Stock up, stock down in Northwestern’s commanding victory over Maryland

The ‘Cats earned their first conference victory in dominating fashion.

Meeting the Terrapins in College Park for the first time since 2017, the Wildcats defeated Maryland for the second straight year behind a spectacular performance on both sides of the ball. Now 3-3 on the season, here’s a look at who’s on the rise and who struggled in Northwestern’s 37-10 blowout victory against Maryland.

Stock Up

A.J. Henning and Bryce Kirtz

Northwestern’s wide receiver tandem of Henning and Kirtz stepped up significantly for their squad on Friday night.

From the start of the game, Henning displayed his strong chemistry with quarterback Jack Lausch. After an eight-yard catch on Northwestern’s opening drive, the Michigan transfer sprinted past Maryland defensive back Kevis Thomas on the next possession, hauling in a wide-open 40-yard pass.

On the third drive, Bryce Kirtz stepped up with his own explosive play. The veteran wideout snagged a 28-yard reception, then followed it up with a spectacular 40-yard catch on third-and-7 just a few plays later, keeping the Wildcats’ early offensive momentum alive.

While the duo stayed relatively quiet in the third quarter, Kirtz started Northwestern’s second drive in the fourth quarter with a massive 55-yard reception, which set up a 38-yard field goal to give Braun’s team a 27-10 lead and ultimately helped seal the victory.

The Wildcats’ top two offensive weapons combined for six receptions and 184 receiving yards, playing a vital role in Northwestern’s first Big Ten victory of the season.

Aidan Hubbard

After his breakout game last season against Maryland, where he recorded a career-high three sacks, Hubbard once again dominated Maryland. In the third quarter, with the Terrapins facing third-and-goal from Northwestern’s 4-yard line, Hubbard brought down Maryland signal-caller Billy Edwards Jr. for a nine-yard sack.

On Northwestern’s next defensive possession, the veteran defensive lineman helped break the game open. After Carmine Bastone strip-sacked Edwards Jr., Hubbard returned the fumble for a touchdown, extending Northwestern’s lead to 24-10 in the fourth quarter and ultimately locking up the game for Braun’s team.

Luke Akers

One of the most intriguing storylines heading into the game was Northwestern’s kicking situation. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that starting kicker Jack Olsen was sidelined with a lower-body injury, leaving punter Luke Akers to handle dual responsibilities.

The punter stepped up masterfully in Olsen’s absence. Despite being the son of 16-year NFL kicker David Akers, he had never attempted a field goal for Braun’s team, but he drilled a 43-yarder to extend Northwestern’s lead to 17-0 in the second quarter. In his second attempt, he nailed a 39-yard field goal to put the finishing touches on Northwestern’s X win against Maryland.

Akers also delivered a couple of fantastic punts, one just before halftime that pinned Maryland at Northwestern’s 49-yard line, and another in the third quarter when his kick was downed at the one.

The redshirt junior finished the contest with five punts for 246 yards, while going four for four on extra points and three for three on field goals.

Honorable Mentions: Carmine Bastone, kickoff coverage, Jack Lausch, Anto Saka, Damon Walters

Stock Down

Running back room

Outside of a few scrambles by Lausch, Northwestern’s running attack struggled to gain any traction against the Terrapins. Northwestern’s tailbacks, including starter Cam Porter, had a tough time finding their footing. Porter, who returned from a lower-body injury last week against Indiana, continued to struggle. After managing just 15 yards on six carries against the Hoosiers, he once again had difficulty being effective on the ground, finishing with 23 yards on nine carries.

Beyond Porter, his understudy Joseph Himon II provided little production out of the backfield, managing -5 yards on five carries. While Caleb Komolafe offered a brief spark with 29 yards on seven carries, the rushing attack fell well below its potential, especially considering what this unit is capable of achieving.

Third down offense

While it’s hard to find many negatives in tonight’s offensive performance, it is concerning that Northwestern went 3 for 13 on third down, even though it didn’t impact the Wildcats’ blowout victory over Maryland. Braun must address this moving forward, as the ‘Cats face a difficult stretch of games in their quest to make a bowl game for the second straight year.

Kick returns

The ‘Cats got off to a rocky start on the first play of the game when defensive back Coco Azema fumbled the kickoff return. However, Braun’s team avoided a near disaster, as Northwestern recovered the ball, resulting in a 20-yard return by the veteran defensive back.

However, the struggles continued on their next kick return, as Himon was hit hard while bringing the ball out, resulting in only a 15-yard gain. The special teams unit lacked the explosiveness needed to flip field position, leaving much to be desired in this area.

Stock down: Joseph Himon II, Thomas Gordon in the blocking game