but Penn State made it a two-possession game on Walter Rowe’s second touchdown catch of the game and Potts’ fourth touchdown pass with 3:26 left.

Northwestern’s second play following Rowe’s touchdown turned into an interception for middle linebacker Spencer Pelshak with 3:10 left, also on an angle route attended for running back Prince Hoke like the first pick.

“I couldn’t see Prince very well on either play,” B-Dawg said.

The third interception was just usual EA garbage, as Denton Rees closed in record speak on a wide-open Dell Choice running a streak from the slot with 1:56 remaining.

Potts went 22-for-31 for 348 yards, four touchdowns and no picks. He wasn’t sacked, marking the second time in the last three games Northwestern failed to get to the quarterback.

“We used to get a minimum of four a game, sometimes as many as 10,” B-Dawg said. “Now we are making it way too easy on opposing quarterbacks.”

The Wildcats have lost two of their last three games, but could still get a first-round by in the College Football Playoff. First, they need to win at Illinois next week to get into the Big Ten championship game, though they might still get in with a loss if the tie-breakers go their way. Then they’d have to win the game to get the automatic bye.

Northwestern and Oregon lead the Big Ten with 6-2 records. The Wildcats have the head-to-head tie-breaker. USC, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State are in a log jam for third place at 5-3.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Deon Barry 10 pancakes, 0 sacks; Cornell Kafka 8-0; Alex Estes 6-0; Josh Stephen 5-0; Calvin Claybrooks 4-0; Brady Ellington 2-0; Nate Barr 1-0; J.C. Cantwell 1-0; Hunter Schilens 1-0.


Big Ten Conference standings




College Football Playoff rankings

[BDawg35]

CLASS OF 2030 RECRUITING UPDATE





Wildcats suddenly loaded at RB
after addition of 2 more recruits

EVANSTON, Ill. — Having enough warm bodies at running back is no longer an issue for Northwestern.

With the addition of two more three-star halfbacks, the Wildcats have recruited six from the Class of 2030.

Pat Childress of Mobile, Ala., the No. 61 halfback in the country, and Dave Martindale of Lehigh Acres, Fla., the No. 76 halfback, have committed to Northwestern.

There don’t appear to be any superstars in the crop of running backs, with one four-star and five three-star recruits, but at least Northwestern won’t have to worry about wear and gear decimating its running back room.

The Wildcats went into this season with three halfbacks. Senior Nazir Kush somehow wasn’t recovered from a late-season injury from his junior year and missed the first game, which created a scenario in which freshman fullback Brady Ellington got first-team reps at halfback.

Kush and Prince Hoke are graduating, with only third-stringer Howie Brazzell returning from the current crop of running backs.

“We’re good now,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “I don’t need to recruit any more halfbacks. I hope the numbers in our room don’t keep five-star guys from being interested in us in the coming years.”

Childress chose Northwestern over North Carolina State and Marshall. Martindale chose the Wildcats over Tulsa and Florida International, which didn’t offer him.

“These guys like what they saw from Nazir Kush, even in a loss at Penn State,” B-Dawg said. “They also know we were getting close to cutting off recruiting for running backs and they needed to get on board quickly.”


NORTHWESTERN’S CLASS OF 2030 RECRUITS

JABU NEWCOMB, CB-1; 5-11, 191; West Point, Miss.; No. 2 overall; 5 stars
AIDEN McKNIGHT, RE-1; 6-4, 281; Middle Village, N.Y.; No. 4 overall; 5 stars
RICARDO RUSTON, MLB-2; 6-0, 237; Fayetteville, N.C.; No. 10 overall; 5 stars
AUSTIN MONTY, RE-4; 6-6, 274; Grand Blanc, Mich.; No. 15 overall; 5 stars
ERIC KUHN, RE-5; 6-6, 243; Des Plaines, Ill.; No. 17 overall; 5 stars
THOMAS PIFER, RT-1; 6-5, 329; Batavia, Ill.; No. 18 overall; 5 stars
DEANDRE STUMPH, RE-7; 6-5, 259; Louisville, Ky.; No. 29 overall; 5 stars
J.T. McHUGH, DT-3; 6-1, 287; Mashpee, Mass.; No. 31 overall; 5 stars
JUAN GORE, RT-5; 6-8, 328; Fishers, Ind.; No. 68 overall; 4 stars
DANIEL KING, RG-3; 6-1, 303; Detroit, Mich.; No. 158 overall; 4 stars
STAN BARON, HB-20; 6-0, 197; Barberton, Ohio; No. 233 overall; 4 stars
JAMIE STACK, WR-31; 6-3, 207; Louisville, Ky.; No. 274 overall; 4 stars
HAYDEN DiMARCO, C-11; 6-4, 282; South Bend, Ind.; No. 368 overall; 4 stars
JOEY SCIOLI, HB-41; 6-0, 207; Weare, N.H.; No. 396 overall; 4 stars
PAT CHILDRESS, HB-61; 5-11, 180; Mobile, Ala.; No. 599 overall; 3 stars
GEORGE ENECHUKWU, HB-66; 5-9, 234; Durham, N.C.; No. 645 overall; 3 stars
LARRY EDDS, HB-74; 5-11, 202; Frederick, Md.; No. 739 overall; 3 stars
DAVE MARTINDALE, HB-76; 6-0, 181; Lehigh Acres, Fla.; No. 754 overall; 3 stars
BRIAN CUMMINGS, DT-70; 6-1, 321; Oak Lawn, Ill.; No, 1,445 overall; 3 stars

[redsox907]

Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25

Tough break with the rare snow game and the white out. I've only had two snow games in over 20+ dynasty seasons, but that is an unfortunate break.

[BDawg35]

Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25

Tough break with the rare snow game and the white out. I've only had two snow games in over 20+ dynasty seasons, but that is an unfortunate break.

I had a tough loss in the snow at Illinois in the first or second season of this dynasty. I reminded myself to wear dark pants on the road in November, but I didn't listen to my own advice.

Live and learn.

[BDawg35]

2029 SEASON - GAME 12




Northwestern receiver Quin Ford hauls in the winning 34-yard touchdown catch with five seconds left.


Northwestern cornerback Soni Motuapuaka lands on the ground securing an interception on the final play.


Northwestern freshman Andres Nickey breaks a tackle on his way to a 100-yard kickoff return, his second of the
game.


Northwestern freshman Andres Nickey celebrates the first of his two kickoff returns for touchdowns.


Northwestern receiver J.C. Cantwell grabs a touchdown catch.


Illinois receiver Khari Hyde grabs a 56-yard pass on fourth-and-eight to set up a late go-ahead field goal.


Illinois’ Bernie Small takes an interception 97 yards to the house with eight seconds left in the first half.

POST FOR THE DUB!
Wildcats complete rarely used route
to beat Illinois with five seconds left

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It’s a play B-Dawg runs more than any other, but this time there was a twist.

The play is called Wildcat Flood and it’s run out of the five-wide shotgun formation.

At least 80% of the time, B-Dawg uses it to run a drag route to an outside receiver when he needs to gain anywhere from four to 10 yards for a first down. In recent years, he’ll occasionally throw a streak to one of his fastest receivers if there doesn’t appear to be safety help over the top.

“It’s kind of a money play for me, one which I’ve tried to limit going to this year,” B-Dawg said. “But in times of crisis, I fall back on it.”

Once in a great while, he’ll throw a quick out route to a slot receiver if the cornerback covering him drops back. But this is also very risky, as this route has led to some pick-sixes.

Of the five routes available, the one B-Dawg uses the least is a post route to the slot receiver on the side with three wideouts. He’s been gun shy to do so, having thrown interceptions or just had passes batted down by defenders most of the times he’s tried it.

But B-Dawg needed a chunk play after two previous streaks on the drive were incomplete, so he kept an eye on slot receiver Quin Ford coming off the line with 13th-ranked Northwestern trailing unranked Illinois 43-42 in the final seconds of a rivalry game on Nov. 24, 2029.

The Wildcats were at the Illinois 34-yard line with 10 seconds left when the ball was snapped. Ford got just enough separation on safety Javon Wiggins to make the post route an attractive option. Wiggins dove, but was unable to bat the ball away or make a quick tackle on Ford, who caught the ball at the 13 and strolled into the end zone with five seconds remaining, giving Northwestern a 48-43 victory.

The victory clinched a berth in the Big Ten Conference championship game against Oregon and keeps Northwestern’s hopes alive for a third straight trip to the national title game.

“Quin Ford will never have to buy a drink in Evanston again,” B-Dawg said. “The route he ran is one I wish I could hit more often, because it has big-play potential, but when I run Wildcat Flood I’m usually just trying to move the chains and live to play another down. I don’t like to risk a play that I might not complete.”

The Wildcats blew a 35-24 fourth-quarter lead and looked to be in trouble when K.J. Kasay’s 46-yard field goal with 37 seconds left gave the Illini a 43-42 lead.

Freshman Andres Nickey had already returned two kickoffs for touchdowns (more on that later), but was ordered to fair catch the ensuing kickoff to save precious seconds and ensure Northwestern got the ball at least at its 25.

The drive began with two incompletions on deep balls to Nickey down the left side. On third-and-10, Vernon Starr completed a 20-yard pass to running back Prince Hoke with 20 seconds left. That was followed by two quick outs to Montrell Murray of 14 and seven yards, leaving 10 seconds on the clock at Illinois’ 34.

Then came the touchdown pass to Ford, a little-used receiver who had touchdowns on each of his two receptions in this game. Ford has caught a pass in only four of Northwestern’s 12 games, making nine catches for 128 yards and three touchdowns.

Soni Motuapuaka intercepted a Hail Mary on the final play of the game.

Northwestern (9-3) may have been an upset victim of a 5-7 Illinois team if not for the heroics of Nickey in the return game.

The Wildcats returned only one kick for a touchdown on their first 269 returns in the six-year history of this dynasty, a 96-yarder last season by J.C. Cantwell at Purdue.

Nickey had a 99-yarder after Illinois took an early 10-0 lead, then broke a tackle on his way to a 100-yarder with 4:14 left in the game to give the Wildcats a seemingly comfortable 42-33 lead. Nickey had 300 yards on eight kick returns. Last week, he nearly went house on a 72-yard return at Penn State.

“If the ball is kicked way to the left or way to the right, we have a chance to take one,” B-Dawg said. “The blocking seems to set up better that way. I would’ve let him take that last kickoff and try for a home run, but it was kicked to the middle. He was ordered to fair catch if it was in the middle.”

It’s only the fifth time B-Dawg has had two kick return touchdowns with the same player in the same game. Three came in his NCAA 2009 Oregon State dynasty, with Jeff Cox doing it twice. The last player to do so was Western Michigan’s Brian Brown at Michigan State on Nov. 11, 2023 in the first of B-Dawg’s three NCAA ’14 dynasties.

Illinois nearly made it all for nought, however. Khari Hyde caught an 18-yard touchdown pass with 3:27 left to get the Illini within 42-40, then hauled in an underthrown 56-yard pass on fourth-and-eight with 1:13 left, setting up a go-ahead field goal.

Once again, the Northwestern defense failed to register a sack, allowing the opposing quarterback to get off. Rico Charles was 20-for-37 for 351 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.

In the last five games, during which the Wildcats have gone 3-2, quarterbacks have been 119-for-175 for 2,039 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions against Northwestern. The Wildcats have allowed 216 points in those games, getting only four sacks and rarely pressuring the quarterback. Before Illinois’ final field goal, the Wildcats managed to hit Charles as he threw to force an incompletion on third down.

“We have Oregon next,” B-Dawg said. “If we don’t get our act together on defense, they’ll easily hang half a hundred on us. We’ve been fortunate the last few games that we’ve been able to keep up with our offense at times, but we can’t always count on that.”





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Cornell Kafka 8 pancakes, 0 sacks; Alex Estes 5-0; Calvin Claybrooks 5-0; Deon Barry 4-0; Brady Ellington 3-0; Hunter Schilens 2-0; Nate Barr 2-0; Dell Choice 1-0; Montrell Murray 1-0; Quin Ford 1-0.


Big Ten Conference standings




College Football Playoff rankings

[redsox907]

Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25

Post routes are always feast or famine for me. Sometimes the safety just ignores the pass, others he becomes Ed Reed.

Nice to see the offense continue to put up big numbers, just need the defense to string together a few more stops against Oregon. A loss will likely knock you out of the playoff picture

[BDawg35]

Re: B-Dawg's Northwestern Wildcats: Navigating the new Big Ten in CFB25

Post routes are always feast or famine for me. Sometimes the safety just ignores the pass, others he becomes Ed Reed.

Nice to see the offense continue to put up big numbers, just need the defense to string together a few more stops against Oregon. A loss will likely knock you out of the playoff picture

I tend to be extra cautious with certain routes, almost never throwing them because of so many interceptions. It's worse when I play a friend of mine online because you can't lower the INT sliders in online games. But certain routes are also very dangerous vs. the CPU with my INT sliders down to around 15 or so.

[BDawg35]

2029 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW


Oregon quarterback James Feliz has thrown for 3,503 yards and 38 touchdowns.

Northwestern must win Big Ten crown
to clinch College Football Playoff berth

INDIANAPOLIS — Sometimes these conference championship games feel meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

Sometimes both teams go into the contest having already locked up a berth in the College Football Playoff, so winning an extra trophy and getting better playoff seeding are all that’s at stake.

But for the second year in a row, the Big Ten Conference championship game is essentially a play-in game for Northwestern.

Win and you’re in. Lose and you’re off to some two-bit bowl game nobody cares about.

Northwestern ended the regular season ranked eighth in the College Football Playoff poll with a 9-3 record. A fourth loss will almost certainly drop the Wildcats below the cut line, which is at No. 12.

“Really, this is two years in a row that we’ve had to beat Illinois and then have to win the Big Ten championship game to even get in the playoffs,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “Our guys are used to this kind of pressure. They tend to rise to the occasion in the big games.”

One group that hasn’t been rising to the occasion lately is the Northwestern defense.

The onus of winning this game may be placed once again on a Wildcat offense that has had to keep pace, and then some, with teams that have been lighting up Northwestern’s defense.

Northwestern has allowed an average of 43.2 points in its last five games, but has hung in the Big Ten and playoff races by going 3-2 behind an offense that has averaged 40.2 points over that time.

Opposing quarterbacks have been 119-for-175 for 2,039 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions against Northwestern during that time, getting sacked only four times.

Facing Oregon isn’t exactly the cure for an ailing defense. The Ducks have one of the most high-powered offenses in the country. Quarterback James Feliz threw four touchdown passes against Northwestern in a 38-35 loss on Sept. 29, a game the Wildcats won on a Nazir Kush touchdown run with 22 seconds left.

Feliz, an 88 OVR fifth-year senior, is 225-for-333 for 3,503 yards, 38 touchdowns and five interceptions. Jay Miles has 55 catches for 1,063 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Rudy Soto has 53 catches for 940 yards and 12 scores. All three were on the Heisman hype list going into the previous game against Northwestern.

Spencer Cantwell is the leading rusher with 796 yards and eight touchdowns on 168 carries.

Defensive tackle Jeremiah Hagans has 11.5 sacks and outside linebacker Jose Brocklin has 11 sacks for the Ducks, whose only other loss was 42-31 to USC on Nov. 10. Oregon beat Penn State 47-45 in its last game to qualify for the championship game.

The Wildcats ain’t scurred of the Ducks, going 4-1 against them in this dynasty. Two years ago, Northwestern beat Oregon 28-23 in the Big Ten championship game and 24-20 for the natty.

As an aside, these are also the two teams with the highest-ranked recruiting classes for the Class of 2030. Northwestern just moved ahead of Oregon into the top spot.

[BDawg35]

2029 HEISMAN UPDATE



DAVID CUTRERA, Clemson, QB, rFr.
2029 stats: 285-for-405, 3,815 yards, 35 TD, 4 int.; 77 carries, 342 yards, 3 TD

CRAIG ARNOLD, Georgia, QB, rJr.
2029 stats: 211-for-293, 2,901 yards, 31 TD, 6 int.; 58 carries, 229 yards, 1 TD

DAMION KERRIGAN, Texas Christian, WR, Sr.
2029 stats: 74 catches, 1,326 yards, 15 TD; 10 carries, 120 yards, 3 TD

BYRON GALLIMORE, Alabama, WR, rJr.
2029 stats: 57 catches, 1,176 yards, 17 TD; 10 carries, 94 yards, 2 TD

TYRON STANFORD, West Virginia, QB, rSoph.
2029 stats: 221-for-322, 3,515 yards, 30 TD, 9 int.; 130 carries, 519 yards, 9 TD

[BDawg35]

2029 BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME




Northwestern players celebrate after winning their third straight Big Ten championship.


Northwestern linebacker Carl Sermon (51) forces quarterback James Feliz to fumble …


… and linebacker David Diggs picks it up for a scoop and score.


David Diggs also recovered a fumble earlier in the game.


Northwestern safety Lamar Bakhtiari forces Oregon receiver Rudy Soto to fumble the ball …


… and it was pounced on by George Dennis (90), who celebrates the recovery with Soni Motuapuaka (18) with
3:33 left in the game.


Northwestern quarterback Vernon Starr celebrates after scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 9:30 left.


Third-string Northwestern running back Howie Brazzell breaks off a 26-yard run late in the game to pretty much
seal the victory.


Northwestern linebacker Tavon Lenon sacks Oregon quarterback James Feliz.


Running back Spencer Cantwell scores Oregon’s only touchdown.


Keke Ngakoue intercepts a pass with 4:11 left in the game to give Oregon a chance to come back.


Oregon’s Jeff Casey picks off a pass in the end zone.

WELCOME BACK, D!
Northwestern defenders lower boom
in win over Oregon for Big Ten title

INDIANAPOLIS — Anyone who says they saw this coming is an absolute liar.

Northwestern had seemingly forgotten how to play defense the past five games, allowing 43.2 points, 407.8 passing yards and four touchdown passes per game.

If the Wildcats were going to have a chance of beating Oregon in the 2029 Big Ten Conference championship game, the prevailing wisdom was that they would have to win a shootout.

Final score: Northwestern 20, Oregon 10.

Apparently, Northwestern’s defenders got tired of being a national joke and a punching bag for even mediocre teams like Minnesota and Illinois.

The Wildcats’ defense scored as many touchdowns as Oregon’s offense, getting into the end zone on a 14-yard fumble return by outside linebacker David Diggs with 1:05 left in the first half.

Oregon quarterback James Feliz, who threw four touchdown passes earlier this season against Northwestern, didn’t have a single scoring toss in the rematch.

A Northwestern defense with only four sacks in the past five games got to Feliz five times and, even more remarkably, forced three fumbles. The Wildcats had forced only one fumble all season.

“I challenged their manhood this week,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “I also reminded them that jobs were at stake, because I will have no problem starting all that five-star incoming freshman talent next season, regardless of OVR ratings. We have five-star guys coming in at defensive end, defensive tackle, linebacker and cornerback. Yeah, I played that card.”

It appeared Northwestern’s defense was about to get gashed again when Oregon moved the ball easily down the first on the first drive. Then, on second-and-three from the Northwestern 21-yard line, Feliz dropped back to pass all the way to the 45. Carl Sermon, who forced two fumbles, forced a fumble with a sack and linebacker David Diggs made the recover with 7:26 left in the first quarter.

The Wildcats’ offense went nowhere after two penalties and a sack, but a tone was set. Northwestern’s defense had come to play.

The Wildcats got a break when Jordan Webb dropped a pass in the end zone on third-and-goal from the 5-yard line, forcing a field goal on Oregon’s next possession. Northwestern tied it with a field goal in the second quarter.

The biggest play of the game was another forced fumble by Sermon and recovery by Diggs, this one being a 14-yard scoop and score with 1:05 left in the first half to give Northwestern a 10-3 lead. On the play, Feliz shook off a sack attempt by Diggs, but Sermon lit him up as he was getting reset.

“The first time we ever beat Oregon, it was a great defensive performance where we allowed only three field goals and no touchdowns,” B-Dawg said. “This was taking on the feel of that game. Guys fed off one another the entire game.”

It was a timely performance by the Northwestern defense, because the offense couldn’t really get going, mostly because of dropped passes. Vernon Starr started the game 6-for-12, with five of the incompletions being drops on plays where the receiver was hit immediately after touching the ball. Last week’s hero against Illinois, Quin Ford, had two of the drops.

Leading 10-3 at halftime, the Wildcats blew a chance to extend their lead when Jay Olsen (really, B-Dawg) missed a 33-yard field goal from the middle of the field with 7:05 left in the third quarter.

That allowed Oregon to tie the game on its only touchdown, a 1-yard run by Spencer Cantwell on an option pitch from Feliz with 3:50 left in the third quarter.

The Ducks forced a three-and-out and had a chance to take the lead, but linebacker Tavon Lenon blitzed and got a sack on third-and-seven with 1:38 left in the third.

The Wildcats weren’t content to play it conservatively when they got the ball back, having struggled to run the ball with only 47 rushing yards through three quarters. On their next drive, they passed on five of eight plays before getting their only offensive touchdown on a 1-yard QB Blast from Starr with 9:30 left in the game to take a 17-10 lead.

Northwestern got the ball back with a chance to make it a two-possession game, but cornerback Keke Ngakoue jumped a deep comeback route B-Dawg almost never calls and intercepted the ball with 4:11 left in the game.

“That was a really bad time to experiment with a new route,” B-Dawg said. “I didn’t realize my receiver had to still make his way further downfield when I threw it. The corner jumped the route and had an easy pick.”

Fortunately, the Wildcats’ defense had one more forced fumble in them. On a jet sweep by receiver Rudy Soto, safety Lamar Bakhtiari laid the boom and forced a fumble that was recovered by linebacker George Dennis with 3:33 left in the game.

From there, Northwestern went 52 yards in seven plays to take a 10-point lead on a 22-yard field goal with 1:08 left in the game. The big play was a 26-yard run by third-string running back Howie Brazzell on his first carry of the game to get Northwestern into field goal range.

Northwestern won, despite a heavy influx of Nike money that resulted in some corrupt officiating in Oregon’s favor. The Wildcats were penalized 10 times for 80 yards, while the Ducks had only four penalties for 25 yards.

Northwestern also won despite a subpar game by its offensive line, which combined for only five pancakes. Nobody on the team had more than two pancakes. By contrast, Oregon center Byron Oden had 12 and the Ducks had 36 as a team.

With the victory, Northwestern qualifies for the College Football Playoff for the third straight year and will have a first-round bye as the Big Ten champion. It’s the Wildcats’ third consecutive Big Ten title.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Deon Barry 2 pancakes, 0 sacks; Hunter Schilens 2-0; Josh Stephen 2-0; Nate Barr 1-0; J.C. Cantwell 1-0; Cornell Kafka 1-0; Dell Choice 1-0; Nazir Kush 1-0; Calvin Claybrooks 0-1.


2029 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

Conference USA: Western Kentucky 32, Sam Houston 17
Mid-American: Central Michigan 27, Ohio 13
Big XII: Brigham Young 24, Kansas 9
Sun Belt: South Alabama 35, Marshall 14
SEC: Georgia 35, Tennessee 10
American: Tulsa 42, Alabama-Birmingham 38
Mountain West: San Jose State 45, UNLV 20
Big Ten: Northwestern 20, Oregon 10
ACC: The U 33, Clemson 28

[BDawg35]

2029 POSTSEASON AWARDS/HEISMAN WINNER









Four Northwestern players
bring home national awards

The haul of national awards collected by Northwestern football players in 2029 showed that the Wildcats’ success has truly been a team effort.

Four different players took home a national award, representing all three phases of the game.

Senior Nazir Kush was chosen Best Running Back (a.k.a. Doak Walker Award), junior linebacker David Diggs is Best Linebacker (a.k.a. Butkus Award), junior cornerback Jayvon Hope is Best Defensive Back (a.k.a. Thorpe Award) and freshman receiver Andres Nickey is Best Returner (a.k.a. Best Returner).

Kush leads the nation in rushing with 1,544 yards and 21 touchdowns on 315 carries. Diggs, who was third in voting for Best Defensive Player, has 67 tackles, 20 for losses, 9.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. Hope has five interceptions. Nickey has returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, both in the same game against Illinois.

Of course, in the crazy world of EA’s awards system, neither Diggs nor Hope merited even a second-team all-conference mention. Kush did make first-team All-America. Nickey is a Big Ten all-freshman receiver.




PLAYER OF THE YEAR: David Cutrera, Clemson, QB, rFr., 81 OVR
HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR: Glenn Stanford, Brigham Young
BEST QUARTERBACK: David Cutrera, Clemson, QB, rFr., 81 OVR
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Tayquon Granger, Notre Dame, DE, rJr., 87 OVR
BEST DEFENSIVE BACK: Jayvon Hope, Northwestern, CB, rJr., 84 OVR
BEST RUNNING BACK: Nazir Kush, Northwestern, HB, Sr., 88 OVR
BEST RECEIVER: Damion Kerrigan, Texas Christian, WR, Sr., 83 OVR
LOMBARDI: Tayquon Granger, Notre Dame, DE, rJr., 87 OVR
UNITAS GOLDEN ARM: Marquise Fontaine, South Carolina, QB, rSr., 90 OVR
BEST DEFENSIVE END: Tayquon Granger, Notre Dame, DE, rJr., 87 OVR
BEST INTERIOR LINEMAN: Jose Ordonez, Texas, OG, rJr., 91 OVR
BEST TIGHT END: Quinton Michaels, Georgia, TE, Soph., 77 OVR
BROYLES AWARD: Philip Bitonia, Tulsa, OC
BEST LINEBACKER: David Diggs, Northwestern, OLB, Jr., 77 OVR
BEST CENTER: Jake Graves, Auburn, C, rSr., 92 OVR
LOU GROZA: Marquise Homer, Central Michigan, K, rSr., 77 OVR
BEST PUNTER: Jamie Pead, Arkansas State, P, Sr., 84 OVR
BEST RETURNER: Andres Nickey, Northwestern, WR, Fr., 71 OVR




FIRST TEAM
QB, David Cutrera, Clemson, rFr.
HB, Nazir Kush, Northwestern, Sr.
HB, Gerald St. Louis, Syracuse, rSr.
WR, Byron Gallimore, Alabama, rJr.
WR, Damion Kerrigan, TCU, Sr.
WR, Quentin Procter, North Texas, rSoph.
TE, Deshaun Cave, Auburn, rSoph.
LT, Steven Walther, Notre Dame, Sr.
LG, Keke Oweh, Texas Tech, rSr.
C, Jake Graves, Auburn, rSr.
RG, Ben Thurber, Tennessee, rJr.
RT, Deon Anderson, Tennessee, rSr.
LE, Mike Banks, Tulane, rSr.
RE, Justyn Stockton, Kentucky, rSr.
DT, Emanuel Herron, North Carolina State, rSr.
DT, Kai Smith, North Carolina State, Sr.
LOLB, Levi Beckner, Clemson, rSr.
MLB, Josh Rosas, Ohio State, rJr.
ROLB, Juan Banks, Wisconsin, rJr.
CB, Wayne Cole, East Carolina, rSr.
CB, Benji Ochi, Indiana, rSr.
FS, Addison Lewis, Clemson, rSr.
SS, Roland Falah, Wake Forest, Sr.
K, Rico Orlando, Oklahoma State, Sr.
P, Rico Williams, Louisville, rSr.

SECOND TEAM
QB, Ezekiel Igwebuike, Hawaii, rJr.
HB, Prince Hoke, Northwestern, Sr.
HB, John McAdoo, Mississippi, Sr.
WR, Rudy Soto, Oregon, rJr.
WR, Keilan Forsett, Clemson, Jr.
WR, Kevin Woods, Alabama-Birmingham, rSoph.
TE, Matthew Robinson, Central Michigan, rSr.
LT, Silas Gold, Toledo, Sr.
LG, Spencer Coker, Georgia, rJr.
C, Soma Pututau, USC, Sr.
RG, Sammy Hansen, The U, rJr.
RT, Earl Floyd, Tulane, rSr.
LE, Marlon Khaled, Sam Houston, rJr.
RE, Paul Tuttle, Nebraska, rJr.
DT, Tyquan Metchie, Louisville, rSr.
DT, Cassidy, Cruise, Penn State, Sr.
LOLB, LaMichael Witt, Virginia Tech, rSr.
MLB, Scott Sizer, Oklahoma, Sr.
ROLB, Ross Kugbila, Oklahoma, Sr.
CB, Nate Hall, North Carolina State, Sr.
CB, Nate Cantrell, Kansas State, rSr.
FS, Daunte Cook, Utah, rSoph.
SS, J.R. Koehler, Tulane, Sr.
K, Quan Burgess, Liberty, Sr.
P, Jimmy Barbosa, Southern Mississippi, Sr.

FRESHMAN
QB, David Cutrera, Clemson, rFr.
HB, Rafael Huerta, The U, rFr.
HB, Daniel Parades, Oklahoma State, Fr.
WR, Jae Tranquill, Louisville, Fr.
WR, Stefon Gray, Arizona, rFr.
WR, Vernon Pinckney, South Carolina, rFr.
TE, Jimmie Cleveland, Liberty, rFr.
LT, Tevita Luna, Boston College, rFr.
LG, Ramon Rheem, The U, rFr.
C, Greg Strange, Alabama-Birmingham, rFr.
RG, Simon Carter, Michigan, rFr.
RT, Jelanie Paul, South Carolina, rFr.
LE, Rico Camarillo, Ohio State, rFr.
RE, Collin Wimann, California, rFr.
DT, Frederick Singleton, Buffalo, rFr.
DT, Jeremy Yeboah, Charlotte, rFr.
LOLB, Jamie Vellano, Stanford, rFr.
MLB, Kyle Fanene, Mississippi, rFr.
ROLB, Femi Tuel, Notre Dame, rFr.
CB, Larry Trueblood, Nebraska, rFr.
CB, Darren Schillinger, The U, rFr.
FS, Tyree Wooleyhand, Charlotte, rFr.
SS, Joaquin Portillo, LSU, rFr.
K, Glenn McGann, Charlotte, rFr.
P, Von Bransson, USC, rFr.




FIRST TEAM
QB, James Feliz, Oregon, rSr.
HB, Nazir Kush, Northwestern, Sr.
HB, Prince Hoke, Northwestern, Sr.
WR, Rudy Soto, Oregon, rJr.
WR, Jay Miles, Oregon, rSr.
WR, Edward Trufant, USC, rSr.
TE, Juan Tubbs, Oregon, rSoph.
LT, Earl Stick, Michigan, rSoph.
LG, Keenen Brees, Michigan, rSoph.
C, Soma Pututau, USC, Sr.
RG, Devontae Cavka, Nebraska, rJr.
RT, Victor Wonnum, Ohio State, rSr.
LE, Landon Council, Wisconsin, rSr.
RE, Sam Jupin, Ohio State, rJr.
DT, Cassidy Cruise, Penn State, Sr.
DT, Jeremiah Hagans, Oregon, rSr.
LOLB, Adrian Mangum, Ohio State, rJr.
MLB, Josh Rosas, Ohio State, rJr.
ROLB, Juan Banks, Wisconsin, rJr.
CB, Benji Ochi, Indiana, rSr.
CB, Emmett Smith, USC, Sr.
FS, Josh Pryor, Ohio State, Jr.
SS, Sharrif Ricks, Iowa, Sr.
K, John Fe’esago, Indiana, rJr.
P, J.R. Joe, Wisconsin, Jr.

SECOND TEAM
QB, Mike McGahee, Wisconsin, rSr.
HB, T.J. Folkerts, Ohio State, rSr.
HB, Nathan Ramczyk, Michigan, Soph.
WR, Hunter Doss, Wisconsin, rSr.
WR, Duke Duval, Purdue, rJr.
WR, Edward Allen, Nebraska, Sr.
TE, Bart Dalton, Nebraska, rSr.
LT, Jason Bryant, Oregon, rJr.
LG, Theo Hoosman, Michigan State, Sr.
C, Sam Knight, Michigan, rSr.
RG, Austin Gessner, Michigan, rSr.
RT, Nate Gooch, Ohio State, rJr.
LE, Dom Lincoln, UCLA, rJr.
RE, Paul Tuttle, Nebraska, rJr.
DT, Jermaine Denson, Nebraska, rSoph.
DT, Damarius Tolson, Northwestern, Sr.
LOLB, Jose Brocklin, Oregon, rJr.
MLB, Melo Starks, Purdue, rJr.
ROLB, Juan Newcomb, Oregon, rJr.
CB, Fredrick Durbin, Penn State, rSoph.
CB, Tye Slayton, Nebraska, rSr.
FS, Brady McNamara, Maryland, rSr.
SS, Jeff Casey, Oregon, Sr.
K, Lamar Cooke, Maryland, rSr.
P, Mateo Ghee, Nebraska, rSoph.

FRESHMAN
QB, DeAndre Agnew, Ohio State, rFr.
HB, Joe Jacob, UCLA, rFr.
HB, Ron Katula, Michigan State, Fr.
WR, Andres Nickey, Northwestern, Fr.
WR, Adrian Andersen, Minnesota, rFr.
WR, Travis Coffey, USC, rFr.
TE, Lawrence Taumoepenu, Ohio State, Fr.
LT, Jimmy Cherry, Indiana, rFr.
LG, Dimitri Mare, Michigan, rFr.
C, Isaiah Dunham, Michigan, rFr.
RG, Simon Carter, Michigan, rFr.
RT, Manuel Tinker, Nebraska, rFr.
LE, Rico Camarillo, Ohio State, rFr.
RE, Jeff Mizzell, Wisconsin, rFr.
DT, Nico Saavedra, Nebraska, rFr.
DT, Enrique Mangold, Oregon, rFr.
LOLB, Cameron Forden, Michigan, rFr.
MLB, Juan Roos, Washington, rFr.
ROLB, Greg Smith, Ohio State, rFr.
CB, Larry Trueblood, Nebraska, rFr.
CB, George Johns, Nebraska, rFr.
FS, Emanuel Dishman, Oregon, rFr.
SS, Jason Jordan, Penn State, Fr.
K, Jay Olsen, Northwestern, Fr.
P, Von Branson, USC, rFr.





Another Clemson QB wins Heisman

NEW YORK — Clemson University is becoming known as Heisman U.

For the third time in the six-year history of this dynasty, a Clemson quarterback has walked away with the top award in college football.

This time it’s someone who might fill his trophy case with multiple Heismans before he’s through. The 2029 winner is David Cutrera, who is only a redshirt freshman.

He follows in the footsteps of past Clemson winners Cade Klubnik (2025) and Christopher Vizzina (2027). All six Heisman winners in this dynasty have been quarterbacks, the others being Georgia’s Carson Beck (2024), Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava (2026) and Duke’s Dell Denson (2028).

Cutrera was a four-star recruit out of Pinson, Ala. He is 81 OVR with 85 THA and 88 THP. He has thrown for 4,192 yards and 39 touchdowns against only six interceptions.



1. DAVID CUTRERA, Clemson, QB, rFr.
2029 stats: 300-for-434, 4,192 yards, 39 TD, 6 int.; 85 carries, 364 yards, 3 TD

2. CRAIG ARNOLD, Georgia, QB, rJr.
2029 stats: 226-for-315, 3,155 yards, 35 TD, 6 int.; 62 carries, 239 yards, 1 TD

3. MAX REINER, Georgia, WR, Sr.
2029 stats: 80 catches, 1,181 yards, 20 TD; 1 carry, -3 yards, 0 TD

4. DAMION KERRIGAN, Texas Christian, WR, Sr.
2029 stats: 74 catches, 1,326 yards, 15 TD; 10 carries, 120 yards, 3 TD

5. BYRON GALLIMORE, Alabama, WR, rJr.
2029 stats: 57 catches, 1,176 yards, 17 TD; 10 carries, 94 yards, 2 TD

[BDawg35]

2029 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF BRACKET

[BDawg35]

2029 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF FIRST ROUND



Stanford earns quarterfinal matchup vs. NW

FIRST ROUND

STANFORD 16, KANSAS 14: Stanford quarterback Daquan Pears was 21-for-36 for 215 yards and two touchdowns, both of which went to receiver Vondree Dayes. Dayes had eight catches for 98 yards. Kyree Keyton of Kansas was 8-for-21 for 165 yards and one touchdown, half of his completions going to Jason Talib for 103 yards and a score. The Cardinal will play Northwestern in a national quarterfinal at the Fiesta Bowl.

NOTRE DAME 31, ALABAMA-BIRMIMGHAM 28: The game was tied 10-10 at halftime before Notre Dame outscored UAB 21-7 in the third quarter. Joey DiNapoli of Notre Dame was 25-for-35 for 275 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Nick Gumbs ran 16 times for 68 yards and two touchdowns for the Fighting Irish. UAB quarterback Nathan Goodin was 18-for-29 for 240 yards and two scores. Notre Dame will take on top-seeded Georgia in the Peach Bowl.

OHIO STATE 31, TULSA 10: Jalen Clements of Ohio State was 16-for-26 for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Steven Scioli of Tulsa was 19-for-42 for 273 yards, one touchdowns and one interception. He was sacked four times, twice by defensive tackle Ramon Casas. Ohio State will play The U in the Orange Bowl.

OREGON 56, SOUTHERN METHODIST 20: After scoring only 10 points against Northwestern in the Big Ten championship game, Oregon’s offense was back in high gear. The game was tied 7-7 after one quarter before the Ducks outscored the Mustangs 21-0 in the second. James Feliz was 23-for-27 for 267 yards, four touchdowns and no picks for Oregon. Alani Cheeseman and Spencer Cantwell each ran for two touchdowns for the Ducks, while Jay Miles and Rudy Soto each had two touchdown catches. SMU quarterback Brent Schilens was 14-for-31 for 196 yards, one touchdown and two picks. He also ran for a touchdown. Oregon will face Brigham Young in the Cotton Bowl.

[BDawg35]

2029 CFP QUARTERFINAL PREVIEW


Nazir Kush and Northwestern will face Stanford in the Fiesta Bowl, which is a national quarterfinal.

TOSS-UP
Northwestern faces even matchup
with Stanford in CFP quarterfinal

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Northwestern usually has to rely on the coaching brilliance of B-Dawg at this time of the year, whether it’s in a Big Ten Conference championship game or the College Football Playoffs.

In every single instance, spanning three Big Ten title games and six playoff games, the Wildcats have had a lower overall rating.

But now Northwestern goes into a quarterfinal game in the Fiesta Bowl against a Stanford team which has near-identical ratings.

Stanford is rated 85 OVR, 85 on offense and 86 on defense. Northwestern is 85 across the board. Both teams also have 10-3 records.

So, the talent is pretty much a wash.

“I’ve always felt like I had to pull the guys along in these types of games, but man for man we are equal with them,” B-Dawg said. “Throw in my coaching and it’s probably a mismatch in our favor.”

(Hey, when the coach writes the articles, he doesn’t have to be humble.)

Northwestern got a first-round bye for winning its third straight Big Ten championship, while Stanford advanced to the quarterfinal with a 16-14 victory over Kansas.

Stanford is led by quarterback Daquan Pears, an 85 OVR fifth-year senior who is 196-for-322 for 2,465 yards, 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. He’s also prone to running the ball, carrying 113 times for 399 yards and two scores.

He spreads the ball around to receivers Vondree Dayes (55 catches, 997 yards, 13 TD’s) and Dakota Cantrell (62 catches, 868 yards, 4 TD’s) and tight end Cris Theus (62 catches, 586 yards, 4 TD’s).

Running back Shaquille Sermon doesn’t have huge numbers (159 carries, 740 yards, 5 TD’s), but his 93 OVR rating makes him a threat for whom the Wildcats need to account.

Sophomore defensive end Paul Palmer has 10.5 sacks.

Northwestern has shown the ability to get it done on the ground and through the air while, at times, having to compensate for a porous defense.

Nazir Kush leads the nation in rushing with 1,544 yards and 21 touchdowns on 315 carries. Sophomore Vernon Starr, who took over as starting quarterback early in the season, is 191-for-294 for 2,789 yards, 15 touchdowns and 13 picks. Prince Hoke is a versatile back who has 679 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and 488 yards and three touchdowns through the air.

Sophomore J.C. Cantwell (84 catches, 1,240 yards, 8 TD’s) and freshman Andres Nickey (70 catches, 1,084 yards, 4 TD’s) are big-play threats who are primarily used in a short-passing game to move the chains.