Eighth time’s the charm. The Northwestern football program got their first win ever at Wrigley Field, in their eighth try, in what will also be their final game at the venue. The 38-35 decision over the Minnesota Golden Gophers today was an extremely meaningful win too, as it secured bowl eligibility.
That’s massive, as it now means two bowl games in the first three seasons of the David Braun era.
Having gone 4-8 last season, getting to win #6 at the Friendly Confines today was just extra special.
“Securing a bowl game, you can’t understate that,” Braun said in his postgame press conference. “We get to spend the month of December together…It’s rewarding, it’s emotional for a lot of people.”
“It’s really special to see guys put so much into something and be rewarded today with an opportunity to get to do this a lot longer.”
To use a basketball term, this was a game of runs. Northwestern dominated the 1st qtr, 150-5 in yardage, 67 to -4 in rushing yards and 83 to 9 in passing yards. Yet the lead was very slim and it soon morphed into a 28-13 third quarter deficit.
From there, the rally occurred, and Braun said it best: “It’s all kind of a blur.”
Northwestern quarterback Preston Stone (25-30, 305, 2 TDs, 0 INTs) had a great take on extending his season another month:
“If I had it my way, I would keep playing with these guys for the rest of my life.”
So where is this Northwestern football team headed for the holidays?
Let’s take a look at the latest projections.
Northwestern Football Bowl Projections
Rate (Phoenix):
Both ESPN projections (one guy has them playing Baylor, the other TCU), USA Today (vs Baylor), College Football News (vs Kansas State), Athlon (vs Iowa State)
Pinstripe (New York):
CBS Sports (vs Clemson), Sports Illustrated (vs Duke)
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN.