The college football season is right around a month away from kicking off. In preparation for the beginning of the 2024 campaign, TheHoosier.com is previewing each of Indiana football's opponents this season. Up next, the Northwestern Wildcats.
GAME INFORMATION
Date/Time: Saturday, October 5 at TBD
Location: Lanny and Sharon Martin Lakeside Facility, Evanston, Illinois
TV designation: TBD
SEE ALSO:
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 1 versus Florida International
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 2 versus Western Illinois
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 3 versus UCLA
- Indiana football opponent preview: Week 4 versus Charlotte
2023 SESAON RECAP
In 2023, Northwestern saw an abundance of success, shocking many around the country.
With a 1-11 record the year prior and the firing of former head coach Pat Fitzgerald amidst hazing allegations, David Braun took over the program and excelled immediately.
Finishing the year with an 8-5 record, the Wildcats ended the season on a high note with a 14-7 win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, as Braun was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.
The success Northwestern enjoyed on the gridiron during the 2023 season was not a byproduct of strong offensive play.
A season ago, the Wildcats finished within the bottom 10 of the FBS in total offense. They averaged just 303.9 yards a game last year.
The passing game (202 yards per game for 96th in the FBS) fared slightly better than the ground attack (101.9 yards per game for 124th in the FBS) during the 2023 campaign.
Through the air, ex-Cincinnati quarterback Ben Bryant led the Wildcats in passing in 2023. He threw for 1,807 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with six interceptions a season ago.
Bryant's favorite target in the passing game during the 2023 season was Cam Johnson. Finishing the year with 54 catches for 715 yards and six touchdowns, Johnson led the Wildcats in each of those receiving categories.
On the ground, Cam Porter paced Northwestern in rushing yards. He finished with 651 yards on the ground and four touchdowns in 2023.
Most of Northwestern's 2023 success can be attributed to its stout defense.
Finishing 36th in the country in total defense a season ago, the Wildcats had the 15th ranked pass defense in 2023.
Those rankings combined with Northwestern's knack at forcing turnovers last season -- they ranked 27th in the nation with 22 takeaways -- provided a challenge for opposing offenses.
Defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard led Northwestern in sacks a season ago, Bryce Gallagher paced the team in tackles.
The Wildcats saw a ton of success in 2023. One of the biggest question marks surrounding the program entering 2024, is if Northwestern can do it again.
2024 SEASON OUTLOOK
Northwestern will hope its offense will improve this season under the direction of new offensive coordinator Zach Lujan, who had tremendous success at the FCS level with South Dakota State.
With Ben Bryant out of eligibility and Bryant's 2023 backup Brendan Sullivan now at Iowa, the Wildcats had to dip into the transfer portal to find their next signal caller.
Mississippi State transfer Mike Wright is the man taking over at the quarterback spot this season for Northwestern. A dangerous scrambling quarterback, Wright started three game a season ago at Mississippi State.
Leading rusher Cam Porter is back for another season with the Wildcats, as is redshirt sophomore tail back Joseph Himon II.
The Wildcats are without their leading receiver from a season ago, however Bryce Kirtz and A.J. Henning -- the second and third leading receivers respectively in 2023 -- are back for the upcoming season and figure to each play significant snaps in 2024.
Elsewhere offensively, Northwestern had three members of the 2023 team's starting front back in 2024.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Wildcats return a number of contributors from last year's team.
Aiden Hubbard -- Northwestern's leading sack getter from a season ago -- is returning to the Wildcats this season, as is the team's second-leading tackler a year ago, Xander Mueller.
A handful of the Wildcats' top playmakers in the secondary from last season have transferred elsewhere prior to the 2024 campaign. Nonetheless, cornerback Theran Johnson and safety Devin Turner are names to keep an eye on in a playmaking secondary.
PRESEASON PROJECTION
The challenge for Braun and Northwestern entering the upcoming season is continuing the positive momentum created from last season's surprising run to a bowl game victory.
The Wildcats have their work cut out for them in 2024, with the likes of Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin and Maryland on their Big Ten schedule.
The Wildcats are one of just two Big Ten teams projected by USA Today to finish with a worse record in 2024 than the Hoosiers.
Depending on results from a road trip to the Rose Bowl and a home game against Maryland, Indiana could realistically enter its week six matchup with Northwestern with just one loss.
If the Hoosiers manage favorable results early in the season, Indiana could exit its week six contest with Northwestern with a 5-1 record.
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