2030 NATIONAL RANKINGS UPDATE
-
-
CLASS OF 2031 RECRUITING UPDATE
5-star recruit could threaten playing time
for current Northwestern freshman back
Freshman Stan Baron has been a budding superstar for Northwestern in the early stages of the 2030 football season, but will he be the Wildcats’ starting running back beyond this season?
That could all depend on 1.) how he progresses after this year and 2.) what Tyler Ankrah’s attributes look like when he arrives on campus next season.
Ankrah is one of three five-star players who committed to Northwestern heading into a showdown with Ohio State this week. The Mountain View, Calif. native is the first five-star running back B-Dawg has landed in his seven recruiting cycles at Northwestern.
“Stan Baron is off to the kind of start that suggests he might have a shot at some of my all-time records, but we will always look to upgrade any position, no matter what type of stats someone put up the year before,” B-Dawg said. “We’re excited to get an elite running back for a change.”
The Wildcats also landed their first five-star quarterback in Alex Crecelius of Rosenberg, Texas. Current starter Vernon Starr will be a fifth-year senior next season. Floyd Keenan is an 80 OVR redshirt freshman on this year’s roster, while Kristian Brown is a 79 OVR redshirt sophomore.
“There will be a lot of competition to run our offense in the coming years,” B-Dawg said. “We love competition. This young generation of quarterbacks might be afraid of competition, and we expect to lose someone to the portal for that reason, but we will have a quality starter for years to come and should have depth in case something untoward happens.”
The other five-star recruit who committed this week is middle linebacker Tye Emezie of Chicago. He’s the second five-star middle linebacker the Wildcats have landed during B-Dawg’s tenure, joining current true freshman Ricardo Ruston.Comment
-
2030 SEASON - GAME 4
Northwestern receiver Eric Gibbs hauls in a 40-yard touchdown catch.
Gibbs’ second touchdown catch was a 5-yarder out of the Monster formation.
Northwestern quarterback Vernon Starr runs for a 2-yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in the first half.
Xavier Tubbs seals Northwestern’s victory by intercepting a pass with 1:26 left.
Ohio State’s Lorenzo Bragg caught two touchdown passes.
Ohio State running back Maurice Ali grabs a touchdown pass.
Ohio State’s Josh Pryor intercepts a pass.
CLOSING THE DOOR
Northwestern shuts out Ohio State
in second half after early struggles
EVANSTON, Ill. — No matter what B.S. ensues in the first half, the 2030 Northwestern defense has got this once the second half rolls around.
The second-ranked Wildcats are forging a reputation for being a second-half team, shutting out an elite team in the second half for the second time this season during a 31-21 victory over eighth-ranked Ohio State on Oct. 3.
Ohio State quarterback Deandre Agnew lit up Northwestern in the first half, going 13-for-17 for 215 yards and three touchdowns. He was only 11-for-15 for 88 yards and two interceptions in the second half.
In victories over Liberty, The U and Ohio State, Northwestern has allowed 55 points in the first half and only seven in the second half. We aren’t counting the game against Charlotte in which the 49ers scored two late touchdowns against Northwestern’s backups.
“This isn’t my first rodeo,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “I didn’t win all those natties at various coaching stops by panicking when things aren’t going my way. I make my halftime adjustments and the guys went out and executed. Or maybe halftime just cooled off whatever momentum the CPU had in the first half. But let’s go with the coaching genius part instead.”
The Wildcats couldn’t stop the Buckeyes in the first half, as Agnew threw touchdown passes of 20 and 36 yards to Lorenzo Bragg and 7 yards to running back Maurice Ali. The touchdown to Ali came just 23 seconds after a Northwestern touchdown, the big play on the drive being a 63-yard pass to Heisman candidate Anthony Brewer.
Eric Gibbs’ second touchdown catch of the game, a 5-yarder out of the Monster formation with 10:14 left in the fourth quarter, was the only score of the second half.
Northwestern (4-0) came up with a huge goal-line stand to maintain its 10-point lead. The Buckeyes had first-and-goal at the 3-yard line, but a quarterback draw and a run were both stopped for no gain. A touchdown pass on third-and-goal was negated by a holding penalty against J.T. Keglar and the ensuing pass gained only two yards.
Ohio State (2-2) could have at least made it a one-possession game, but 74 OVR redshirt freshman kicker Marquis Bequette kicked a 28-yard field goal attempt wide right with 4:21 left in the game.
“Massive stand by our guys,” B-Dawg said. “We got some breaks with the flag and the missed kick, but you make your own breaks when you don’t give up to what appeared to be an inevitable touchdown drive for them.”
Xavier Tubbs’ interception with 1:26 left in the game removed any doubt regarding the outcome.
NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Cooper Garror 7 pancakes, 0 sacks; Alex Estes 5-0; J.D. Amatova 5-0; Niles Mount 4-0; Alex Jameson 3-0; Walter Flanagan 1-0; J.C. Cantwell 1-0; Dell Choice 1-0; Danny Bass 1-0.Comment
-
2030 UPDATED BIG TEN STANDINGS, NATIONAL RANKINGS
2030 Big Ten Conference standings
2030 national rankings
Comment
-
2030 SEASON - GAME 5
Northwestern freshman defensive end Eric Kuhn is a man not to be messed with.
Northwestern defensive end Ofisa Hand sacks Michigan quarterback Max Gillikin.
Northwestern defensive end Austin Monty sacks Michigan quarterback Max Gillikin.
Northwestern receiver Eric Gibbs celebrates the first of his two touchdown catches.
Northwestern center Alex Estes was also fired up about Gibbs’ touchdown.
Eric Gibbs caught his second touchdown despite being interfered with by Michigan’s Matt Doubs.
Michigan’s Marvin Wadman returns an interception 80 yards for a touchdown.
Northwestern running back Joey Scioli ran for 109 yards in a backup role.
Quarterback Max Gillikin runs 19 yards for Michigan’s only offensive touchdown.
Northwestern tackle Cooper Garror had 15 pancakes.
FEAR THE ‘D’!
Northwestern sacks Michigan QB
six times with new-look defense
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The last time Northwestern faced Michigan, Wolverines quarterback Deshaun Dunsmore was hardly touched.
Not only did the Wildcats fail to sack Dunsmore, but they rarely applied enough pressure to disrupt his throws.
As a result, he put up video game numbers in what we all know is NOT a video game, going 22-for-26 for 455 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions in Michigan’s 59-35 victory last season.
But since that meeting, a crop of uber-talented five-star freshmen defenders have arrived in Evanston, Ill. to bolster a defense that quarterbacks didn’t fear last season.
New Michigan starting quarterback Max Gillikin was the victim of a new-look Northwestern defense, getting sacked six times during the seventh-ranked Wolverines’ 26-17 loss to the second-ranked Wildcats on Oct. 12, 2030.
Gillikin, an 80 OVR redshirt junior, put up some of the most anemic numbers you’ll ever see from a CPU quarterback. He didn’t throw an interception, but he had no impact on the game through the air by going a paltry 9-for-21 for 62 yards and no touchdowns. His only moment to shine came on a 19-yard touchdown on a read option keeper on third-and-six in the fourth quarter. It was Michigan’s only offensive touchdown.
That run cut Northwestern’s lead to 20-17 with 10:27 left in the game, but a Wildcat defense developing a reputation as a second-half team shut out Michigan the rest of the way and Jay Olsen tacked on two field goals.
It wasn’t just one or two guys wreaking havoc on Gillikin. Six different Wildcats had at least a half sack, with redshirt freshman defensive end Ofisa Hand getting two. All but one of the sacks were produced by players who are either true or redshirt freshmen.
“When our defense struggled last year and we were hauling in all these guys on the recruiting trail, I couldn’t wait to get them on the field,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “You can see the difference they are making on our team. It was so frustrating watching Michigan’s quarterback pick us apart last year without getting touched at all. He probably didn’t need to wash his uniform after the game. It was so much fun to tear this boy up today.”
Michigan managed only 117 yards of total offense. By contrast, its defense had 123 yards on two interception returns, including an 80-yard pick-six by Marvin Wadman to give the Wolverines an early 10-0 lead.
Northwestern didn’t panic after falling behind, however. This was a familiar scenario for the Wildcats, who rallied from 17-0 down in the regular season and 14-3 down in a playoff game to beat Michigan two years ago.
An Olsen field goal and 1-yard touchdown catch by Eric Gibbs in the second quarter tied the game 10-10 by halftime.
Olsen and Gibbs would produce the only points of the third quarter as well, with Olsen kicking a 24-yard field goal while Gibbs hauled in 45-yard touchdown pass in the end zone despite a pass interference penalty that was declined.
At 5-0, Northwestern has gotten through the toughest stretch in its schedule with back-to-back victories over Ohio State and Michigan and an early nonleague road victory at The U. Michigan fell to 3-2.
“We circled those games as being critical in our season,” B-Dawg said. “Now that we’ve gotten through them, everyone has us going undefeated but we know there are some potential landmines ahead. We won’t take anyone for granted. Well, maybe Indiana and Purdue, but nobody else. OK, Maryland should be a cakewalk, too … but we will be totally locked in for every other game.”
Standout freshman running back Stan Baron had injury issues during the game, finishing with only 21 yards on 11 carries and two yards on one catch. That provided an opportunity for another true freshman, Joey Scioli, to show his stuff. Scioli ran for 109 yards on 22 carries.
“That’s why we overrecruited the position,” B-Dawg said. “You can’t count on having your top running back on the field for all four quarters in College Football 25. Wear and tear is real and probably overblown at times.”
Transfer offensive tackle Cooper Garror had 15 pancake blocks.
NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Cooper Garror 15 pancakes, 0 sacks; Alex Jameson 10-1; Gill Trimble 8-0; Niles Mount 8-0; Alex Estes 7-0; J.D. Amatova 4-0; Walter Flanagan 4-0; Brady Ellington 3-0; Nate Barr 2-0; Nick Stoddard 1-0; Andres Nickey 1-0; Dell Choice 1-0; J.C. Cantwell 1-0.Comment
-
2030 SEASON - GAME 6
Northwestern freshman defensive tackle J.T. McHugh forces Iowa quarterback Roger Baniewicz to fumble the ball.
Freshman defensive end Eric Kuhn picked up the fumble and returned it for a touchdown.
Northwestern freshman defensive end Eric Kuhn intercepts a pass.
Northwestern freshman defensive end sacks Iowa quarterback Roger Baniewicz.
Northwestern linebacker David Diggs set the tone by sacking Iowa quarterback Roger Baniewicz on the first play
of the game. It was one of Northwestern's five first-quarter sacks.
Northwestern receiver J.C. Cantwell, who had his 200th catch in the game, hauls in a touchdown pass.
Northwestern receiver Dell Choice taunts Iowa fans after catching a touchdown pass.
Iowa receiver Bryce DeMarco caught touchdown passes of 69 and 49 yards in the second quarter.
FOR THE AGES
Northwestern freshman DE has one
of B-Dawg’s best defensive games
IOWA CITY, Iowa — If it’s not the greatest performance ever by a B-Dawg defensive player, it certainly ranks way up there.
Northwestern defensive end Eric Kuhn is one of the top freshmen in the nation, getting at least one sack in five of his first six games, but he did so much more than take down the quarterback during the top-ranked Wildcats’ 55-28 victory over Iowa on Oct. 19, 2030.
Kuhn had a 64-yard scoop-and-score after fellow freshman defensive tackle J.T. McHugh, getting his first start, forced a fumble by quarterback Roger Baniewicz with 38 seconds left in the first quarter.
Kuhn also had an interception on a tipped ball as Baniewicz was hit by another freshman defensive lineman, Austin Monty.
And, of course, Kuhn had a sack among his six tackles, giving him six in six games.
“We weren’t sure when we recruited all those five-star defensive ends which one would step to the forefront and be the man,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “Eric has obviously stood out, but as you saw today our other freshmen D-linemen are a problem for teams. They will be fun to let loose on teams over the next few years.”
Normally when a defensive lineman picks up a loose ball 64 yards from the end zone, there’s a concern he won’t make it all the way to the end zone before being caught by a running back or receiver. But Kuhn is no ordinary grunt in the trenches, checking in at 86 SPD and 88 ACC.
“He’s faster than some of the skill guys on offense,” B-Dawg said. “It’s that burst that we loved when we finally saw all the ratings of our freshmen. That’s why he’s playing left defensive end, the position which has traditionally gotten the most sacks for me over the years.”
The scoop-and-score gave Northwestern a 21-0 lead after one quarter, but the Hawkeyes (3-3) were about to put a scare into the Wildcats. Baniewicz, sacked five times in the first quarter, threw four touchdown passes in an explosive second quarter, tying the game 28-28 on a 49-yard pass to Bryce DeMarco with 51 seconds left in the first half.
It was a stunning development, but so was the Wildcats’ response. Northwestern’s Vernon Starr threw touchdown passes of 61 yards to J.C. Cantwell and 33 yards to Dell Choice in the final 31 seconds of the half to put the Wildcats ahead 42-28.
“Our response was incredible,” B-Dawg said. “A lot of teams would’ve hung their heads after blowing a 21-point lead that quickly, but this team has the (everyone say it!) the heart and character of a B-Dawg team.”
Those 28 second-quarter points were all Iowa would score on the day. The second half was relatively calm, with Northwestern (6-0) getting a touchdown and two field goals for the only scores.
Cantwell had his 200th career reception in the game. Northwestern’s first four-star receiver has 200 catches for 2,743 yards and 13 touchdowns midway through his junior season.
NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Niles Mount 9 pancakes, 0 sacks; Cooper Garror 7-0; J.D. Amatova 5-1; Brady Ellington 4-0; Nate Barr 4-0; Walter Flanagan 3-0; Alex Estes 3-0; Nick Stoddard 2-0; Alex Jameson 2-0; Quentin Upshaw 1-0; Dell Choice 1-0.Comment
-
2030 HEISMAN/RANKINGS UPDATES
Northwestern freshman cracks Heisman list
TYRON STANFORD, West Virginia, QB, rJr., 87 OVR
2030 stats: 172-for-243, 2,298 yards, 22 TD, 5 int.; 86 carries, 465 yards, 5 TD
STAN BARON, Northwestern, HB, Fr., 76 OVR
2030 stats: 137 carries, 638 yards, 6 TD; 19 catches, 296 yards, 3 TD
SAM WIEGMANN, Oregon, WR, rSr., 86 OVR
2030 stats: 34 catches, 490 yards, 5 TD; 11 carries, 285 yards, 5 TD
DOUG FRITTS, Oklahoma, QB, rSr., 83 OVR
2030 stats: 165-for-237, 2,116 yards, 22 TD, 5 int.; 69 carries, 308 yards, 4 TD
LEO PROVO, South Carolina, QB, rSr., 95 OVR
2030 stats: 143-for-209, 2,099 yards, 23 TD, 4 int.; 44 carries, 175 yards, 2 TD
Comment
-
2030 SEASON - GAME 7
Northwestern linebacker Ben Dawkins (32) forces Wisconsin quarterback Chad Osborne to fumble.
Northwestern freshman Stan Baron ran for 84 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.
Northwestern receiver Andres Nickey catches an 8-yard touchdown pass.
Northwestern freshman tight end Walter Flanagan catches a 6-yard touchdown pass before halftime.
Northwestern freshman Dave Martindale runs for his first career touchdown.
Northwestern fullback Brady Ellington scores a touchdown.
NO PUNTER NEEDED
Northwestern scores on all but
2 possessions in win over Badgers
EVANSTON, Ill. — Cortez Duarte didn’t even need to show up at the stadium.
Northwestern’s punter wasn’t needed during the top-ranked Wildcats’ 45-28 victory over Wisconsin on Oct. 26, 2030.
The Wildcats scored on all but two possessions. One ended with an interception and the other was the final snap of the game after Wisconsin failed to convert on fourth down with one second left.
So, essentially, the Badgers stopped Northwestern only once.
“Except for the interception — which still bugs me — this was about as stress-free a game as we’ve had on offense,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said.
Quarterback Vernon Starr was 21-for-27 for 277 yards, two touchdowns and a pick. He spread the ball around to eight different receivers.
Scoring their first career touchdowns were freshman running back Dave Martindale and freshman tight end Walter Flanagan.
Freshman running back Stan Baron ran 21 times for 84 yards and two touchdowns while catching two passes for 54 yards. The Heisman Trophy candidate was bothered by injuries throughout the game, which is a concern going forward.
Flanagan’s 6-yard catch with 25 seconds left in the first half gave the Wildcats a 28-14 halftime lead after the Badgers got within one touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Chad Osborne to Spencer Abiarimi with 1:10 remaining in the half.
Wisconsin was able to trade touchdowns with Northwestern after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter, but couldn’t get a stop to cut deeper into the lead.
Wisconsin fell to 2-6 overall, 0-5 in the Big Ten Conference.
“We weren’t fooled by their record,” B-Dawg said. “That’s a team that is rated 90 OVR. We’ve had some tough battles with them in the past. They had our full attention today.”
Northwestern is 7-0 overall, 4-0 in the Big Ten heading into a game next week at Washington.
NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Cooper Garror 8-0; Alex Jameson 6-0; Robert Parker 5-0; Alex Estes 5-0; J.D. Amatova 2-0; Nate Barr 2-0; Andres Nickey 2-0; Brady Ellington 2-0; Walter Flanagan 2-0; J.C. Cantwell 1-0; Nick Stoddard 1-0.Comment
-
UPDATED 2030 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF BRACKET
Comment
-
2030 SEASON - GAME 8
Northwestern receiver Kerry Hanoian grabs a 9-yard touchdown pass.
Hanoian celebrates his first touchdown catch since the game-winner for the 2027 natty.
Northwestern cornerback Jayvon Hope intercepts a pass that he took to the house.
Northwestern safety Montell Feeley picks off a pass.
Northwestern freshman defensive end Eric Kuhn celebrates one of his two sacks.
Northwestern’s Andres Nickey scores on a 21-yard pass play.
Northwestern’s Brendan Wicks grabs a touchdown catch.
Northwestern’s Eric Gibbs scores on an 11-yard pass play.
The Husky mascot tried to implore Washington to own the fourth quarter. It worked once Northwestern’s backup
defense took the field.
A LOST HERO
Hanoian, who caught natty-winning TD,
gets first TD since then against U-Dub
SEATTLE — Remember Kerry Hanoian?
How could anyone who bleeds purple and white forget?
It was Hanoian, then a 67 OVR redshirt freshman, who caught the game-winning 13-yard touchdown pass with 6:41 remaining in the 2027 national championship game against Oregon.
With 26 catches for 317 yards and two touchdowns that season, Hanoian appeared to be heading for a prominent role at Northwestern in the coming years.
Instead, others worked harder than him and vaulted him in the program. From that magical moment in Houston until now, Hanoian has progressed only six points in three years. Also, B-Dawg brought in receivers like J.C. Cantwell, Eric Gibbs, Andres Nickey and Dell Choice who have kept Hanoian buried on the depth chart.
So, Hanoian has been the forgotten man on the Wildcats’ roster.
He had only five catches for 56 yards in 2028, four catches for 36 yards in 2029 and had only one catch for eight yards in the first seven games of this season. He hadn’t found the end zone since the moment he became forever a hero in Evanston by catching a hot-routed slant from Ryan Boe.
Hanoian’s drought ended when he caught a nine-yard touchdown pass from Vernon Starr on a third-down drag route with 6:44 left in the second quarter of top-ranked Northwestern’s 52-27 victory over Washington on Nov. 2, 2030.
It wasn’t just a stat-padding touchdown in a blowout victory. Hanoian’s touchdown gave the Wildcats a 10-3 lead in a game they wouldn’t break open until the second half.
“Kerry is a guy, even to this day, who only gets on the field in five-wide sets when someone else needs to tap out for a play or two,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “He was on the field at the right time in the right route in 2027 and got a rare opportunity to take the field on the touchdown he scored today. While we are forever grateful he made that catch against Oregon as a freshman, we are disappointed the kid didn’t work hard enough to be used more over the last three seasons.”
Hanoian was one of four Wildcats who caught touchdown passes in a blowout of the Huskies (4-5).
Nickey had a 21-yarder from Starr, Gibbs an 11-yarder from Starr and Brendan Wicks a 5-yarder from third-stringer Kristian Brown.
While Starr threw three touchdown passes, he also served up three interceptions. One of those was returned 42 yards for a touchdown by Siaki Mond with 10 seconds left in the first half. Just as Northwestern was starting to pull away, the Huskies were down only 24-13 at the half because B-Dawg got greedy rather than just taking things into the break.
The Wildcats came out in the second half and squashed whatever momentum the Huskies gained from that pick-six. After Gibbs’ touchdown, Northwestern got a pick-six of its own on a 45-yard return by cornerback Jayvon Hope. The lead reached 45-13 with 9:56 left in the game when Stan Baron scored on a 1-yard run.
Northwestern’s backups entered the game and, at least defensively, showed why they’re backups. A Washington offense that didn’t score a touchdown against the starters in more than three quarters scored two against the backups. Figuring that if Washington was still trying to score, so would he, B-Dawg had Brown throw for a touchdown to Wicks with 1:02 left in the game.
Baron’s Heisman candidacy may have taken a hit because he was constantly going to the sidelines to have injuries dealt with. He ran six times for 52 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 63 yards.
Freshman middle linebacker Ricardo Ruston had five tackles for losses and 1.5 sacks among his team-high 10 tackles. Freshman defensive end Eric Kuhn had two sacks.
The Wildcats are cruising along at 8-0 heading into what should be easy games against Maryland, Indiana, Purdue and Illinois.
“It is beginning to feel a bit too easy,” B-Dawg said. “Yes, the team is more talented, but I’m getting more comfortable playing this game by now. At this rate, it will take an implosion of sorts to keep us from at least having a 12-0 regular season if not a perfect season with a natty on top.”
NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Alex Jameson 5 pancakes, 0 sacks; Alex Estes 3-0; J.T. Garibay 3-0; Connor Garror 2-0; Walter Flanagan 2-0; Trayvon Riggins 2-0; Robert Parker 2-0; J.D. Amatova 2-0; Nick Stoddard 2-0; Gill Trimble 1-0; J.C. Cantwell 1-0.Comment
-
Oh, does my heart good to see Bdawg still at it. Don’t think I’ve been on here in a quite a while. Now I’ve got some reading to do.Currently playing:
MLB 21 The Show
College Hoops 2K8
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
NHL 19
NCAA Football 14/11
NBA 2K16
Madden 20Comment
-
Comment
-
Are you done with your dynasty till '26 comes out BDawg?Comment
-
No, I’m still cranking out games and have hopes of getting them posted. The changes to this site that deleted some of my more recent posts and screwed up the formatting have left me discouraged a bit. But I may report my games/seasons in a more condensed format just to make them “official.”
Comment
-
FINAL 2029 ASSOCIATED PRESS RANKINGS
1. Georgia (65), 15-1
2. Stanford, 12-4
3. Brigham Young, 12-2
4. Ohio State, 11-4
5. Notre Dame, 11-3
6. Oregon, 12-4
7. Alabama-Birmingham, 11-3
8. NORTHWESTERN, 10-4
9. Southern Methodist, 9-4
10. The U, 10-4
11. Syracuse, 10-3
12. Tulsa, 11-3
13. Kansas, 10-4
14. Hawaii, 11-2
15. Nebraska, 9-4
16. Tennessee, 8-6
17. Louisville, 9-4
18. San Jose State, 12-2
19. West Virginia, 8-5
20. Missouri, 8-4
21. Connecticut, 10-3
22. Houston, 8-5
23. Akron, 9-4
24. Clemson, 9-5
25. Michigan, 9-4
FINAL 2029 COACHES’ POLL
1. Georgia (61), 15-1
2. Stanford, 12-4
3. Brigham Young, 12-2
4. Ohio State, 11-4
5. Notre Dame, 11-3
6. Oregon, 12-4
7. Alabama-Birmingham, 11-3
8. NORTHWESTERN, 10-4
9. Syracuse, 10-3
10. The U, 10-4
11. Southern Methodist, 9-4
12. Kansas, 10-4
13. Tulsa, 11-3
14. Hawaii, 11-2
15. Tennessee, 8-6
16. Nebraska, 9-4
17. San Jose State, 12-2
18. Missouri, 8-4
19. West Virginia, 8-5
20. Akron, 9-4
21. Connecticut, 10-3
22. Houston, 8-5
23. Louisville, 9-4
24. Clemson, 9-5
25. Central Michigan, 10-4
Nazir Kush was a first-team All-American in 2029, rushing for 1,642 yards and 22 touchdowns.
2029 RECAP
Team ratings: 85 OVR, 85 offense, 85 defense
Preseason ranking: No. 2 AP, No. 2 coaches
Final ranking: No. 8 AP, No. 8 coaches
Record: 10-4, 7-2 Big Ten (1st)
Playoff game: Stanford 38, Northwestern 36 (quarterfinals, Fiesta Bowl)
Award winners: HB Nazir Kush (Best Running back), OLB David Diggs (Best Linebacker), CB Jayvon Hope (Best Defensive Back), WR Andres Nickey (Best Returner)
First-team All-America: HB Nazir Kush
Second-team All-America: HB Prince Hoke
Freshman All-America: None
First-team All-Big Ten: HB Nazir Kush, HB Prince Hoke
Second-team All-Big Ten: DT Damarius Tolson
Freshman All-Big Ten: WR Andres Nickey, K Jay Olsen
Passing leader: Vernon Starr 216-for-333, 3,135 yards, 18 TD, 13 int.
Rushing leader: Nazir Kush 338 carries, 1,642 yards, 22 TD
Receiving leaders: J.C. Cantwell 90 catches, 1,301 yards, 9 TD; Andres Nickey 77 catches, 1,161 yards, 5 TD
Defense: Tavon Lenon 117 tackles; David Diggs 21 TFL, 9.5 sacks, 2 FR; Soni Motuapuaka 7 interceptions; Jayvon Hope 14 deflections; Carl Sermon 2 FF
Synopsis: This one will hurt a while. Northwestern was coming off its third straight Big Ten championship and looking to make its third consecutive trip to the natty when it faced Stanford in the College Football Playoff quarters. The Wildcats blew a 21-3 third-quarter lead and lost 38-36 in four overtimes, matching the longest game in B-Dawg’s career. The future is extremely bright for the Wildcats, however, as they landed the No. 1 recruiting class, featuring eight five-star recruits. There was an early quarterback controversy, with Vernon Starr taking over from senior Forrest Edmond after four games. Late-season losses to Michigan and Penn State left Northwestern needing a victory over Illinois for the second straight year to get a shot at the playoffs. That game produced the play of the year, Quin Ford’s 34-yard touchdown catch with five seconds left to give the Wildcats a 48-43 victory. That got Northwestern into the Big Ten championship game where it also needed to win to make the playoffs. A defense that had been lit up late in the season came to play, forcing three fumbles in a 20-10 victory over Oregon.
Comment
Comment