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

[BDawg35]

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

I expected 3-0, 5-0 is a surprise! team of destiny!

That's what I was hoping. Then the game I'm about to post happened, proving it's never a good thing when I air it out.

Quite the run to start the season. I know you categorized some of those "W's" as ugly wins, but they only read one way in the standings - style points not needed.

I say stay disciplined. It's easy to want to get aggressive the more success you have in game. That's when EA humbles you. Remember, it is a game about points. Like Tom Brady has said, doesn't matter if it's 3 or 6, the game is about accumulating the most points you can. Take what you can get and rely on that D.

Keep playing old school. Size does matter in this game. I always build a BIG DLine. I go power rusher on my ends and run stopper for my nose. I like my ends at 280+, but no smaller than 275 and I like them to be 6'3"+. The size helps to bat balls down at the line and to stuff the run. If you can stuff the run, the AI/human opponents become one-dimensional and you can rack up sacks.

Keep playing that disciplined defense and don't veer off from it.

That's some great advice on what to look for in D-linemen. I will file that away in my memory bank.

My style of play is pretty boring out of necessity, since I can't throw the ball longer than 10 yards in the air. I've been making YouTube videos and figure they have to be the most boring YouTube game videos of all-time, other than the big plays the CPU hits and an occasional big play by my defense.

[BDawg35]

2025 SEASON - GAME 6




Nebraska’s Bilhal Kone picks off a pass that he took 96 yards to the house with 1:03 left in the first half.


Nebraska’s Koby Bretz picks off a pass that he returned 80 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first half.


Northwestern receiver Frank Covey catches a touchdown pass.


Northwestern free safety Robert Fitzgerald hits Nebraska running back Dante Dowdell, forcing a fumble.


Northwestern safety Robert Fitzgerald breaks up a pass intended for Nebraska’s Malachi Coleman in the end zone.


Northwestern’s Devin Turner picks off a pass late in the first half.

BENCH HIM?
B-Dawg considering quarterback change
after Boe’s pick-fest in loss to Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. — It’s taken just one loss to generate a good old-fashioned quarterback controversy at Northwestern.

After winning his first five starts, Ryan Boe may have cost himself the starting job with his dreadful performance during a 45-28 loss to eighth-ranked Nebraska on Oct. 4, 2025.

Boe threw three first-half interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, while going 17-for-28 for 161 yards and no touchdowns. For the season, Boe has thrown nine interceptions and only four touchdown passes in six games.

He was replaced in the second half by Aidan Gray, who went 16-for-27 for 245 yards, one touchdown and no picks.

Boe is a 77 OVR redshirt freshman, while Gray is a 76 OVR redshirt junior.

“I’m not going to make a knee-jerk reaction after one loss,” said Northwestern coach B-Dawg, who may have been rusty after taking two weeks off while on vacation. “It would be easy to ditch Ryan after one bad performance, but he also did a lot of good to get us to a 5-0 start. I’m not exactly thrilled with his touchdown-to-interception ratio. I was hoping we were behind that stuff when Mike Wright graduated, but Wright obviously wasn’t the problem here.”

One thing that could play into B-Dawg’s decision is the word on the street that Gray has been considering transferring. Playing him the second half of the season might mitigate that risk.

Boe was put in a bad situation when the Wildcats abandoned the run early because it as ineffective. Caleb Komolafe had only 28 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while backup Jakori McFarland had just four yards and a touchdown on three carries.

Despite their inability to run, the Wildcats were down only 7-6 before Nebraska (3-1) exploded for three touchdowns in the final 1 minute, 3 seconds of the first half, two of which came on pick-sixes and another as a result of an interception.

Bilhal Kone jumped an out route on a second-and-7 pass from Nebraska’s 13-yard line and took it 96 yards for a touchdown with 1:03 left in the first half to make it a 14-6 game.

The second pick wound up in the hands of middle linebacker Stefon Thompson with 51 seconds left in the half, setting up a touchdown pass one play later.

Following a Northwestern punt, the Wildcats got into the act when Devin Turner intercepted a pass and returned it to Nebraska’s 49-yard line with seven seconds remaining. Then, on the next play, Boe chucked a deep ball that Koby Bretz picked off and returned 80 yards for a touchdown with zeroes on the clock.

“That may have been the worst minute-plus of football in my coaching career,” B-Dawg said. “It was painful to endure.”

The Northwestern run defense that had been so impenetrable allowed 124 yards on 30 carries. It didn’t help that the Wildcats couldn’t get a sack of 84 OVR sophomore Dylan Raiola, who was 16-for-20 for 219 yards, two touchdowns and a pick.

Northwestern went into the game on the verge of the top 25 as the third team out in both polls.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Anthony Birsa 5 pancakes, 0 sacks; Shawn Boyett 3-0; Jordan Knox 2-0; Simon Silva 2-0; Corey Capobianco 2-0; Reggie Fleurima 1-0; Jaelen Camarda 1-0.

[redsox907]

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

dang that was a tough loss. Without the pair of pick-sixs you're right in it.

You should go with whatever QB you feel the most comfortable with. The ratings help, but if you have a guy you're confident in it makes a world of difference

[BDawg35]

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

dang that was a tough loss. Without the pair of pick-sixs you're right in it.

You should go with whatever QB you feel the most comfortable with. The ratings help, but if you have a guy you're confident in it makes a world of difference

If I can just stay away from the pick-sixes, I will be in every game against every opponent. It's when I start serving up TAINT's that I am capable of losing to anyone.

Both of my quarterbacks feel the same in my hands - yes, that was intended to sound creepy - so I'm not sure what to do.

[BDawg35]

2025 SEASON - GAME 7




Northwestern’s Reggie Fleurima grabs what would be the game-winning touchdown catch at Oregon.


Northwestern's Reggie Fleurima takes off toward the end zone for the winning touchdown after making a catch.


Teammates mob Reggie Fleurima after his game-winning touchdown catch with 54 seconds left at Oregon.


Northwestern cornerback Cole Shivers seals the victory by intercepting a pass with 11 seconds left.


Northwestern tight end Camp Magee catches a 12-yard touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone.


Northwestern tight end Camp Magee catches a 12-yard touchdown pass in the back corner of the end zone.


Northwestern defensive end Anto Saka bears down on Oregon quarterback Austin Novosad for one of his 3.5 sacks.


Northwestern had six sacks of Oregon quarterback Austin Novosad.


Northwestern defensive end Anto Saka makes one of his 3.5 sacks of Oregon quarterback Austin Novosad.


Northwestern outside linebacker Kenny Soares pumps his fist after getting to Oregon quarterback Austin Novosad.


Kicker Atticus Sappington was the only source of offense for Oregon.


Northwestern cornerback Josh Fussell breaks up a pass late in the game.

SHADES OF ‘THE GAME’
Northwestern’s stunning upset of Oregon
bears resemblance to UM’s win at OSU

EVANSTON, Ill. — How does a team as bad as Michigan has been in real life this season pull off an upset at second-ranked Ohio State?

Perhaps the Wolverines took a page out of B-Dawg’s playbook.

In a game that was ugly and not at all what free-wheeling Oregon is accustomed to, Northwestern shocked the college football world by beating the second-ranked Ducks 13-9 on Oct. 18, 2025.

It was only the second loss in the two-year history of this dynasty for Oregon, which won the 2024 national championship with a 15-1 record and was 5-0 this season.

It was a game nearly identical to Michigan’s 13-10 victory at Ohio State, minus one point, one flag-planting and one postgame brawl.

“You don’t beat a team like Ohio State if you’re this year’s Michigan team or you don’t beat a team like Oregon with Northwestern in College Football ’25 by pretending you’re playing a video game,” B-Dawg said. “It has to be grimy and you have to realize you’re not there to entertain folks. You do whatever is necessary to win. We played a smart game and pulled out a dub nobody expected. It’s amazing what you can achieve when you don’t turn the ball over.”

Like the game in Columbus, there were only two touchdowns the entire game, both on second-half passes by Northwestern junior quarterback Aidan Gray. Gray got the start after redshirt freshman Ryan Boe served up three interceptions late in the first half of a 45-28 loss in the Wildcats’ previous game.

Playing the second half against Nebraska, Gray was 16-for-27 for 245 yards, one touchdown and no picks.

“Aidan can protect the football, which is something I value above all else,” said B-Dawg, whose team came in unranked despite a 5-1 record.

Oregon quarterback Austin Novosad was a Heisman Trophy contender, but maybe not anymore. He went 18-for-30 for 194 yards, no touchdowns and one interception, failing to get the explosive Ducks’ offense into the end zone.

He was running for his life, sacked six times by the Northwestern defense. Defensive end Anto Saka had 3.5 sacks.

Also playing a major role in Northwestern’s defensive dominance was middle linebacker Brendan McIntosh, who set B-Dawg’s all-time record for tackles in a game with 21. He had three solos and 18 assists. He broke the mark shared by Northwestern middle linebacker Xander Mueller achieved in the first game of this dynasty against Miami of Ohio and Michigan’s Carvin Johnson against Air Force on Sept. 1, 2012 in NCAA ’12.

“I seem to get a lot more individual tackles in this version of the game, so that record may not last long,” B-Dawg said. “Getting 15 used to be a major deal. We spied Brendan in the 4-3 Tampa 2 defense the whole game and he was stuffing the run. I’m also not used to a CPU opponent having 65 offensive plays, so that gave him many more opportunities for tackles than my players usually get.”

The tone was set for the game when Oregon came out of the first quarter with only 13 passing yards and minus-8 rushing yards.

As the half muddled along with no points on the board, Oregon finally had a chance to take the lead. The Ducks had second-and-goal at Northwestern’s 7-yard line when Izaiah Bush sacked Novosad back to the 15. Oregon wound up attempting a 25-yard field goal, which hit the left upright with 13 seconds left in the half to keep the game scoreless going into halftime.

And here’s where things got really interesting for B-Dawg.

He had time to play only the first half of this game, so for the first time in his life he paused a game with the hope of finishing it the next day. He knew it was a risk, because if EA chose to drop an update while the game was paused, he would lose everything he worked so hard for in the first half.

Much to his relief, he was able to pick up where he left off the next day after a night of lost sleep thinking about the magnitude of the possible upset that was in progress.

Oregon finally broke the scoreless deadlock on the first of three field goals by Atticus Sappington, a 55-yard kick with 5:37 left in the third quarter. It could have been worse, because the Ducks seemed to have something going following a 41-yard catch and run by Evan Stewart to the Northwestern 39-yard line.

The Wildcats finally penetrated the end zone on what was a mistake by B-Dawg. Intending to throw a drag route to the circle receiver, he hit R1 by mistake, but it worked out magnificently because Gray found tight end Camp Magee in the right corner of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown with 1:22 left in the third quarter.

“You get a sneaking suspicion it’s your day when you hit the wrong button and score a touchdown,” B-Dawg said. “That route to Magee is something I probably never would have considered as an intended play.”

Oregon’s offense continued to struggle, but managed to put up two more field goals to take a 9-7 lead with 1:36 left in the game.

The Ducks might have been able to put it away with a touchdown, or at least drained more clock, if not for a huge open-field tackle on the edge by strong safety Devin Turner on a 7-yard run by Jordan James on third-and-nine.

Northwestern picked the right time to have B-Dawg’s best kick return ever in this version of the game, as cornerback Josh Fussell used his 98 SPD to get a 41-yard return to the Wildcats’ 44-yard line with 1:31 left.

Gray quickly moved Northwestern down the field, hitting Reggie Fleurima with the first two passes to get the ball to Oregon’s 24 before hitting running back Caleb Komolafe with a pass to the 13.

On the next play, Gray and Fleurima hooked up for one of the biggest touchdowns in Northwestern history, a 13-yard strike with 54 seconds left in the game. Fleurima ran a drag route and fought his way into the end zone after three players made contact with him at the 1-yard line.

Gray was sacked on the 2-point conversion.

Now B-Dawg worried if he scored too quickly.

“We played great defense the entire game, but you always worry something bad will eventually happen against an offense like this,” B-Dawg said.

Something bad did happen — for the Ducks.

Following a user sack by Saka, Novosad served up an interception on third-and-22 to cornerback Cole Shivers with 11 seconds left in the game to seal Northwestern’s victory.

“This is a game I will always remember,” B-Dawg said. “Defensive battles like this are the stuff of my wildest wet dreams. To have one against such a high-powered offense, this is a program-defining win.”





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Jordan Knox 4 pancakes, 0 sacks; Corey Capobianco 3-2; Shawn Boyett 2-0; Anthony Birsa 2-0; Reggie Fleurima 1-0; Julius Hazel 1-0; Simon Silva 0-1.

[RyanLeaf16]

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

HUGE win for the 'Cats! Saka looks like he is picking up where he left off before getting injured last season.

That MLB with 21 tackles...sounds like an Andy KATZenmoyer kind of game. You need to give that kid the nickname "KATZ" for the performance alone. It's just gotta be what he's known as moving forward.

Congrats on the victory. Should be ranked after holding Oregon to 229 yards of total offense. Media/Coaches can't ignore you anymore.

[BDawg35]

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

HUGE win for the 'Cats! Saka looks like he is picking up where he left off before getting injured last season.

That MLB with 21 tackles...sounds like an Andy KATZenmoyer kind of game. You need to give that kid the nickname "KATZ" for the performance alone. It's just gotta be what he's known as moving forward.

Congrats on the victory. Should be ranked after holding Oregon to 229 yards of total offense. Media/Coaches can't ignore you anymore.

Only old guys like us would remember that name!

I see what you did there - KATZ ... WildKATZ. He definitely plays that style of ball-hawking run defender.

[BDawg35]

2025 SEASON - GAME 8




Northwestern running back Caleb Komolafe celebrates after scoring the winning touchdown with 3:15 left.


Caleb Komolafe scores the winning touchdown on a 6-yard run with 3:15 left.


Matthew Smith sacks Purdue quarterback Marcos Davila late in the game to force a missed fourth-and-goal pass
from the 12.


Northwestern cornerback Josh Fussell leaps to intercept a pass.


Purdue running back Devin Mockobee celebrates a 50-yard touchdown catch.


Mockobee caught the 50-yard pass after Northwestern linebacker Kenny Soares dove and nearly got the deflection.


Northwestern defensive end Anto Saka sacks Purdue quarterback Marcos Davila.

O-VER-RATED?
Up to No. 12 in national rankings,
Wildcats survive scare vs. Purdue

EVANSTON, Ill. — A letdown seemed inevitable for Northwestern following the euphoria of a 13-9 upset of second-ranked Oregon.

But B-Dawg doesn’t accept excuses for shoddy play.

While he’s relieved to escape with a 17-10 victory over Purdue on Nov. 1, 2025, he wasn’t happy his team had to survive a scare against a team that is 1-8 and in last place in the Big Ten Conference.

“Unacceptable,” B-Dawg said. “We can’t have this kind of inconsistency. This should have been a game in which we pad our stats and get a bunch of guys some playing time. We shouldn’t be fighting for our lives right down to the wire against a garbage team like this — no disrespect intended.”

Northwestern (7-1) went from being unranked to No. 12 in the nation following the upset of Oregon. Perhaps the Wildcats let success get to their heads, because they needed a 6-yard run by Caleb Komolafe with 3:15 left in the game and a late defensive stand to earn the victory.

The Wildcats got back with strong defense throughout the game, shutting down the inept Boilermakers time and time again.

But two big plays led to Purdue’s two scores.

Leading 3-0 late in the first half, Northwestern had Purdue in third-and-one when B-Dawg audibled to a blitz expecting a running play. Instead, Marcos Davila hit running back Devin Mockobee with a pass that was nearly broken up by linebacker Kenny Soares. Mockobee went 50 yards down the sideline for a touchdown with 1:20 left in the first half.

“This is hardly a revelation, but football is a game of inches,” B-Dawg said. “Kenny was inches from turning that into a pass breakup and a punt.”

Purdue’s other big play was a 23-yard pass from Davila to Ta’Mar Harris on third-and-24. While the pass came up a yard short of a first down, it put Spencer Porath in position to nail a 53-yard field goal with 10:57 left in the game, tying the game 10-10.

That’s when Northwestern’s ability to grind it out on offense wore down Purdue and produced the winning touchdown.

The Wildcats drove 88 yards in 18 plays, draining 7:40 off the clock, before Komolafe scored untouched on a third-and-three inside zone run from the 6-yard line with 3:15 left. A key play on that drive was a pass to Josh Fussell on third-and-7 with 5:00 on the clock.

Now it was just up to the Wildcats to not give up a big play and seal up this bad boy.

The Boilermakers put a scare into Northwestern, getting first-and-goal at the 2-yard line before a tackle for loss by linebacker Brendan McIntosh, a dropped interception and a sack by Matthew Smith left Purdue with fourth-and-goal from the 12-yard line.

With Northwestern dropping into coverage and all day to pass, Davila threw toward the right side of the end zone and had his pass broken up by cornerback Cole Shivers with 35 seconds left to end the threat.

“It always scares me when a CPU quarterback has that much time to throw, because he sees everything,” B-Dawg said. “Our coverage was outstanding. I preferred dropping back and covering the short field with a lot of defenders over trying to get at the quarterback and having him find an open receiver.”

Fussell, a cornerback with 98 SPD, had a productive day on offense and defense. He caught four passes for 73 yards and had seven tackles to go with an interception.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Shawn Boyett 6 pancakes, 0 sacks; Jordan Knox 4-0; Frank Covey 3-0; Simon Silva 2-0; Julius Hazel 2-0; Camp Magee 2-0; Corey Capobianco 1-0.

[BDawg35]

2025 AWARDS UPDATE

2025 AWARDS WATCH LISTS

COACH OF THE YEAR
1. BDawg
BEST DEFENSIVE PLAYER
1. Anto Saka
LOMBARDI
1. Anto Saka
BEST DEFENSIVE END
1. Anto Saka
BROYLES
1. Tommy Walker, O-coordinator
2. Paul Foster, D-coordinator
BUTKUS
7. Braydon Brus
12. Brendan McIntosh




1. KENDRICK LAW, Alabama, WR, Sr.
2. AVERY JOHNSON, Kansas State, QB, Jr.
3. JADEN RASHADA, Georgia, QB, rFr.
4. JACURRI BROWN, Central Florida, QB, rJr.
5. NICO IAMALEAVA, Tennessee, QB, rSoph.

[BDawg35]

2025 COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF UPDATE

[BDawg35]

CLASS OF 2026 RECRUITING UPDATE

[BDawg35]

2025 SEASON - GAME 9




Northwestern running back Jakori McFarland celebrates a touchdown.


Northwestern WR-CB Josh Fussell takes off for a 57-yard touchdown catch.


Northwestern defensive tackle Zack Cobb sacks Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey.


Northwestern linebacker Braydon Brus forces fumble by Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey.


Northwestern strong safety Devin Turner picks off a pass.


Northwestern tight end Julius Hazel catches an 18-yard touchdown pass.


LeMeke Brockington of Minnesota takes off for a 75-yard touchdown after catching a short pass on the left side.


Northwestern fullback Jaelen Camarda catches a 20-yard pass.

FLEETING MOMENTS
Minnesota has glorious 3 minutes,
but that’s it in loss to Northwestern

EVANSTON, Ill. — If you’re a Minnesota football fan, there were about only three minutes of action that were worth watching Nov. 8, 2025 against Northwestern.

The Golden Gophers scored all of their points on two big plays (minus the extra points) in a 3-minute and 6-second span late in the first quarter.

That wasn’t enough against a ninth-ranked Northwestern team that is finding its mojo and was able to throw and run effectively in a 37-14 victory.

On a play eerily similar to a touchdown the Wildcats allowed to Purdue last week, Minnesota tied the score 7-7 when receiver Le’Meke Brockington caught a quick pass to the left side that was nearly broken up by free safety Robert Fitzgerald. When Fitzgerald whiffed, there was nobody around to keep Brockington from sprinting to the end zone with a 75-yard touchdown catch with 4:03 left in the first quarter.

Last week, Purdue running back scored on a 50-yard pass to the left side when linebacker Kenny Soares nearly made a diving breakup of the pass.

The Golden Gophers (2-7) took a 14-7 lead when Kerry Brown, who finished with 20 tackles, picked off a pass and took it 60 yards to the house with 57 seconds left in the first quarter.

That was it. Minnesota wouldn’t be heard from again.

Northwestern (8-1) outscored the Golden Gophers 17-0 in the second quarter to take control of the game, the big play being a 57-yard pass to two-way speedster Josh Fussell with 1:12 left in the half.

“We hit a deep slot cross, a play I don’t use much but will have to remember,” Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “I was yelling, ‘Gone! Gone! Gone!’ the moment he caught it, because nobody is catching someone with 98 SPD. He drops more passes than I prefer, but you keep that kind of speed on both sides of the ball for plays like that.”

After a scoreless third quarter, Northwestern put up 13 more points in the fourth. The last touchdown was an 18-yarder on play action to tight end Julius Hazel with 1:56 left in a game the Wildcats were leading 27-14.

“I know there are people who say I was running it up and we could just keep grinding away at the clock,” B-Dawg said. “But my running back was showing up as a severe injury risk, so I audibled to that play to keep him from getting hurt. I can’t keep losing running backs.”

Jakori McFarland ran 28 times for 107 yards and a touchdown, getting the bulk of the carries after starter Caleb Komolafe went down with an injury on the first drive of the game. McFarland had 92 yards on 19 carries in the first half.

Northwestern was in the latest College Football Playoff bracket. Whether the Wildcats remain there will be determined by two massive back-to-back games the next two weeks against Michigan at home and at Penn State.

“We’ve beaten Oregon and held them to three field goals, so nothing on our schedule scares me,” B-Dawg said. “Just protect the ball; that’s all we need to do.”





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Jordan Knox 7 pancakes, 0 sacks; Anthony Birsa 4-0; Reggie Fleurima 3-0; Simon Silva 3-0; Matthew Smith 2-0; Shawn Boyett 2-0; Corey Capobianco 2-0; Julius Hazel 1-0; Jaelen Camarda 1-0; Josh Fussell 1-0; Jaylen Love 1-0; Frank Covey 1-0; Camp Magee 1-0.

[BDawg35]

CLASS OF 2026 RECRUITING UPDATE

[BDawg35]

2025 SEASON - GAME 10




Michigan defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows had a 46-yard touchdown off an interception.


Michigan running back Darius Taylor is gone for a 51-yard touchdown run.


Safety Tito Williams tackles Darius Taylor for a 4-yard loss on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line early in the game.


Michigan’s Cole Sullivan blocks a Larry Hurley punt.


Michigan tight end Decorion Temple catches a 13-yard touchdown pass.


Northwestern cornerback Josh Fussell picks off pass intended for Tyler Morris deep in Northwestern territory.


Northwestern cornerback Josh Fussell is in the clear with a 92-yard interception return for a touchdown.

BENCH B-DAWG?
Is coach to blame for pick parade
in ugly 52-14 loss to Michigan?

EVANSTON, Ill. — Aidan Gray became Northwestern’s starting quarterback when Ryan Boe threw three interceptions against Nebraska.

He may have lost the starting job doing the exact same thing against Michigan.

Obviously, the seventh-ranked Wildcats’ pick parade during a 52-14 loss to ninth-ranked Michigan wasn’t all on Gray, because all three Northwestern quarterbacks threw at least one interception in a brutally ugly performance.

Maybe it’s not the CPU quarterbacks who are to blame?

“It’s not my fault,” a defiant Northwestern coach B-Dawg said. “I’m the same coach who has won all those natties over the years. These guys just couldn’t handle the pressure of competing in a big game while we are battling for a playoff spot. It’s totally on them.”

Boe, who stood on the sidelines for Northwestern’s last three games (all victories), entered the game after Gray’s third interception was a 46-yard pick-six by defensive back Ja’Den McBurrows with 8:50 left in the third quarter.

Believe it or not, this was actually a 14-14 tie at halftime because Northwestern had a massive pick-six of its own just when it appeared Michigan would go up by two touchdowns.

Following a rare blocked punt by Michigan’s Cole Sullivan, the Wolverines had second-and-goal at Northwestern’s 7-yard line. Cornerback Josh Fussell got inside leverage on pass intended for Tyler Morris and used his 98 SPD to run 92 yards for a game-tying touchdown with 15 seconds left in the first half.

“I was yelling, ‘He’s my fastest guy! You’re not gonna catch him!’” B-Dawg said. “Yeah, that was a fun moment. We were back in the game, but it was just fool’s gold. They dominated us and we got a huge break to still be in the game.”

Still, Michigan’s lead was only 21-14 going into the fourth quarter before things completely unraveled and turned this game into a laugher. Semaj Morgan caught two touchdown passes from Jadyn Davis, as Michigan outscored Northwestern 31-0 in the final quarter.

On Morgan’s 51-yard touchdown catch, B-Dawg accidentally hit the most recent play quickly, which turned out to be field goal block. He just stayed in it, expecting a run, only to get clowned by Davis and Morgan.

It became a farce as Northwestern insisted on throwing the ball into the teeth of a tough Michigan defense with the game decided in the final minute. Javon McIntyre had a pick-six with 23 seconds left and Brandyn Hillman had an interception with eight seconds remaining that, mercifully, wasn’t returned for a touchdown.

Lost in the ugly loss for Northwestern was a huge performance by middle linebacker Brendan McIntosh (a.k.a. KATZ), who had a dynasty-record seven tackles for losses. Anto Sako had five tackles for losses and two sacks, while Braydon Brus had five tackles for losses.

Despite those performances, a Northwestern run defense that has shut down opponents all season was gashed by the Wolverines. Darius Taylor ran 30 time for 186 yards and a touchdown and backup Jalen Buckley ran 11 times for 78 yards and a touchdown. True freshman right guard Austin Goldberg, who is 78 OVR, had 16 pancakes and allowed one sack.

Davis was 14-for-20 for 158 yards, three touchdowns and a pick. He will never start a game at quarterback in real life for Michigan now that Bryce Underwood is heading to Ann Arbor from nearby Belleville.

Northwestern’s quarterbacks went 20-for-54 for 179 yards, no touchdowns and six interceptions. That’s a paltry 3.3 yards per pass attempt. The Wildcats dropped eight passes, including three by No. 1 receiver Jaylen Love.

The Wildcats’ playoff hopes took a big hit, but they can get back into the postseason picture if they can win next week at Penn State.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Simon Silva 4 pancakes, 0 sacks; Jordan Knox 3-0; Anthony Birsa 2-0; Jaelen Camarda 2-0; Shawn Boyett 2-0; Corey Capobianco 1-0; Jaylen Love 1-0; Camp Magee 1-0.

[BDawg35]

2025 SEASON - GAME 11




Northwestern’s Enrique Swaim kicks an ill-advised walk-off field goal that resulted in a one-point loss to Penn
State.


Penn State’s Kaden Saunders grabs a 26-yard touchdown pass before halftime.


Northwestern’s Timi Oke hauls in a 70-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left in the first half.


Northwestern’s Jaylen Love grabs a pass for a first down late in the game.


Northwestern defensive end Anto Saka sacks Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.


Northwestern’s Timi Oke caught five passes for 189 yards and a touchdown.


Northwestern linebacker Brendan McIntosh sacks Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.


Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton ran 18 times for 123 yards and a touchdown.


Northwestern cornerback Cole Shivers blows up Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton.

IDIOT!!!
B-Dawg’s all-time blunder costs
Northwestern in loss at Penn State

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Think of the dumbest coaching blunders in football history, and some of these beauties come to mind.

* Pete Carroll not handing the ball to Marshawn Lynch, but instead calling for a pass that was intercepted by Malcom Butler on second-and-goal from the 1-yard line in the 2015 Super Bowl, costing the Seattle Seahawks back-to-back championships.

* Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell having players defend the sidelines and not enough covering the end zone on an Aaron Rodgers 61-yard Hail Mary to Richard Rodgers for a walk-off touchdown in 2015.

* Back to the Lions, there was Marty Mornhinweg’s baffling decision to take the wind in overtime and kick to the Chicago Bears during a 2002 game. The Lions never got the ball, as the Bears won with a field goal.

* Any Matt Eberflus game-management decision late in a game. Allowing the Bears to get off only one play in the final 32 seconds against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day cost him his job.

* The U losing to Georgia Tech in 2023 when taking a knee would have sealed a victory for the Hurricanes. Instead, The U coughed up the ball and Georgia Tech won on a 44-yard pass with one second left.

Pretty wretched coaching, eh?

Now, multiply the stupidity factor times 100 and you have the blunder of all-time committed by Northwestern coach B-Dawg during a 17-16 loss to 11th-ranked Penn State on Nov. 22, 2025.

Maybe the Nittany Lions’ home-field advantage that squiggled the passing icons also scrambled B-Dawg’s brain as his 12th-ranked Wildcats were marching down the field with a chance to win the game.

The chain of events that led to the worst coaching decision of all-time began with a huge stop by the Northwestern defense. A third-and-long screen pass to running back Nicholas Singleton was stopped one yard short of a first down, so Penn State elected to kick a 29-yard field goal and extend its lead to 17-13 with 2:13 left in the game.

A Northwestern offense that couldn’t move the ball all day, getting its lone touchdown on a 70-yard splash play from Aidan Gray to Timi Oke before halftime, began moving the ball after a 9-yard sack on the first play of its ensuing possession.

A deep crossing route to Oke on second-and-19 suddenly had Northwestern at the Penn State 24-yard line with 1:48 remaining, plenty of time to get in the end zone.

Facing third-and-16 following a holding penalty and failed jet sweep to Oke, the Wildcats got a first down on a pass to Jaylen Love.

Now here’s where things got looney. Facing third-and-six from the Penn State 9-yard line and — here’s the key part — trailing by four points, B-Dawg elected to run the ball to move in closer for a field goal attempt before calling his last timeout.

Enrique Swaim made the 23-yard field goal as time expired and B-Dawg was temporarily thrilled, until he heard these words from the game broadcast.

“The kick will be good, but it doesn’t really do anything. It makes the final score a little different. Maybe the coach has a clause for close losses or someone’s playing a game of chance.”

That’s when B-Dawg was jolted back to his senses and he looked at the final score — he lost by one point.

He couldn’t blame this one on his players, like he did last week when he threw his quarterbacks under the bus for serving up six interceptions in a loss to Michigan.

“I am an idiot,” B-Dawg said. “If the athletic director asks for my resignation now, I wouldn’t blame him. We were down by one point before they kicked a field goal and I was so happy we held them to a field goal that I operated like we only needed three points to get out of here with a dub. I got so focused trying to get the offense down the field that I never really processed the actual score of the game. It should have been a clue to me when the ‘coach suggestion’ called for a play from scrimmage.”

This isn’t the first time B-Dawg has gone brain dead with a game on the line.

During his NCAA ’14 Vanderbilt dynasty, B-Dawg dialed up a play to convert on fourth-and-10 with 11 seconds left in a game at Michigan during the 2022 season. The only problem was it was fourth-and-20, and none of the routes would get 20 yards without a broken tackle. Quarterback Mike Wright had to scramble and couldn’t get the 20 yards, sending the Commodores home with a 38-35 loss.

B-Dawg lost track of down and distance in that game. He lost track of the scoreboard in this one.

At 61 years old, is senility beginning to set in?

“My mind is as sharp as ever,” B-Dawg said. “Stuff just happens. I’m still the coach who took that Vanderbilt program to some natties. I’ll do it here, too.”

A Northwestern run defense that had been shutting down teams all season gave up a 100-yard rusher for the second straight game, as Singleton had 123 yards on 18 carries. Most of those came in the first half as B-Dawg adjusted. Singleton did damage in the passing game, catching seven passes for 74 yards.

Oke, a 95 SPD cornerback who doubles as a wide receiver, had a dynasty-record 189 yards on five catches.

At 8-3 with back-to-back losses heading into the regular-season finale against Illinois, the Wildcats’ playoff hopes probably vanished with B-Dawg’s bone-headed decision.





NORTHWESTERN BLOCKING
Jordan Knox 6 pancakes, 0 sacks; Timi Oke 3-0; Anthony Birsa 3-0; Reggie Fleurima 2-0; Corey Capobianco 2-0; Simon Silva 1-0; Camp Magee 1-0; Nick Herzog 1-0; Jaelen Camarda 1-0.




Editor’s note: Looking back on B-Dawg’s other botched game-management decision in NCAA ’14.


Michigan running back Hassan Haskins runs for the winning touchdown with 47 seconds left in the game.


Michigan linebacker Junior Colson gets one of his two sacks of Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright on the
Commodores’ final drive.

BLOWN OPPORTUNITY
Vanderbilt’s chance to upset Michigan
ends with botched play call in final seconds

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — With Vanderbilt on the verge of a major upset in the final seconds, coach B-Dawg dialed up a play that he thought could convert on fourth-and-10.

One problem: It was fourth-and-20.

Two sacks by Michigan linebacker Junior Colson drove the Commodores back to their own 41-yard line, where they lined up for fourth-and-20 with 11 seconds remaining in the game.

When quarterback Mike Wright dropped back to pass, it dawned on B-Dawg that none of the routes he called would produce a first down. Facing pressure, Wright began scrambling — and, with 20 yards required for a first down and time ticking away, the game was pretty much over the moment he decided to run.

Making matters worse, Wright coughed up the ball on a hit by Michigan’s Gemon Green. Lineman Julius Welschof recovered with two seconds left, sealing the 17th-ranked Wolverines’ 38-35 victory on Sept. 10, 2022.

“I choked,” B-Dawg said. “I lost track of down and distance. We should’ve called a deep post route at that point and hoped our receiver came free for, bare minimum, a first down. We probably could’ve rushed to the line and gotten off one more play. I have a play or two that might’ve gotten us 20 yards and also gotten us out of bounds to stop the clock. I don’t know what I was thinking, especially when I had Mike take off to run. I almost never get 20 yards scrambling with my quarterback.”

The Commodores held leads of 14-0, 21-14 and 35-31 over the heavily favored Wolverines. They took their final lead when Wright hit receiver Devin Boddie on third-and-17 for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 6:08 remaining in the game. Wright scrambled to his right and was about to get sacked when he lobbed it up for Boddie, who got behind Green.

“We audibled to ‘verticals,’” B-Dawg said. “I originally called a seam route to the tight end that I didn’t trust. You don’t throw to your tight end needing 17 yards in a big situation. My guy isn’t exactly Travis Kelce.”

Sure enough, after Vanderbilt forced a three-and-out, tight end Brayden Bapst dropped a third-and-12 pass from the Michigan 45-yard line with 3:45 left in the game.

Vanderbilt almost got a break when Blake Corum fumbled the ensuing punt, but he got it back and managed a 3-yard return.

While Corum was Michigan’s real-life star running back in the 2022 season, Hassan Haskins returned for his senior year in this dynasty, as just about every star player seems to do in NCAA ’14.

So, it was mostly the Haskins show on the Wolverines’ final drive. He got an 11-yard run on third-and-two with 1:28 left and moved the ball to the 8-yard line with a run and an additional facemasking penalty on defensive end Nate Clifton.

Corum gave Haskins a blow and ran seven yards to the 1-yard line. Haskins returned to score behind the right side of the line on the next play with 47 seconds remaining, capping a 12-play, 70-yard drive that consumed 2:53.

“I really wish Hassan Haskins had come back to Michigan in real life,” B-Dawg said. “We might not have bungled those plays near the goal line trying to get too cute against TCU in the national semifinals had he been available. Even if Corum didn’t get hurt, it would’ve been a no-brainer to give him the rock.”

A momentum changer in the game may have taken place while Vanderbilt was leading 14-0. Michigan had a fourth-and-seven pass ruled incomplete near the right sideline, but it was reversed on replay. The Wolverines went on to score their first touchdown on that drive.

Cade McNamara, who lost his starting job in real life during the 2022 season, played with surgical precision against Vanderbilt, going 29-for-34 for 336 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. Wright was able to keep pace with McNamara other than a few more incompletions, going 23-for-37 for 317 yards and two touchdowns.

“We showed we can compete with one of the best teams in the country in their stadium,” B-Dawg said. “We will take the field every game expecting to win. We aren’t your daddy’s Vanderbilt Commodores.”


Devin Boddie makes a 20-yard touchdown catch to give Vanderbilt a 35-31
lead with 6:08 left.

VANDERBILT COMMODORES at MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Sept. 10, 2022	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Vanderbilt Commodores (2-1)	14	7	7	7	35
#17 Michigan Wolverines (2-0)	7	14	7	10	38

Team Stats Comparison
	VAN	MICH
Total Offense	453	433
Rushing Yards	35-136	34-97
Passing Yards	317	336
First Downs	27	20
Punt Return Yards	10	3
Kick Return Yards	117	114
Total Yards	580	550
Turnovers	1	0
3rd Down Conversion	7-12	7-11
4th Down Conversion	1-2	0-0
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	4-4-0	5-4-1
Penalties	2-23	0-0
Possession Time	18:14	17:46

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		VAN	MICH
6:32	(VAN) R. Davis 26 pass from M. Wright (G. Mitchell kick)	7	0
2:58	(VAN) M. Wright 6 run (G. Mitchell kick)	14	0
:08	(MICH) D. Baldwin 12 pass from C. McNamara (M. Ricks kick)	14	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		VAN	MICH
7:47	(MICH) R. Wilson 24 pass from C. McNamara (M. Ricks kick)	14	14
3:06	(VAN) J. Ball 4 run (G. Mitchell kick)	21	14
:07	(MICH) C. McNamara 1 run (M. Ricks kick)	21	21
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		VAN	MICH
5:12	(MICH) H. Haskins 3 run (M. Ricks kick)	21	28
1:56	(VAN) R. Griffin 1 run (G. Mitchell kick)	28	28
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		VAN	MICH
8:57	(MICH) M. Ricks 39 field goal	28	31
6:08	(VAN) D. Boddie 20 pass from M. Wright (G. Mitchell kick)	35	31
:47	(MICH) H. Haskins 1 run (M. Ricks kick)	35	38

VANDERBILT COMMODORES PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Mike Wright 23/37 317 2 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Mike Wright 14 44 3.1 1 Re'Mahn Davis 9 40 4.4 0 Rocko Griffin 7 39 5.5 1 James Ziglor 3 8 2.7 0 Justin Ball 2 5 2.5 1 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Devin Boddie 6 80 13.3 1 Rocko Griffin 6 69 11.5 0 Will Sheppard 3 54 18.0 0 Re'Mahn Davis 3 26 8.7 1 Logan Kyle 2 45 22.5 0 Brayden Bapst 1 17 17.0 0 Justin Ball 1 14 14.0 0 Quincy Skinner 1 12 12.0 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Team 0 0 DEFENSE TACK TFL SACK INT Max Worship 11 1 0 0 Anfernee Orji 8 1 0 0 Chase Lloyd 5 0 0 0 De'Rickey Wright 5 1 0 0 Jeremy Walton 5 2 1 0 Ethan Barr 5 0 0 0 Jaylen Mahoney 4 1 0 0 Christian James 4 2 0 0 Nate Clifton 3 0 0 0 Jack Barton 3 1 1 0 Marlen Sewell 2 0 0 0 Justin Harris 2 0 0 0 Tyson Russell 2 0 0 0 Devin Lee 1 0 0 0 Daevion Davis 1 1 1 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Greg Mitchell 0/0 5/5 5 0 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Robert Hayden 3 123 41.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG LG James Ziglor 4 104 26.0 44 Brayden Bapst 1 13 13.0 13 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG LG James Ziglor 1 10 10.0 10

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Cade McNamara 29/34 336 2 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Hassan Haskins 20 64 3.2 2 Cade McNamara 12 15 1.2 1 Roman Wilson 1 12 12.0 0 Blake Corum 1 6 6.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Roman Wilson 6 66 11.0 1 Daylen Baldwin 6 64 10.7 1 Cornelius Johnson 4 64 16.0 0 Mike Sainristil 4 58 14.5 0 A.J. Henning 4 49 12.3 0 Hassan Haskins 3 18 6.0 0 Erick All 2 17 8.5 0 BLOCKING PANCAKE SACK Trevor Keegan 0 1 Greg Crippen 0 1 Karsen Barnhart 0 1 DEFENSE TACK TFL SACK INT Nikhai Hill-Green 8 1 0 0 R.J. Moten 8 1 0 0 Junior Colson 7 2 2 0 David Ojabo 6 3 0 0 Gemon Green 5 0 0 0 Mike Morris 4 3 0 0 Jordan Morant 4 0 0 0 DJ Turner 4 1 0 0 Vincent Gray 3 0 0 0 George Johnson 3 0 0 0 Darion Green-Warren 1 0 0 0 Mazi Smith 1 0 0 0 Anthony Solomon 1 0 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Marcus Ricks 1/1 5/5 8 39 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Courtney Franklin 2 60 30.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG LG Blake Corum 3 65 21.7 22 Cornelius Johnson 2 49 24.5 27 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG LG Blake Corum 1 3 3.0 3