What happened to Northwestern?

MNVCGUY

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 8, 2011
Messages
18,490
Reaction score
18,329
Points
113
If they lose to Purdue on Saturday there is a really strong possibility that they will go from 8-1 in the Big Ten last year to 0-9 in the conference this year (have us and @ Illinois left).

Rutgers has been awful but I think there is a chance they would be favored against Northwestern right now. The Northwestern offense has managed to score just 6 points in the last 3 games and the defense isn't playing much better.

That potential swing in conference record has to be a record of some kind. Teams have ups and downs but going from nearly unbeaten in conference play to potentially not winning a single conference game the following season just doesn't happen.

Really kind of shocking to see a program that has been very consistent for quite some time struggle to this level. Tough not to feel pretty confident in our ability to come out of Evanston with a win in a few weeks. But of course we will discuss that when the time comes... :)
 

I don't know what happened to NW, but they most certainly would not be underdogs vs Rutgers. That Rutgers QB might be the worst thing I have seen in college sports, ever.
 

Can't guarantee this is the reason, but I saw Fitz wearing a hoodie on the sideline.
 


They were an average team last year that caught a lot of breaks and didn’t turn the ball over.


Quarterback graduated, new ones sucks.
Now they are a below average team that’s turning the ball over and not catching breaks.


The margin between first in the west and last in the west isn’t that big.
 


I don't know what happened to NW, but they most certainly would not be underdogs vs Rutgers. That Rutgers QB might be the worst thing I have seen in college sports, ever.

I just looked at his stat line along side Hunter Johnson’s, and I not entirely sure which one is worse. Langan actually has the better numbers. They’re both awful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bet big on Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson...he has been less than expected, injured, and dealing with mom's mastectomy and chemo...he hasnt been used much lately but got in game Saturday, and hobbled off after injury. They lost a lot on the lines.
 

Graduation, no depth and injuries, it can happen to most teams.
If the Gopher QB goes down who is there to step in at the same level?
 

Northwestern is due to slip back to the limitations of their academic entry requirements.

Maybe this is just the start.
 



I think they've always had some talented players.

They've had Gaziano on the DL for a while now, and he's still there this year. All-Big Ten defense the last two seasons, probably make it again this year. But like others have said, QB play was bad from the git-go it appears.
 

Northwestern was gritty overall, competent on offense, and very good on defense last year. For this year they have had the unfortunate combo of injuries as well as their five star incoming transfer QB turning out to be a complete bust. And as others have said, there has been an element of luck to some of Northwestern's memorable seasons and this year they seem to have lady luck leveling the playing field as they pay their luck debts.

It is interesting to see that their normally predictably solid defense has been starting to fade as well. All in all it makes them Rutgers West this season.

And what does it say about Nebraska that they only managed a 10-7 win against Northwestern in a game that many of us will look back on as "Hoodie Bowl I"?
 

I predict they'll score a garbage time TD against our 2nd and 3rd stringers...so that will feel nice for their offense.
 

Have to think their defense is beginning to feel very demoralized with the game results but also with constantly being on the field as the O continues to go 3-and-out so much.
 



Have to think their defense is beginning to feel very demoralized with the game results but also with constantly being on the field as the O continues to go 3-and-out so much.

Yeah, as the season goes on the defense has been fading. Similar to the 2016 Vikings who saw their defense collapse late in the season after carrying the offense early in the year. Just get too tired cause they can't get off the field.
 

They need to build a better sports training facility -- the "Lodge on the Lake" isn't cutting it.
 

Have to think their defense is beginning to feel very demoralized with the game results but also with constantly being on the field as the O continues to go 3-and-out so much.

Through 8 games their offense has managed to score 8 TDs....8 in 8 games, that is beyond futile. Has to be extremely frustrating for the defense to know that if the other team scores a TD the game is probably over. Their offense has scored on 16 drives this year (8TD and 8FG).

Definitely shows the other side of the transfer portal with QBs. Northwestern banked big time on the transfer QB coming in and leading the team but has not worked out that way for them. Even with some luck last year it is still amazing to think a team can go from 8 conference wins to potentially 0 in one year.
 

Lesson to be learned: It's easier to get there (win the East or West) than stay there on top very consistently. Certainly tOSU has been the exception and Wisky to a lesser degree.

My buddy just sent me these Sagarin's Strength of record rankings for all unbeaten teams:
OSU - 20th
LSU - 34th
Peddy St - 39th
Bama - 59th
Clemson - 64th
Baylor - 65th
Gophs - 82nd

It will all play out in the next 4 games.
 

Northwestern is probably the must-win game on the schedule. The Gophers should be heavy favorites, but hopes on winning the division pretty much assume the Gophers win this game. The Gophers can win the division without beating Northwestern, but it gets a whole lot harder.
 

Northwestern is probably the must-win game on the schedule. The Gophers should be heavy favorites, but hopes on winning the division pretty much assume the Gophers win this game. The Gophers can win the division without beating Northwestern, but it gets a whole lot harder.

I'd argue that if the Gophers can't beat Northwestern this season, the idea of playing for a division crown shouldn't even be discussed. Northwestern is that bad.
 





Top Bottom