It wasn’t pretty, but the ‘Cats managed to pull off an overtime escape on the road.
Last Saturday’s football matchup was far too close for comfort for most Northwestern fans, but the Wildcats managed to sneak away with an overtime win over Purdue. In doing so, they ensured the inevitable by mathematically eliminating the Boilermakers from bowl contention. Purdue fans will be left to brood on what very well could be a 1-11 season, while Northwestern will prepare for a tough three-game stretch to close out the year, headlined by a beast of a game against Ohio State. With a bye on the immediate horizon, the ‘Cats will attempt to recuperate for a last-ditch effort to keep their slim bowl hopes alive. As we reflect on the season so far, here are five things we learned from Saturday’s victory.
The secondary is not consistent enough
A quick glance at the final score belies the difficulties for Northwestern’s secondary on Saturday, as the ‘Cats struggled to limit Purdue quarterback Hudson Card, who threw for over 250 yards in the game. Card, a four-star recruit who initially attended Texas, has not lived up to the hype in his college career. Against the ‘Cats, however, he had arguably his best statistical game of the season aside from the season-opening blowout against Indiana State. The Wildcats managed only two sacks on Card despite a season-high 37 pass attempts, and the defensive backs failed to force an interception or limit Card’s passing yardage to the extent that they had hoped. The defense should get credit for doing enough to win, but the ‘Cats didn’t dominate as much as they could have, thus somewhat squandering a chance to gain more momentum. Given Purdue’s quarterback controversy (demonstrated by Ryan Browne’s brief appearance under center), the Boilermakers should not have been expected to have a good day through the air. While they didn’t necessarily do well, they didn’t do particularly badly either, which is at least a mild cause for concern for a Wildcat secondary that squared off against the worst team in the Big Ten.
Joseph Himon can be a big-play threat
Himon’s speed has been well-documented, as it was a main reason for the excitement surrounding his NU recruitment in 2021. On Saturday, against a bottom-15 FBS defense, Himon’s Thanksgiving feast came early, as he exploded with a 51-yard touchdown run and a game-winning touchdown reception. In all, Himon picked up 112 total yards on just nine touches, and the hope is that his big-play ability will carry over to the home stretch of the season, during which it will be sorely needed. It has sometimes been tough for Himon to get going against better Big Ten defenses, but there is logic to the idea that a get-right game will set him up for success going forward. If Himon’s explosiveness can continue to pop in the coming weeks, it’ll be a boon for Northwestern’s offense going forward.
Bryce Kirtz is still dearly missed
Kirtz’s second straight injury absence meant only bad things for the Wildcat passing attack. For the second straight game, Northwestern failed to funnel more than two receptions to any receiver not named AJ Henning. Granted, Kirtz hasn’t been the most consistent of players during his lengthy NU tenure, but his presence still provides a threat that defenses must monitor. Against Purdue, the Wildcats were fortunate to rely on Cam Porter and Himon, who topped over 100 combined receiving yards on 11 receptions. However, against non-Boilermaker squads, the checkdowns will not be available nearly as consistently. Some of the passing game’s issues stem from Jack Lausch’s struggle to provide a consistent downfield threat with his arm. However, the receiving corps has had its fair share of struggles too, and it’s too much to ask of AJ Henning to be a one-man show.
There may be some hope for the rush defense
Expectations for Purdue’s offensive output were not high heading into the week, but nonetheless, it was a good sign that Northwestern held running back Devin Mockobee to under three yards per carry in the victory. Given that Northwestern managed to contain Iowa’s Kaleb Johnson (for about a half) in its previous game, there is now some momentum to build on with regard to stopping the run. That may help the ‘Cats down the stretch, particularly against a struggling Michigan squad that has not found the answer at quarterback after JJ McCarthy’s exit to the NFL. Running back Donovan Edwards will always be a threat, but if Northwestern can contain him somewhat, they may be able to stick around for longer than expected against the Wolverines.
A 4-8 finish feels likelier by the week
Regardless of the level of football at hand, a win is a win. However, the last three weeks of play have given Wildcat fans little hope for a closing stretch against Ohio State, Michigan, and Illinois. The latter two teams have looked vulnerable, but Northwestern’s lack of big-play ability, particularly on offense, will ensure that both matchups remain difficult. Northwestern has regressed to a decent extent this season, particularly at quarterback, and it’ll be tough for this team to regain momentum following what should be a shellacking at the hands of the Buckeyes at Wrigley Field. A 6-6 finish is not impossible at this point, but 4-8 feels far more imminent, so while the Purdue game may have kept the ‘Cats’ bowl hopes alive, it likely won’t keep them afloat for much longer.