It didn’t always look pretty, but No. 24 Northwestern got the job done Saturday against Rutgers, 42-14, at Ryan Field.
Entering as heavy favorites, the Wildcats (6-1, 3-1 B1G) scored on each of their first three possessions to score 21 points in the first quarter. But after another score in the second quarter, the ‘Cats slowed down and allowed the Scarlet Knights (2-5, 1-3 B1G) to make some noise.
“This group still needs to find its closers mentality,” said Northwestern coach David Braun after the game. “When you have someone on their heels, have someone on the ropes in this league, you can’t take your foot off the gas.”
Northwestern led 28-6 at the half, but the defense allowed Rutgers’ Antwan Raymond to bolt 46 yards for a score capped by a two-point conversion to make it 28-14 late in the third. The Wildcats reapplied the pressure in the fourth, scoring two more times to put Rutgers away.
“I think we felt that and saw that in the fourth quarter,” Braun said. “That’s something that we need to learn from and know that we have the ability to do it and make sure that carries with us here throughout the rest of the season.”
Hot start
Northwestern came out of the gate fast, converting on third down twice on the opening drive and highlighted by a 30-yard Caleb Komolafe run from the Rutgers 45-yard line to put the Wildcats inside the 15. Quarterback Aidan Chiles found receiver Griffin Wilde two plays later for the score.
Rutgers responded with a 12-play, 50-yard drive that ended in a 43-yard field goal by Dane Pizzaro. The ‘Cats answered immediately, with Komolafe going 56 yards up the middle to get Northwestern within striking distance. Wilde caught another 16-yard pass before Chiles carried the ball home to go up, 14-3.
On the first play of Rutgers’ second drive, Northwestern’s Michael Kilbane forced quarterback AJ Surace to fumble, which was recovered by Jamaal Johnson. Starting at the Rutgers 6-yard line, Komolafe lost two yards on a carry before Chiles found Alex Honig to go up, 21-3.
Pizzaro hit a 35-yard field goal as time expired to end the first half.
Cooling down
Both sides went quiet after the break, though Montae Pate picked off Surace to end Rutgers’ first drive of the half.
Chiles threw his first interception of the season in the third quarter, which is just his second turnover on the year following a lost fumble against Penn State. That pick set up Rutgers for Raymond’s big play with just eight seconds left in the third.
Northwestern stepped up in the fourth, with Drew Wagner hauling in a 4-yard pass to score before Chiles recorded another rushing touchdown, this time from 37 yards out. Jalen Lewis picked off Rutgers just before the two-minute timeout to seal the deal.
“Just executing and doing our job,” Chiles said about the fast start but then the lull late. “Again, we had a lull after that because we kind of got a little complacent because of the score. “Overall, we just stuck to our execution, stuck to our job, trusted our preparation, and just went out there and played free, played confident. It wasn’t a lot to it.”
Statline
Chiles finished with 219 yards passing, going 19-of-25 with three scores through the air. He rushed for 83 yards and an additional pair of touchdowns for five on the day. Wilde reached the century mark again, catching nine passes for 133 yards.
Braun once again praised Wilde’s ability to bring in 50-50 balls, but Wilde says that’s not a thing that should exist.
“Yeah, I think my mentality is just, if the ball’s up in the air, it’s got to be mine,” he said. “50-50 as a wide receiver, it shouldn’t exist. That ball should be yours.”
The Wildcats put up 502 yards offensively with 283 on the ground, led by Komolafe with 150 yards on 13 carries.
Next
With the win, the Wildcats reach bowl eligibility for the third time under Braun’s tenure as coach and earliest yet in a season. But that’s not something Braun wants to discuss.
“Yeah, the last thing I’m thinking about or we’re thinking about is a bowl game,” said Braun. “This season does feel different. And I know I’ve mentioned this before in press conferences, I just got to give so much credit to our players. I know the level that I believe in this group, but I was so caught in leaning into we’re the underdog, chip on our shoulder, and our players are the ones that tell me, ‘coach, you got to stop talking.’
“And I think we’re just carrying ourselves in a different way with humility, but also a sense of confidence in belief. And there’s a lot of confidence in belief. And for us to even acknowledge the bowl eligibility right now, I think would distract us from what’s right in front of us.”
Instead, Northwestern faces a grueling three week gauntlet that will show if this team is worthy of a College Football Playoff appearance. Next Saturday, they travel to Oregon (lost to Illinois) before hosting Iowa (lost to Minnesota). After that is a trip to Columbus and a date against Ohio State before traveling to the Golden Gophers.
