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

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HEISMAN BREAKTHROUGH
Northwestern senior Eric Kuhn becomes
first defense-only player to win Heisman

NEW YORK — It’s been established as recently as a few weeks ago that Michigan running back Joey McBride from NCAA 2005 is B-Dawg’s all-time favorite player he’s coached.

B-Dawg said as much when comparing McBride with his new all-time leading rusher, Northwestern senior Stan Baron.

But it may be time to rethink the pecking order after Eric Kuhn broke a glass ceiling of sorts, becoming the first defensive player coached by B-Dawg to win a Heisman Trophy.

Kuhn has been beyond beastly in the 2033 season, making 42 tackles for losses and 29 sacks among his 75 tackles. The tackles for losses and sacks are single-season records for a B-Dawg record, breaking marks held by Michigan’s Jammal Lavin in NCAA 2005.

Lavin appeared briefly on the Heisman hype list during his career, but would quickly drop off if he didn’t have an otherworldly game. B-Dawg actually won a Heisman with a KICKER, of all people, when Travis Pears of Michigan won in the 2009 season of NCAA 2005. Unlike Lavin, the voters showed Kuhn love all season as he had three games of at least five sacks, including a record-breaking six against Ohio State.

Kuhn won the Heisman over Baron, a senior running back who set B-Dawg’s career rushing record. Kuhn is the first strictly defensive player to win the Heisman. Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson got consideration for his play on special teams and occasionally on offense in 1997, while Colorado’s Travis Hunter was a two-way player in 2024.

Kuhn was also voted Player of the Year, Best Defensive Player, Lombardi Award winner and Best Defensive End, as Northwestern hauled in nine of the 18 national college awards.

Northwestern had the top five players in the running for the Thorpe Award, with senior cornerback Jabu Newcomb winning the honor for best defensive back.

Baron was chosen the best running back and middle linebacker Ricardo Ruston was chosen the best linebacker. B-Dawg won Coach of the Year and Northwestern defensive coordinator Austin Angel (who?) won the Broyles as top assistant coach.

B-DAWG’S HEISMAN WINNERS

Travis Pears, Michigan, K, Jr., 2009 (NCAA 2005)
Michael Wilkerson, Michigan, QB, rSr., 2010 (NCAA 2005)
Joey McBride, Michigan, HB, Jr., 2015 (NCAA 2005)
Antwan Smith, Vanderbilt, QB, rJr., 2011 (NCAA 2007)
Corey Burton, Vanderbilt, WR, Soph., 2013 (NCAA 2007)
Bryant McClellan, Vanderbilt, HB, Sr., 2015 (NCAA 2007)
Marques Horne, Vanderbilt, HB, rSr., 2020 (NCAA 2007)
John Morton, Oregon State, HB, Soph., 2012 (NCAA 2009)
Roy White, Michigan, HB, rSr., 2018 (NCAA 2012)
David Landrum, Western Michigan, QB, Fr., 2015 (NCAA 2014)
David Landrum, Western Michigan, QB, Soph., 2016 (NCAA 2014)
Eric Cox, Western Michigan, HB, rSr., 2021 (NCAA 2014)
Brian Williams, Western Michigan, HB, rSr., 2023 (NCAA 2014)
Trey Taylor, Air Force, HB, Jr., 2021 (NCAA 2014)
Jared Mann, Air Force, HB, Sr., 2025 (NCAA 2014)
Brandon Hester, Air Force, QB, rSr., 2029 (NCAA 2014)
Leonard Chapman, Vanderbilt, HB, Sr., 2029 (NCAA 2014)
Eric Kuhn, Northwestern, DE, Sr., 2033 (CFB 25)




PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Eric Kuhn, Northwestern, DE, Sr., 95 OVR
HEAD COACH OF THE YEAR: B-Dawg, Northwestern
BEST QUARTERBACK: Darren Board, TCU, QB, rSr., 84 OVR
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Eric Kuhn, Northwestern, DE, Sr., 95 OVR
BEST DEFENSIVE BACK: Jabu Newcomb, Northwestern, CB, Sr., 89 OVR
BEST RUNNING BACK: Stan Baron, Northwestern, RB, Sr., 90 OVR
BEST RECEIVER: Diego Gaston, TCU, WR, rSoph., 85 OVR
LOMBARDI: Eric Kuhn, Northwestern, DE, Sr., 95 OVR
UNITAS GOLDEN ARM: Darren Board, TCU, QB, rSr., 84 OVR
BEST DEFENSIVE END: Eric Kuhn, Northwestern, DE, Sr., 95 OVR
BEST INTERIOR LINEMAN: Niles Haden, Ohio State, OG, Sr., 91 OVR
BEST TIGHT END: Sidney Rawls, Arkansas, TE, rJr., 91 OVR
BROYLES AWARD: Austin Angel, Northwestern, DC
BEST LINEBACKER: Ricardo Ruston, Northwestern, MLB, Sr., 93 OVR
BEST CENTER: Russ Thompson, Michigan, C, Sr., 91 OVR
LOU GROZA: James Willie, Fresno State, K, rJr., 85 OVR
BEST PUNTER: Delonte Apple, New Mexico, P, rSr., 87 OVR
BEST RETURNER: Matthew Coker, Wake Forest, HB, Jr., 72 OVR




FIRST TEAM
QB, Darren Board, TCU, rSr.
HB, Stan Baron, Northwestern, Sr.
HB, Damarr Redfield, Mississippi, Sr.
WR, Diego Gaston, TCU, rSoph.
WR, Jeff Froholdt, Oklahoma, rJr.
WR, Emanuel Hodges, Georgia Tech, rSr.
TE, Sidney Rawls, Arkansas, rJr.
LT, Matthew Heaton, TCU, rSr.
LG, Patrick Skowronek, BYU, rSr.
C, Carter Milanovich, The U, rSr.
RG, Duke Shavers, Tulsa, rSr.
RT, Mike Soliday, Kansas State, rSr.
LE, Sam Kendricks, Syracuse, rSr.
RE, Eric Kuhn, Northwestern, Sr.
DT, Connor Foxworth, LSU, rSr.
DT, Bradley Levine, Michigan, rSr.
LOLB, Earl Hardrick, Utah, Sr.
MLB, Morris Carman, Oklahoma State, rJr.
ROLB, Carl Pritchett, Penn State, rJr.
CB, DeMarcus Kafka, Duke, rJr.
CB, Elijah Freitas, Michigan, rJr.
FS, Tyree Durbin, Georgia Southern, rJr.
SS, J.D. Davis, Oregon, Sr.
K, Thomas Gales, Michigan, rJr.
P, Delonte Apple, New Mexico, rSr.

SECOND TEAM
QB, Ricky Jue, Oklahoma, rSr.
HB, Jon Mohemad, Boise State, Sr.
HB, Jake October, UAB, rJr.
WR, Pierre Bettis, Clemson, rSr.
WR, Josh Hunter, TCU, rSr.
WR, Georgia Wilkins, Oklahoma, rSoph.
TE, George Roos, Virginia Tech, Soph.
LT, Maka Aaitui, Arizona, rSoph.
LG, Walter Dunham, Penn State, rJr.
C, Tremaine Marcus, Auburn, Sr.
RG, Eric McCants, Georgia, rSr.
RT, Juan Gore, Northwestern, rJr.
LE, Dalen Thomas, Ball State, rSr.
RE, Kevin Griggs, Georgia, rSr.
DT, Roger Krause, Pittsburgh, rSr.
DT, Alex Teague, Louisville, Sr.
LOLB, Barry McNitt, Clemson, Sr.
MLB, Neil Melvin, Wisconsin, rSr.
ROLB, Trent Hossman, Jacksonville State, rSr.
CB, George Crouse, Texas, rJr.
CB, Marshall Rutter, Oregon, rJr.
FS, Ben Armour, West Virginia, rSr.
SS, James Applewhite, Mississippi, Sr.
K, Ahmad Murphy, USC, rSr.
P, Marquel Smoker, Alabama, rSr.




FIRST TEAM
QB, Josh Mon, Oregon, rSr.
HB, Stan Baron, Northwestern, Sr.
HB, Tyamonee Queen, Oregon, Sr.
WR, Marquez Henderson, Wisconsin, rJr.
WR, Josh Starks, Washington, rJr.
WR, Timote Phenix, UCLA, rJr.
TE, Gage Harvey, Michigan, rJr.
LT, Thomas Pifer, Northwestern, rJr.
LG, Walter Dunham, Penn State, rJr.
C, Russ Thompson, Michigan, Sr.
RG, DeMarcus Jordan, Oregon, rJr.
RT, Juan Gore, Northwestern, rJr.
LE, Keke Nzegwu, Michigan State, rJr.
RE, Eric Kuhn, Northwestern, Sr.
DT, Bradley Levine, Michigan, rSr.
DT, J.T. McHugh, Northwestern, Sr.
LOLB, Jeremy Dugans, Nebraska, Jr.
MLB, Neil Melvin, Wisconsin, rSr.
ROLB, Carl Pritchett, Penn State, rJr.
CB, Elijah Freitas, Michigan, rJr.
CB, Marshall Rutter, Oregon, rJr.
FS, Lorenzo Daniels, UCLA, rSoph.
SS, J.D. Davis, Oregon, Sr.
K, Thomas Gales, Michigan, rJr.
P, Jayden Michaels, Minnesota, rSoph.

SECOND TEAM
QB, Sal Chickillo, Washington, rJr.
HB, Ben Feeley, Nebraska, rSoph.
HB, Javier Cabrera, Washington, rSoph.
WR, Trae Stai, Michigan, rFr.
WR, Malik Dumervil, Penn State, Sr.
WR, Elijah Mapa, Oregon, rSoph.
TE, Soni Kaufusi, Wisconsin, Jr.
LT, Fernando Cajuste, Oregon, rJr.
LG, Jeffrey Roberts, Wisconsin, Sr.
C, Greg Pryor, Penn State, rJr.
RG, Layne Johnson, Penn State, rSr.
RT, Sharrif Yeboah, Iowa, rSr.
LE, Steven Sterup, Minnesota, rSoph.
RE, J.J. Barr, Nebraska, rJr.
DT, Emanuel Solano, Wisconsin, rJr.
DT, Kevin Pounds, Ohio State, rSr.
LOLB, Ross Stewart, Northwestern, rSr.
MLB, Ricardo Ruston, Northwestern, Sr.
ROLB, Julius Fuller, UCLA, rJr.
CB, Emari Smiley, Northwestern, Soph.
CB, Kurt Woods, Oregon, rSr.
FS, Ethan Meyers, Michigan, rJr.
SS, Bryce Kimble, Penn State, Sr.
K, Ahmad Murphy, USC, rSr.
P, Jeremiah John, USC, rFr.

FRESHMAN
C, Lonnie Claybrooks, Northwestern, rFr.

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THE 2033 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF FIELD IS SET!




FINAL 2033 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RANKINGS

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Arkansas running back Jarrick Kitchens plunges the dagger into Northwestern by running 50 yards for a
touchdown with 1:29 left.


Cornell Ansah of Arkansas intercepts a fourth-and-12 pass with 1:41 left.


Khari Crabtree of Arkansas intercepts Northwestern’s final pass in this dynasty to seal it.


Alex Ivy of Arkansas caught two touchdown passes.


Northwestern linebacker Ross Stewart sacks Arkansas quarterback Emmett Goodwin.


Northwestern safety Avery Carswell intercepts a pass.


Northwestern cornerback Jabu Newcomb intercepts a pass.


Northwestern receiver Kevin Lamb hauls in a 42-yard touchdown pass.

IT’S OVER!
B-Dawg era at Northwestern ends
with stunning loss to Razorbacks

PASADENA, Calif. — The greatest era in the long history of Northwestern football is over sooner than anyone who has followed this team expected.

A team that seemingly could not lose, that always found a way to dig out of a dire circumstance, didn’t have an answer for an underdog Arkansas team in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff on Jan. 3, 2034 at the Rose Bowl.

The No. 7 Razorbacks, rated only 84 OVR, did what no other team could over the past two seasons, sending the top-ranked Wildcats packing with a loss in B-Dawg’s final game as head coach.

Arkansas jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and didn’t fall prey to a patented B-Dawg comeback, pulling out a stunning 33-21 victory.

The loss ended a 29-game winning streak for the defending national champions and was only the second over the course of 45 games the past three seasons. The other was a two-point loss to an even bigger underdog, Alabama-Birmingham, in the 2031 national semifinals.

If every CPU coach ran his team like Arkansas, the Wildcats would have had a few more L’s along the way.

The Razorbacks committed to the ground game, gaining 131 yards on 32 carries to help them maintain a 23:35 to 20:25 advantage in time of possession. It is extremely rare for a CPU team to hold the ball longer than B-Dawg’s teams.

Jarrick Kitchens did most of the damage, running 16 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns, including a 50-yard dagger with 1:29 remaining in the game.

The irony of that play was that legendary defensive end Eric Kuhn got sucked into an animation while going against 91 OVR tight end Sidney Rawls and had his back to the ball carrier as he made his way through the line of scrimmage. Kuhn had one sack in the game, giving him a final career total of 71.5 and 30 for this season.

Those are both national real-life records and records for any player coached by B-Dawg when excluding a cheesy defense that allowed Michigan cornerback Brandent Englemon to compile ridiculous numbers in NCAA 2004. Kuhn’s 43 tackles for losses this season eclipsed B-Dawg’s mark of 41 set by Jammal Lavin of Michigan in the 2014 season of NCAA 2005.

Northwestern was used to making double-digit comebacks, so the odds appeared to favor the Wildcats as they were driving late in the game. Facing fourth-and-two from the Arkansas 35-yard line, quarterback Floyd Keenan ran for the first down with a QB Blast out of a five-wide set, but an illegal block in the back penalty on left tackle David Coat made it fourth-and-12 with 1:47 left.

On the next play, Keenan served up an interception to Cornell Ansah with 1:41 remaining. Two plays later, Kitchens broke off his 50-yard touchdown while Northwestern was running a goal line defense.

Any Northwestern fans still holding out hope for a miracle started heading to the exits after Khari Crabtree intercepted the final pass by the Wildcats in this dynasty. It was a fitting bookend, as Northwestern lost the first game of this dynasty to another team in red and white (Miami of Ohio) when Mike Wright threw five interceptions.

Interceptions were an issue in Northwestern’s last three playoff exits. Vernon Starr threw four, including the game-winning pick-six with 1:21 left, in a quarterfinal loss to Mississippi in 2030. Keenan threw three and Starr threw one in the semifinal loss to UAB two years ago, including a late pick-six.

One of the greatest recruiting classes B-Dawg has ever assembled ended its four-year career with only one national championship. Northwestern won two in 10 seasons under B-Dawg, compiling a sparkling 113-30 record overall and 70-20 in the Big Ten. That includes a 23-16 start the first three seasons, 14-13 in the Big Ten.

“I am a Michigan man at heart, but I will look back fondly on my time in Evanston,” B-Dawg said. “I had some players who will forever live in my heart. I would like to thank the administration for putting up with me and give a special shout out to EA Sports for bringing back the college football series. Much love. My coaching career is not done. Somewhere out there is a school that will pique my interest in College Football ’26.”





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING: Juan Gore 10-0; Daniel King 7-0; Hayden DiMarco 5-0; David Coat 4-0; Quentin Upshaw 4-0; Joseph Watt 4-0; Walter Flanagan 2-0; Joey Wilcox 1-0; Antonio Gaffney 1-0; Jamie Stack 1-0; Kevin Lamb 1-0.

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Unlike Stanford and Alabama-Birmingham, Arkansas was able to parlay an upset playoff victory over Northwestern into a national championship.

Arkansas was the unlikely winner of the final natty in the 10-year history of this dynasty, beating Oklahoma 28-22 for the 2033 title.

The Razorbacks upset Northwestern in the national quarterfinals and took it all the way, unlike Stanford in 2029 and Alabama-Birmingham in 2031. Both of those teams got to the natty after beating Northwestern, but lost on the big stage.

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Northwestern defenders set three single-season records for a B-Dawg player during the 2033 campaign, his last with the Wildcats.

Heisman-winning defensive end Eric Kuhn set records with 30 sacks and 43 tackles for losses, breaking marks held by Michigan’s Jammal Lavin since NCAA 2005. Middle linebacker Ricardo Ruston had 167 tackles. Ruston broke the mark of 145 he shared with Northwestern linebacker Matthew Smith (2027).

Tackle totals were extremely high in this dynasty. I’m not sure if there were just more gang tackles or playing 11-minute quarters with a 20-second play clock resulted in too many snaps.

This will be my final post on this dynasty. I am nearly done with my first year in my College Football 26 dynasty. I have some prep to do to get that one up and running.