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

[BDawg35]

Cornerback Jose Watford, Northwestern’s first recruit, is among the dearly departed following the 2029 season.

B-Dawg’s first recruit among
players leaving Northwestern

EVANSTON, Ill. — B-Dawg was licking his wounds from a 34-26 loss at Maryland in the sixth game of the 2024 season when he got some good news.

He’d finally landed his first recruit as head coach at Northwestern.

There was much fanfare surrounding the commitment of three-star cornerback Jose Watford of Crystal Lake, Ill. He would have a special place in B-Dawg’s heart, but he didn’t have a special place on the team’s roster during his five seasons with the Wildcats.

As much as B-Dawg would have loved to have featured his first recruit, Watford never amounted to much.

Watford came into college rated 65 OVR, just one point lower than cornerback Soni Motuapuaka in the same Northwestern Class of 2025 recruiting class. Both players redshirted in 2025 before the difference in their potential was immediately evident in 2026, with Motuapuaka blossoming to 80 OVR while Watford moved up to 70 OVR. He would go up only five more points over the next three seasons.

Motuapuaka would go on to intercept 16 passes and make 253 tackles for the Wildcats, while Watford barely saw the field.

Watford leaves Northwestern after five years in which he made only two solo tackles and three assisted tackles in 16 appearances. He played 122 downs, 56 of which came during his only game in 2028 when B-Dawg started him on senior day, mistakenly believing he was on his way out.

Watford was the 45th-ranked cornerback and 527th overall prospect in the Class of 2025. He visited Northwestern for its fifth game in this dynasty against Indiana before committing the following week. He chose the Wildcats over Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan.

While Watford won’t be missed, the Wildcats will mourn the loss of several other key players who helped them become a national power.

First and foremost is running back Nazir Kush, who finished with 5,230 yards and 48 touchdowns on 1,138 carries. Injuries kept him from potentially breaking B-Dawg’s all-time rushing record of 6,192 yards set by Michigan’s Joey McBride over three seasons in NCAA 2005.

Northwestern had two receivers flirt with the transfer portal in junior Dell Choice and freshman Montrell Murray, both of whom wanted to go somewhere with better pro potential. Choice was considered a low persuasion chance, while Murray was considered medium.

As it turned out, Choice is staying and Murray is moving on. Given his choice (get it? Choice!) B-Dawg would rather keep Choice. The 81 OVR Choice was the team’s third-leading receiver with 58 catches for 629 yards and one touchdown, while the 73 OVR Murray had only 16 catches for 159 yards and no touchdowns.

NAZIR KUSH, HB, 88 OVR
Career stats: 1,138 carries, 5,230 yards, 48 TD; 70 catches, 557 yards, 2 TD

CALVIN CLAYBROOKS, OT, 86 OVR
Career stats: 7 sacks allowed in two years at Northwestern; six sacks allowed in two years at Iowa State

PRINCE HOKE, HB, 85 OVR
Career stats: 254 carries, 1,376 yards, 12 TD and 68 catches, 768 yards, 5 TD in two years at Northwestern; 166 carries, 646 yards, 5 TD and 36 catches, 214 yards, 0 TD in two years at Michigan State

SONI MOTUAPUAKA, CB, 84 OVR
Career stats: 113 solos, 140 assists, 253 total tackles, 5 TFL, 16 interceptions, 30 deflections, 1 FF

DEON BARRY, OG, 84 OVR
Career stats: 7 sacks allowed in three years at Northwestern; 0 sacks allowed in one year at Purdue

DAMRIUS TOLSON, DT, 84 OVR
Career stats: 38 solos, 27 assists, 65 total tackles, 19 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 2 deflections at Louisville, Western Michigan, Michigan State and Northwestern; 8 solos, 13 assists, 21 total tackles, 7 TFL, 1 sack in only season at Northwestern

HUNTER SCHILENS, OT, 82 OVR
Career stats: 1 sack allowed

CLINT SUTTLE, DE, 81 OVR
Career stats: 22 solos, 48 assists, 70 total tackles, 27 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 1 interception, 3 deflections

FORREST EDMOND, QB, 81 OVR
Career stats: 138-for-215, 1,402 yards, 7 TD, 8 int.; 36 carries, 6 yards, 0 TD; 3 catches, 86 yards, 1 TD

LAMAR BAKHTIARI, SS, 79 OVR
Career stats: 82 solos, 150 assists, 232 total tackles, 10 TFL, 4 interceptions, 17 deflections, 1 FF, 1 FR

CHANCE SHORT, OLB, 79 OVR
Career stats: 30 solos, 39 assists, 69 total tackles, 10 TFL, 3 sacks, 3 deflections

BROCK CASTONZO, C, 77 OVR
Career stats: 0 sacks allowed

HOWIE BRAZZELL, HB, 76 OVR
Career stats: 30 carries, 112 yards, 5 TD and 2 catches, 6 yards, 0 TD in two years at Northwestern; 165 carries, 674 yards, 9 TD and 8 catches, 59 yards, 1 TD in three years at Texas A&M

JOSE WATFORD, CB, 75 OVR
Career stats: 2 solos, 3 assists, 5 total tackles

JOSH STEPHEN, TE, 75 OVR
Career stats: 15 catches, 203 yards, 1 TD in 2 years at Northwestern; 80 catches, 920 yards, 9 TD in two years at Oregon State

QUIN FORD, WR, 73 OVR
Career stats: 36 catches, 413 yards, 4 TD

JIMMY NORTMAN, DE, 73 OVR
Career stats: 5 solos, 2 assists, 7 total tackles, 2 TFL, 1.5 sacks at Indiana and Northwestern; 1 assisted tackle, 1 TFL in two years at Northwestern

MONTRELL MURRAY, WR, 73 OVR (transfer)
Career stats: 16 catches, 159 yards, 0 TD

[BDawg35]

Cooper Garror was the third-ranked overall player in the transfer portal.

Northwestern has top-ranked group
for Class of 2030 recruiting cycle

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern has become a national football powerhouse under coach B-Dawg without landing elite recruits on a consistent basis.

Imagine how dominant the Wildcats could be now that they’ve raked in the top-ranked recruiting class for the Class of 2030?

Northwestern has a total of 27 recruits, 24 of whom are high school players and three who are arriving via the transfer portal. That includes eight five-star players and 10 four-star players.

Oregon ranks second with 35 total recruits, including five five-star and 27 four-star players. The top four classes were recruited by Big Ten Conference teams, with Penn State ranking third and Wisconsin fourth.

The Wildcats’ recruiting success has lagged behind their success on the field. After winning the national championship in 2027, they followed up with the 34th-ranked class for the next recruiting cycle. Northwestern’s highest-ranked class before this year was 23rd for the Class of 2028.

“There were a few weeks during the season where it seemed like we got a flood of five-star guys come on board out of nowhere,” B-Dawg said. “That really created a buzz around our program and got other guys interested.”

B-Dawg’s high school recruiting was completed by the end of the season, so his only job during the offseason was to add to his team through the portal.

He targeted five players and landed three. He hoped to add experience at running back with nothing but six freshmen at that position for the upcoming season. The biggest target was sophomore running back Steve Wilhoite of Kansas State, but Wilhoite returned to his home state to play for Oklahoma. He was the second-ranked running back and eighth-ranked player overall in the portal.

He also lost junior Georgia Southern transfer Ricky Keenoy, the second-ranked cornerback, to Ohio State.

Joining the Wildcats were Kansas State junior offensive tackle Cooper Garror, Cincinnati junior defensive tackle Darin Bohanon and Virginia Tech junior outside linebacker Angelo Sauer. All three were ranked second at their positions among portal players. Garror was the third-ranked overall player in the portal.

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
WALTER FLANAGAN, TE-6; 6-6, 258; Teachey, N.C.; No. 189 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
BRYCE MALONEY, TE-20; 6-5, 243; Glen Ellyn, Ill.; No. 502 overall; 3 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
NAZIR SMALL, SS-25; 5-11, 192; New Palestine, Ind.; No. 820 overall; 3 stars
AVERY CARSWELL, SS-27; 6-0, 209; New Orleans, La.; No. 942 overall; 3 stars
BRIAN CUMMINS, DT-70; 6-1, 321; Oak Lawn, Ill.; No, 1,445 overall; 3 stars
FREDRICK SLADE, ATH-69; 6-3, 235; Saraland, Ala.; No. 1,611 overall; 3 stars


NORTHWESTERN’S TRANSFER PORTAL ACQUISITIONS

COOPER GARROR, RT-2; 6-5, 322; Marshalltown, Iowa; junior; No. 3 overall; Kansas State
DARIN BOHANON, DT-2; 6-6, 316; Crystal Lake, Ill.; junior; No. 16 overall; Cincinnati
ANGELO SAUER, ROLB-2; 6-2, 227; Jacksonville, Ark.; No. 18 overall; junior; Virginia Tech


TOP CLASS OF 2030 RECRUITING CLASSES

1. NORTHWESTERN
2. Oregon
3. Penn State
4. Wisconsin
5. The U
6. Georgia
7. Texas Christian
8. Alabama
9. Oklahoma
10. Duke
11. Michigan
12. Tennessee
13. North Carolina State
14. LSU
15. Clemson
16. Notre Dame
17. Arkansas
18. Mississippi
19. Nebraska
20. Texas
21. UCLA
22. Ohio State
23. Auburn
24. Florida
25 Alabama-Birmingham
29. Washington
36. Iowa
41. USC
52. Indiana
54. Michigan State
55. Illinois
92. Maryland
103. Minnesota
107. Purdue
134. East Carolina


TOP 25 RECRUITS IN CLASS OF 2025

1. IMMANUEL AVERY, OLB, 6-5, 262, Lexington, Miss. (MISSISSIPPI STATE)
2. JABU NEWCOMB, CB, 5-11, 191, West Point, Miss. (NORTHWESTERN)
3. J.C. PRIDE, WR, 6-2, 174, Cornelius, N.C. (NORTH CAROLINA STATE)
4. AIDEN McKNIGHT, DE, 6-4, 281, Middle Village, N.Y. (NORTHWESTERN)
5. MALIK DUMERVIL, WR, 6-3, 207, Bronx, N.Y. (PENN STATE)
6. BRYCE SHEAD, MLB, 6-3, 220, Charlotte, N.C. (DUKE)
7. JOSH CORDERO, CB, 6-1, 207, Las Vegas, Nev. (BRIGHAM YOUNG)
8. J.J. BARR, DE, 6-4, 257, Miami, Fla. (NEBRASKA)
9. CLARK RHODES, DT, 6-4, 301, Scottsbluff, Neb. (NEBRASKA)
10. RICARDO RUSTON, MLB, 6-0, 237, Fayetteville, N.C. (NORTHWESTERN)
11. BRIAN FUENTES, DE, 6-2, 239, Highland Springs, Va. (NORTH CAROLINA STATE)
12. BRETT RETKOFSKY, DE, 6-1, 267, West Chester, Ohio (WISCONSIN)
13. SAM MADDEN, ATH (DE), 6-4, 269, Moultrie, Ga. (ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM)
14. GERALD AWASOM, CB, 6-2, 182, Westlake Village, Calif. (OREGON)
15. AUSTIN MONTY, DE, 6-6, 274, Grand Blanc, Mich. (NORTHWESTERN)
16. DERRON WILKES, CB, 6-0, 200, Covington, La. (MISSISSIPPI STATE)
17. ERIC KUHN, DE, 6-6, 243, Des Plaines, Ill. (NORTHWESTERN)
18. THOMAS PIFER, DT, 6-5, 329, Batavia, Ill. (NORTHWESTERN)
19. MOSES AMERSON, DE, 6-6, 282, Jefferson, Iowa (OREGON)
20. THAD BURROW, QB, 6-4, 208, Port Orange, Fla. (GEORGIA)
21. LUIS RICH, HB, 5-11, 182, West Palm Beach, Fla. (THE U)
22. AVERY TEAMER, DE, 6-2, 245, Clayton, N.C. (NORTH CAROLINA STATE)
23. AMARI YAZZIE, ATH (QB), 6-5, 192, Lawrenceville, Ga. (WEST VIRGINIA)
24. MARCO BATTLE, OT, 6-5, 307, Southlake, Texas (ALABAMA)
25. RICKY SUMNER, TE, 6-5, 235, Rochester, N.Y. (PENN STATE)


NORTHWESTERN CLASS RANKINGS

2025: No. 62
2026: No. 85
2027: No. 41
2028: No. 23
2029: No. 34
2030: No. 1

[BDawg35]

Northwestern cuts 8 no-names
to reach roster limit for 2030

EVANSTON, Ill. — The only other time B-Dawg had to resort to encouraging players to transfer out of Northwestern, there were some semi-noteworthy players involved.

He had to essentially cut 19 players heading into the 2028 season to meet the roster limit of 85 after recruiting like a drunken sailor for a couple of years to replenish a roster gutted by graduation following the first season.

Among the players let go that time around were 78 OVR redshirt freshman quarterback Gideon Pena, who was one of B-Dawg’s first four-star recruits, and junior halfback Carl Erdman, who was the third-leading rusher on the 2027 national championship team.

B-Dawg was in a position to cut eight players heading into the 2030 season to meet the roster limit. This time around, they are players who have done little to nothing in their time with Northwestern.

The highest-rated player is 75 OVR redshirt sophomore middle linebacker Tony Doman. Doman didn’t register a statistic last season. Neither did any of the other defensive players who were let go: 73 OVR redshirt sophomore free safety Sam Neilon, 71 OVR redshirt freshman defensive tackle Connor Nordin or 60 OVR redshirt sophomore strong safety Rudy Cobb.

Rishard Vilain, a 66 OVR redshirt sophomore fullback, didn’t play in 2029 after B-Dawg recruited two freshman fullbacks. As a true freshman in 2028, he had one carry for one yard, one catch for 12 yards and 15 pancakes.

Three redshirt sophomore offensive linemen who are being let go never registered a pancake: 74 OVR guard Shane DeLuca, 69 OVR tackle Devon Dwumfour and 68 OVR tackle Carlos Mallory.

[BDawg35]

Vernon Starr will start again as Northwestern’s quarterback in 2030, but has competition from two players with
nearly identical OVR ratings.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
Seven freshmen expected to start
for Northwestern in 2030 season

EVANSTON, Ill. — It’s time for the kids to take over at Northwestern in 2030.

When you land the top-rated recruiting class in the nation, you don’t stash those players away to ripen for a year or two. That’s not really realistic in this era of college football anyway, with every five-star player ready to bolt for the exit if they don’t start right away.

B-Dawg will start five true freshmen and get playing time for others this coming season, while two redshirt freshmen will also start for a team coming off three straight Big Ten Conference championships. He would start more true freshmen if so many of them didn’t play the same position.

Even with the youth movement, this is B-Dawg’s most talented team by far. The Wildcats are rated 89 OVR, 89 on offense and 89 on defense. Last year’s team was 85 across the board, the previous highest-rated Northwestern team coached by B-Dawg.

Here’s a position-by-position look at the 2030 Wildcats:

QUARTERBACKS

There’s not much of a difference in the OVR ratings of the three quarterbacks on Northwestern’s roster. Floyd Keenan is 80 OVR with an 82 OVR boost, Vernon Starr is 80-81 and Kristian Brown is 79-81. Although Starr is ever-so-slightly rated second on the depth chart, he will be the starter going into the season based on the way he ran the offense after taking over in the fifth game last season. Starr was 216-for-333 for 3,135 yards, 18 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. While that TD-to-INT ratio isn’t great, it’s much better than senior Ryan Boe’s 21 touchdowns and 20 picks the previous year. Starr has mobility with his 86 SPD rating, although B-Dawg hasn’t found a way to exploit quarterback speed in this version of the game.


RUNNING BACKS

The Nazir Kush era is over. Kush ran for 5,230 yards and 48 touchdowns in four seasons at Northwestern. Now there are six true freshmen hoping to become the next Kush. In fact, all six halfbacks on the roster are true freshmen after all three of last year’s running backs graduated. If nothing else, B-Dawg won’t be in a bind if wear and tear spins out of control as it has in the past. Stan Baron has emerged from the pack of freshmen as the starter, equipped with a 74 OVR rating, 92 SPD and 83 CAR. Joey Scioli (73 OVR, 91 SPD, 83 CAR) will get plenty of carries as his backup. There’s a drop-off to 67 OVR Larry Edds after that. Brady Ellington, who is 76 OVR, returns as the starting fullback. Ellington had only 18 carries for 52 yards last year, but that makes him the top returning rusher. Nate Barr will get plenty of time at fullback in the Maryland-I.


WIDE RECEIVERS

B-Dawg is salivating at the prospect of beating teams over the top with the fastest group of receivers he’s coached at Northwestern. Somehow, B-Dawg wasn’t unaware that Eric Gibbs has 97 SPD and 99 ACC when he redshirted him last year. Gibbs is not only active this year, but will start as one of the two wideouts along with J.C. Cantwell. Cantwell is 88 OVR with 95 SPD and 85 CTH. That leaves sophomore Andres Nickey, who had 77 catches for 1,161 yards last year, using his 95 SPD in the slot. Nickey’s production is expected to take a hit, as most of B-Dawg’s passes have been thrown to his two outside receivers. Sitting notably at No. 6 on the depth chart is 73 OVR senior Kerry Hanoian, who hasn’t gained any traction in his career after catching the game-winning touchdown in the 2027 national championship game as a redshirt freshman.


TIGHT ENDS

The tight end position has been nonexistent in this dynasty, as B-Dawg hasn’t found a way to consistently get them the ball. He hopes to give some more love to that position in the coming years. Freshman Walter Flanagan is 72 OVR with 82 SPD and 82 CTH. B-Dawg had a tight end with similar receiving ability in Josh Stephen the past two years and barely got him the ball, so don’t hold your breath that Flanagan will be the next Travis Kelce.


OFFENSIVE LINEMEN

Northwestern may be going with a true freshman running back, but the backfield has the opportunity to shine because the Wildcats have by far their best offensive line during B-Dawg’s tenure. Northwestern has 15 offensive linemen rated 80 OVR or higher compared to only six last season and just one in B-Dawg’s first season in 2024. The starting group will be 83 OVR left tackle J.D. Amatova, 84 OVR left guard Alex Jameson, 83 OVR center Alex Estes, 84 OVR right guard Niles Mount and 86 OVR transfer right tackle Cooper Garror.


DEFENSIVE LINEMEN

Here’s where things could get really fun for B-Dawg this season and beyond. The Wildcats signed four five-star defensive ends and one five-star defensive tackle. Because of the glut of uber-talented defensive end, Aiden McKnight was moved to outside linebacker, even though he was the top-ranked right end in the country. Freshman Eric Kuhn, who has 86 SPD and 88 ACC, will get the coveted left end position from which B-Dawg gets most of his sacks. Freshman Austin Monty will play right end. The acquisition of 82 OVR Darin Bohanon in the transfer portal will keep five-star defensive tackle J.T. McHugh waiting a year to start. Redshirt freshman Nick Kiernan, who was flagged as a transfer risk all of last season, stuck around and will be the other starter at defensive tackle.


LINEBACKERS

One area in which Northwestern has veteran experience is linebacker. Middle linebacker Tavon Lenon, who is 79 OVR with 83 SPD and 90 TAK, led the Wildcats with 117 tackles last season. Outside linebacker David Diggs led the team with 21 tackles for losses and 9.5 sacks while inexplicably lining up at left defensive end most of the time when B-Dawg didn’t have him slotted there. True freshman Ricardo Ruston, the top-ranked middle linebacker in the 2030 recruiting class, with see plenty of time at middle and outside linebacker. He has 87 SPD, 90 ACC and 90 TAK. Redshirt freshman outside linebacker Ross Stewart will start because of his 83 OVR, 82 SPD and 86 TAK.


DEFENSIVE BACKS

Northwestern returns the reigning Thorpe Award winner in senior cornerback Jayvon Hope. Hope, who is 84 OVR with 87 SPD, had 85 tackles and five interceptions last season. Levi Ingram moved from safety to take the No. 2 corner position. Although true freshman Jabu Newcomb is seventh on the depth chart, he will move up to No. 3 as a slot corner because B-Dawg is excited to have landed the top-ranked cornerback coming out of high school. Newcomb has 92 SPD. Xavier Tubbs takes over as the starting free safety, while Montell Feeley (73 tackles) is back as the starting strong safety.


SPECIAL TEAMS

Northwestern returns its special teams duo of kicker Jay Olsen and punter Cortez Duarte. As true sophomores, they’ll be around for a while. Olsen is 79 OVR with 92 KPW and 69 KAC. Duarte is 60 OVR with 84 KPW and 68 KAC. Olsen was 10-for-16 on field goals last year and put 66 of 81 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. Duarte averaged 47.1 yards per punt, but only eight of 40 went inside the 20-yard line. Receiver Andres Nickey was the national Returner of the Year last year, based on returning two kicks for touchdowns against Illinois, but he’ll be bumped as the main return man by Eric Gibbs, he of the 97 SPD and 99 ACC. Nickey will be the No. 2 kick return man.









2030 PRESEASON AP RANKINGS

1. Georgia (43)
2. Oregon (2)
3. Ohio State
4. NORTHWESTERN
5. Stanford
6. Notre Dame
7. Brigham Young
8. Nebraska
9. Southern Methodist
10. The U
11. Syracuse
12. Tennessee
13. Michigan
14. Missouri
15. Kansas
16. Louisville
17. Clemson
18. Wisconsin
19. West Virginia
20. Arkansas
21. Alabama-Birmingham
22. Tulsa
23. Houston
24. Auburn
25. Boston College


2030 PRESEASON COACHES’ POLL

1. Georgia (40)
2. Ohio State (21)
3. Oregon
4. Stanford
5. NORTHWESTERN
6. Nebraska
7. Notre Dame
8. Syracuse
9. The U
10. Brigham Young
11. Tennessee
12. Southern Methodist
13. Missouri
14. Kansas
15. Louisville
16. Clemson
17. Michigan
18. Wisconsin
19. Alabama-Birmingham
20. West Virginia
21. Tulsa
22. Auburn
23. Houston
24. Arkansas
25. Boston College




Unknown South Carolina QB is
2030 preseason Heisman favorite

Leo Provo has thrown only eight passes in his first three seasons at South Carolina, but has somehow emerged as the favorite to win the 2030 Heisman Trophy.

Provo has two things going for him:

1. At 94 OVR, he’s the highest-rated quarterback in college football this season.

2. He’s taking over an offense that was run by Marquis Fontaine, who set a national record with 162 touchdown passes during his four-year career.

Provo was 5-for-8 for 80 yards and one touchdown last season.

1. LEO PROVO, South Carolina, QB, Sr., 94 OVR
2029 stats: 5-for-8, 80 yards, 1 TD, 0 int.; 3 carries, 8 yards, 0 TD

2. NICK GUMBS, Notre Dame, HB, rSr., 94 OVR
2029 stats: 236 carries, 1,001 yards, 8 TD; 40 catches, 325 yards, 5 TD

3. RUDY SOTO, Oregon, WR, rSr., 93 OVR
2029 stats: 76 catches, 1,189 yards, 16 TD; 27 carries, 261 yards, 3 TD

4. SPENCER CANTWELL, Oregon, HB, Sr., 92 OVR
2029 stats: 227 carries, 1,076 yards, 11 TD; 26 catches, 273 yards, 1 TD

5. ANTHONY BREWER, Ohio State, WR, Jr., 92 OVR
2029 stats: 9 catches, 92 yards, 2 TD; 1 carry, 3 yards, 0 TD



NATION’S TOP PLAYERS

QUARTERBACKS

LEO PROVO, South Carolina, rSr.
Ratings: 94 OVR, 83 SPD, 91 THP, 99 SAC, 90 MAC, 97 DAC
2029 stats: 5-for-8, 80 yards, 1 TD, 0 int.; 3 carries, 8 yards, 0 TD

RICKY CARNEY, Penn State, rJr.
Ratings: 89 OVR, 86 SPD, 91 THP, 92 SAC, 85 MAC, 89 DAC
2029 stats: None

KEENAN BARRY, Auburn, rSr.
Ratings: 89 OVR, 79 SPD, 93 THP, 92 SAC, 88 MAC, 90 SAC
2029 stats: 242-for-374, 3,271 yards, 32 TD, 6 int.; 87 carries, 338 yards, 6 TD

DARIUS ATWELL, USC, rJr.
Ratings: 89 OVR, 84 SPD, 96 THP, 96 SAC, 92 MAC, 90 SAC
2029 stats: None
2028 stats: 232-for-413, 3,084 yards, 25 TD, 3 int.; 69 carries, 182 yards, 0 TD


RUNNING BACKS

NICK GUMBS, Notre Dame, rSr.
Ratings: 94 OVR, 93 SPD, 93 CAR, 86 BTK, 77 CTH
2029 stats: 236 carries, 1,001 yards, 8 TD; 40 catches, 325 yards, 5 TD

SPENCER CANTWELL, Oregon, Sr.
Ratings: 92 OVR, 95 SPD, 91 CAR, 91 BTK, 82 CTH
2029 stats: 227 carries, 1,076 yards, 11 TD; 26 catches, 273 yards, 1 TD

CALVIN BUZBEE, Notre Dame, rJr.
Ratings: 91 OVR, 92 SPD, 95 CAR, 86 BTK, 86 CTH
2029 stats: 63 carries, 375 yards, 6 TD; 47 catches, 536 yards, 7 TD

DASHAWN DICKER, Clemson, rJr.
Ratings: 91 OVR, 91 SPD, 86 CAR, 81 BTK, 91 CTH
2029 stats: 19 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD; 5 catches, 38 yards, 1 TD


RECEIVERS

RUDY SOTO, Oregon, rSr.
Ratings: 93 OVR, 94 SPD, 99 CTH
2029 stats: 76 catches, 1,189 yards, 16 TD; 27 carries, 261 yards, 3 TD

DAVE HARVIN, Auburn, Sr.
Ratings: 92 OVR, 90 SPD, 89 CTH
2029 stats: 49 catches, 721 yards, 5 TD

ANTHONY BREWER, Ohio State, Jr.
Ratings: 92 OVR, 92 SPD, 88 CTH
2029 stats: 9 catches, 92 yards, 2 TD; 1 carry, 3 yards, 0 TD

JAMES MANUEL, Texas A&M,, Sr.
Ratings: 92 OVR, 93 SPD, 89 CTH
2029 stats: 46 catches, 825 yards, 8 TD

[BDawg35]

Northwestern freshman Eric Kuhn celebrates his second career sack.


Northwestern freshman Eric Kuhn gets his first career sack.


Northwestern redshirt freshman Kalon Hamrick celebrates his first career sack.


Northwestern freshman Stan Baron scores his first career touchdown.


Northwestern sophomore Eric Gibbs hauls in a 69-yard pass for his first career touchdown.


Northwestern receiver J.C. Cantwell is in the clear for a 58-yard touchdown catch.


Linebacker Tavon Lenon grabs the first of his two interceptions.


Northwestern cornerback Jayvon Hope intercepts a pass.


Liberty running back Marco Boudreaux dives for one of his two touchdowns.


Liberty running back Ernie Thorne caught nine passes for 173 yards and one touchdown lining up in the slot.

SHINY NEW TOYS
Northwestern’s newest weapons excel
in season-opening win over Liberty

LYNCHBURG, Va. — There is nothing more fun as a football coach than having bright, shiny new toys with which to play.

Toys like sophomore receiver Eric Gibbs.

Toys like freshman defensive end Eric Kuhn.

Toys like freshman running back Stan Baron.

All three players used their college debuts (in the cases of Kuhn and Baron) or first significant playing time (in Gibbs’ case) to announce their presence to the football world during fourth-ranked Northwestern’s 37-28 victory over Liberty on Aug. 24, 2030.

Let’s start with Gibbs.

Gibbs is a receiver with 97 SPD and 99 ACC, attributes B-Dawg somehow didn’t notice when he buried him on the depth chart last season. Gibbs had only three catches for 17 yards as a true freshman, but showed he will be a big-play threat to reckon with when he caught four passes for 166 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown was a 69-yard connection from Vernon Starr.

“I have no idea why I didn’t use him last year, other than I just looked at OVR’s and didn’t see his SPD rating,” B-Dawg said. “I am so giddy to have a weapon like Eric Gibbs at my disposal this year.”

Let’s move on to Kuhn, one of five five-star defensive linemen signed by B-Dawg in the Class of 2030. Kuhn didn’t take long to make his presence felt, getting his first sack on the third play of his career on third-and-two. Kuhn finished with two sacks and four tackles for losses.

“He’s not the biggest D-end in the world, but he has that quick burst I like to see from my left defensive ends,” B-Dawg said. “I’m already salivating over the potential numbers this guy could rack up.”

Last, but not least, is Baron. Baron is one of six running backs signed by B-Dawg in the last recruiting cycle, as the Wildcats graduated all three of their halfbacks. Baron emerged from the pack to earn the starting job and proved himself by running 26 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns. He also had three catches for 28 yards.

“Nice start for the young man,” B-Dawg said. “I didn’t have super high expectations for him, but Liberty has an 84 defense, so they’re decent. I like that he was able to get the ball that much without having to tap out too much. We had only three other carries by our other backs, so he looks to be durable.”

Liberty, rated 84 across the board, proved to be a pesky opponent. The Flames led 21-17 at halftime on two touchdown runs by Marco Boudreaux and a 73-yard touchdown catch by backup running back Ernie Thorne, who was a THORN in the Wildcats’ side lining up in the slot. Thorne caught nine passes for 173 yards. Liberty’s Emanuel Bodine threw for 268 yards in the first half.

Two Jay Olsen field goals in the third quarter gave Northwestern a 23-21 lead going into the fourth. The 69-yard bomb to Gibbs with 6:05 left in the game gave Northwestern some breathing room.

“He was WIDE OPEN!” B-Dawg said. “My eyes got big when I hit the button to throw his way. I just didn’t want him to drop it.”

While the newcomers garnered a lot of the attention, an O.G. played the game of his career. Senior middle linebacker Tavon Lenon had the first two interceptions of his career and forced a fumble.

“I don’t know if we win this game without Tavon Lenon,” B-Dawg said. “Liberty moved the ball almost at will against us, but he came up with three huge turnovers on drives that could have produced points. The last interception came at the end, so really two huge turnovers came when the game was hanging in the balance.”





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
J.D. Amatova 11 pancakes, 0 sacks; Niles Mount 9-0; Alex Estes 4-0; Brady Ellington 3-0; Alex Jameson 2-0; Cooper Garror 2-0; Walter Flanagan 2-0; Nate Barr 1-0; Nick Stoddard 1-0.

[BDawg35]

Northwestern receiver Eric Gibbs catches a pass he took to the end zone for a 28-yard score.


Northwestern safety Montell Feeley intercepts a third-down pass in the end zone in the third quarter.


Northwestern cornerback Jayvon Hope intercepts a pass in the first half.


Northwestern freshman defensive end Eric Kuhn sacks The U quarterback Trey Bias.



Quarterback Trey Bias scrambled 16 yards for The U’s only touchdown.


Sebastian the Ibis tries to get The U fired up heading into the fourth quarter, but to no avail.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Northwestern halfback showcases
receiving skillz in win over The U

MIAMI — Northwestern had the top running back tandem in college football last season, with Nazir Kush pounding out 22 touchdowns on the ground and Prince Hoke being a threat as a receiver out of the backfield.

Kush was on the field in the Wildcats’ power sets, while Hoke entered the game in most shotgun sets, catching 38 passes for 555 yards and four touchdowns.

In freshman Stan Baron, Northwestern may have all of those qualities wrapped up in one awesome package.

Baron not only had his second 100-yard rushing performance in as many career games, but he was fourth-ranked Northwestern’s leading receiver during a 21-13 victory over 17th-ranked Miami on Sept. 7, 2030.

Baron ran 30 times for 141 yards and caught five passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns. It’s only the second time in the seven-year history of this dynasty that Northwestern has had a running back lead the team in receiving yardage. Cam Porter had 76 receiving yards against Ohio State in the first season.

The two touchdown catches by Baron matched the entire four-year total accumulated by Kush, who scored 48 of his 50 touchdowns on the ground.

One reason Baron is a do-it-all back has to do with his usage. B-Dawg is old school and still doesn’t have a grasp on the extra spots on the depth chart beyond just normal positions. Hoke was the team’s third-down back, giving him more opportunities to catch the ball. B-Dawg made sure Baron is the No. 1 back in all situations when he set up his depth chart this season.

“Teams who have played us in the past aren’t used to having to cover the running back in the passing game,” B-Dawg said. “They’d better start being aware of Stan, because it was really fun chucking the ball to him on angle routes and wheel routes. It adds a refreshing change to our offense, which has been stagnant in terms of creativity.”

Not only is it rare that a Northwestern running back leads the team in receiving, but it’s rare to have a game that is scoreless for the entire second half.

This looked like it would be a shootout when three Vernon Starr touchdown passes gave Northwestern a 21-13 halftime lead. But there would be no more scoring in the second half, with an interception in the end zone by Wildcats safety Montell Feeley on third-and-five ending The U’s biggest threat with 2:50 left in the third quarter.

Starr hit a 28-yard touchdown pass to Eric Gibbs on a drag route to open the scoring. His touchdown passes to Baron were on plays of 44 and 28 yards, giving the Wildcats a 21-3 lead with 4:38 left in the second quarter. Northwestern wouldn’t score again and The U got its only touchdown on a 16-yard scramble by quarterback Trey Bias to make it 21-10 with 1:20 left in the first half. Justice Turpin boomed a 55-yard field goal to end the half, getting the Hurricanes within 21-13 and ending the day’s scoring.

Five-star true freshman defenders continued to shine for Northwestern, with middle linebacker Ricardo Ruston getting three tackles for losses and defensive end Eric Kuhn getting a sack to give him three in the first two games. They were part of a defense that shut down two 88 OVR running backs in Jamie Mingo and Rafael Huerta, who combined for 30 yards on 14 carries.

Starr was an efficient 20-for-28 for 222 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. YAC proved to be a quarterback’s best friend, with Wildcat receivers getting 116 yards after catches.

The U started the season ranked No. 9 by the coaches and No. 10 by the media, but a second straight loss to open the season could drop the Hurricanes from playoff contention. They will probably have to win the ACC championship game to qualify. Auburn beat The U 43-41 in the opener.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Cooper Garror 9 pancakes, 0 sacks; J.D. Amatova 6-0; Alex Estes 3-0; Alex Jameson 3-0; Niles Mount 2-0; Brady Ellington 2-0; Walter Flanagan 2-0; Nate Barr 2-0; Nick Stoddard 1-0.

[LopaKa]

happy to see you continuing the nasty BDawg, solid couple of wins to start the year. All those youngins are contributing big time early on, you love to see it.

[BDawg35]

NOTE: The whole changeover on the forums really messed me up, especially losing the more recent posts before the changeover. I'm going to try to get the stuff I already wrote posted, but I've been too busy with work to get over here and handle all of that. I've played through the 2032 season. What I'll probably do with the final two seasons is just do a recap of multiple games at once and something bigger on the more important games. It's time for the new game and a start with a new thread, but I have some pretty incredible games that need posting. I have been uploading YouTube videos and have them done through early 2032 if anyone wants to check them out.

Northwestern running back Stan Baron ran 27 times for 121 yards and two touchdowns and caught five passes for 77 yards
and one score.


Northwestern defensive tackle Christian Runyan celebrates a sack of Charlotte quarterback Matt Bess.


Northwestern defensive end Eric Kuhn bears down on Charlotte quarterback Matt Bess for a sack.


Northwestern receiver Andres Nickey snares a touchdown catch.


Northwestern receiver Eric Gibbs makes a touchdown catch.


Northwestern freshman cornerback Jabu Newcomb grabs his first career interception.


Northwestern running back Larry Edds takes off on a 56-yard reception.


Northwestern safety Montell Feeley picks off a pass in the end zone.

KIDS ARE A’IGHT
Northwestern freshmen continue
to shine in victory over Charlotte

EVANSTON, Ill. — Through three games, it’s been established that much of Northwestern’s success in the 2030 football season will rest on the performances of its incredible freshmen.

It might seem risky putting so much on the shoulders of players with so little experience in college football, but this appears to be a special group of true and redshirt freshmen.

Five touchdowns, one interception and 3.5 sacks were racked up by five different freshmen during the second-ranked Wildcats’ 48-34 victory over Charlotte on Sept. 21, 2030.

True freshman running back Stan Baron flirted with a 100/100 game for the second straight contest, running 27 times for 121 yards and a touchdown while catching five passes for 77 yards and a score. Against The U, Baron ran for 141 yards and had 92 receiving yards to go with two touchdown catches.

Five-star true freshman cornerback Jabu Newcomb grabbed his first career interception, true freshman defensive end Eric Kuhn had a sack for the third straight game, redshirt freshman defensive tackle Ofisa Hand had 1.5 sacks and redshirt freshman defensive tackle Nick Kiernan had one sack.

Even third-string true freshman running back Larry Edds had a moment to shine, grabbing a 56-yard pass. True freshman middle linebacker Ricardo Ruston had two tackles for losses.

“These are exciting times in Evanston, because you are seeing future superstars emerge before your very eyes,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “Guys like these make me want to put the pedal to the metal and crank out four more seasons before College Football 26 drops, just to see what kind of production they end up with.”

A game that Northwestern looked to have put away early got more interesting than it needed to be because of the amazing performance of Charlotte receiver Frank Mangen. Mangen, an 80 OVR redshirt sophomore, had 13 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns.

Both touchdown catches came in the second quarter after Northwestern built a 17-0 lead. The 49ers aired it out throughout the game, with Matt Bess going 37-for-51 for 464 yards, three touchdowns and two picks.

Two field goals in the third quarter cut the Northwestern lead to 31-20 entering the fourth.

It might have been closer had Northwestern not forced a field goal try which went wide right after Charlotte had first-and-goal from the 3-yard line early in the second quarter. Kuhn’s sack came on third-and-goal from the 6-yard line.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Niles Mount 10 pancakes, 0 sacks; J.D. Amatova 8-0; Alex Estes 8-0; Connor Garror 7-0; Alex Jameson 5-0; Walter Flanagan 2-0; Brady Ellington 2-0; Nick Stoddard 1-0; J.C. Cantwell 1-0; Nate Barr 1-0.

[BDawg35]

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.

[BDawg35]

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.


2030 Big Ten Conference standings




2030 national rankings

[BDawg35]

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.

[BDawg35]

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.


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.

[BDawg35]

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

[BDawg35]

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.

JUST CHILLIN’
Northwestern has stress-free
45-28 victory over Wisconsin

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.

“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.

[BDawg35]

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.

[BDawg35]

Northwestern freshman tight end Walter Flanagan catches his first career touchdown.


Northwestern freshman receiver Jamie Stack scores his first career touchdown.


Northwestern receiver Eric Gibbs scores on a running play.


Northwestern’s J.C. Cantwell catches a touchdown pass.


Northwestern receiver Andres Nickey heads to the end zone.


Northwestern cornerback Jayvon Hope intercepts a pass.


Northwestern fullback Nate Barr goes airborne.


Northwestern defensive end Eric Kuhn sacks Maryland quarterback Jason Leinart.


Maryland’s Nick Morey had two interceptions, one of which he took for a house call.

HOPE FOR TIGHT ENDS?
Seldom-used position for B-Dawg
shines in NW’s rout over Maryland

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Tight end has been the forgotten position in the Northwestern offense during B-Dawg’s seven years at the helm.

In the first 93 games of this dynasty, tight ends have caught only nine touchdown passes. That included the first touchdown ever by Northwestern in this dynasty, a 20-yarder to Thomas Gordon against Miami (Ohio) in 2024.

In fact, Northwestern won the 2027 national championship without throwing a single touchdown pass to a tight end in 16 games.

But there’s hope that freshman Walter Flanagan can finally be the aerial weapon the Wildcats have either lacked or failed to exploit under B-Dawg.

Flanagan, a four-star recruit, had a 60-yard catch early in the game and a 12-yard touchdown catch during the top-ranked Wildcats’ 52-17 rout of Maryland on Nov. 7, 2030.

Flanagan, who has 82 SPD and 82 CTH ratings, caught five passes for 89 yards to become the first tight end to lead Northwestern in receiving yards in any game during this dynasty.

It wasn’t just Flanagan who showed out for the tight end union. Four different tight ends caught passes, giving the position eight catches for 123 yards and a touchdown. Freshmen Bryce Maloney and Fredrick Slade had their first career catches.

Flanagan now has eight catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns this season.

“Today was eye-opening, especially when he got loose for that 60-yard catch early in the game,” B-Dawg said. “I’d really love to get the tight end involved more. I’ve had teams, most notably my last stop at Vanderbilt, where tight ends were an integral part of the offense.”

Eleven different Wildcats caught passes and three quarterbacks were used in a game that Northwestern led 31-3 at halftime. Freshman Jamie Stack, who hasn’t appeared in a game all season, caught a 34-yard touchdown pass. He is still eligible to be redshirted if his playing time is managed.

Standout freshman running back Stan Baron had a 55-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and finished with 136 yards on 17 carries. He also had 76 yards on four catches. Baron has 910 yards and 10 touchdowns on 181 carries.

Speedy receiver Eric Gibbs had a rare touchdown run for a Northwestern receiver on a 5-yard end-around in the first quarter.

The Wildcats continue to cruise along in their quest for a perfect season, improving to 9-0 with Indiana, Purdue and Illinois left on the regular-season schedule. Maryland, which had a four-game winning streak snapped, fell to 6-3.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
J.D. Amatova 5 pancakes, 0 sacks; Connor Garror 5-1; Cornell Kafka 3-0; Brady Ellington 3-0; Nate Barr 3-0; Alex Jameson 2-0; Thomas Pifer 2-0; Taylor Jackson 2-0; Gill Trimble 2-0; Fredrick Slade 1-0; Juan Gore 1-0; Quentin Upshaw 1-0; Bryce Maloney 1-0; Alex Estes 1-0; Nick Stoddard 1-0; Walter Flanagan 1-0; Danny Bass 1-0.



2030 Big Ten standings