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Broadcast Info:
- Date: Sat., Sept. 23
- TV channel: BTN
- Time of kickoff: 6:30 p.m. (CST)
- Betting line: Minnesota (-12) @ Northwestern, o/u: (38.5 points)
Opponent Information (Northwestern):
- 2023 record: 1-2
- @ Rutgers 7-24 L
- V. UTEP 38-7 W
- @ Duke 14-38 L
- 2022 record: 1-11
- V. Nebraska (in Dublin) 31-21 W
- V. Duke 23-31 L
- V. Southern Illinois (FCS) 24-31 L
- V. Miami (OH) 14-17 L
- @ Penn State 7-17 L
- V. Wisconsin 42-7 L
- @ Maryland 24-31 L
- @ Iowa 33-13 L
- V. Ohio State 7-21 L
- @ Minnesota 3-31 L
- @ Purdue 9-17 L
- V. Illinois 41-3 L
- (Interim) Head Coach: David Braun (1st year)
- Players to watch: Bryce Gallagher (LB), Ben Bryant (QB), Carmine Bastone (DT), Cam Porter (RB), Rod Heard II (CB)
Through three weeks of football the Gophers have every single realisitic preseason expectation ahead of them. With a win over Northwestern in week four they have a chance to move to 2-0 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats were the story of the college football offseason when longtime head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired after an hazing investigation within the program. Defensive cordinator David Braun was promoted to interim head coach and the Northwestern program has a inordinate amount of questions are inching closer to a complety new era of college football, espicially within the Big Ten.
Northwestern Season Storylines:
- Pat Fitzgerald fired:
The biggest story of the college football offseason, was when Northwestern fired its best head coach and maybe player in program history Pat Fitzgerald, following an investigation into the program for hazing. I will not speak on whether is was the right or wrong decision, but I will say that it was a MAJOR turning point of the Northwestern program. The Wildcats amongst a poor two-year stretch, compiling a 4-20 record, so many people were already questioning what direction the program was going before the season.
Fitzgerald was easily the best coach in program history, leading Northwestern to multiple Big Ten Championship game appearances and the majority of their Bowl Game births. After fours seasons as the DC at NDSU, David Braun was set to enter his first season as the Wildcats’ DC, before being thrusted into becoming the program’s interim head coach. Unfortunately, I think it might get worse for Northwestern before it gets better.
- How bad is the 2023 Wildcats’ team?:
Coming off a 1-11 season in 2022, the expectations in 2023 weren’t going to be high with or without Pat Fitzgerald. Cincinnati-transfer QB Ben Bryant was a interesting addition in the offseason, but not a drastic upgrade from their situation with Ryan Helinski and Brandon Sullivan. There is no “star” RB on the roster like Evan Hull or Justin Jackson, who has carried their teams in the past. Without players Paddy Fisher, Greg Newsome II or Brandon Joseph on defense, that side of the ball is desperately lacking a serious leader.
I think this Northwestern team is pretty clearly the worst roster in the entire Big Ten Conference and they would need a huge makeover if they have any hopes of consistently competing within the conference, espicially once the Big Ten adds USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon in 2024. Cam Porter is a fine running back and Bryce Gallagher, Carmine Bostone and Rod Heard II all have a chance of playing the NFL, but before that there are PLENTY of question marks.
- Where does Northwestern football go from here?:
With Ryan Field is expected to go through a near $800 million dollar renovation in the near future, the timing of the Pat Fitzgerald firing is that much more unfortunate for this Northwestern football program. I am not well-connected enough to have a serious grasp on how good of a job Northwestern is amongst the college football coaching ranks, but the fact it will be in one of two major conference and they have a new stadium coming makes me think it could be pretty high.
I think the serious question of what type of coach they can bring in would be weather they can lure the level of a coach like Dave Clawson from Wake Forest or Mike Elko from Duke, or if they’ll be stuck with promoting Dave Braun to full-time HC out of necissity. The next five years of Northwestern will be a interesting to watch, because I think they’d be the favorites to have the worst record in the conference within that period if you were to make betting odds right now.
Gophers’ path to victory:
In Northwestern 38-7 win vs. UTEP, they did not really dominate if you look at the box score. 391-319 in total yards, a simply box score look would comfirm that though. The major reason for the score differntial would be the 3-0 turnover battle, where Northwestern was able to quickly jump out to a 21-7 lead to start the second have, then UTEP was unable to get anything else going. In that game QB Ben Bryant was not very good and the run game was pretty average.
I believe that there is a 50% chance Northwestern scores a touchdown in this football game. Even after a game where Minnesota allowed North Carolina to move the ball, I think the difference between the Gophers’ defense and Northwestern’s offense is far too great for this game to be competitive. Northwestern is a running football team, and a bad one at that, so while Minnesota’s run defense has continued to improve, I just do not believe that Northwestern will be able to move the football in this game. Northwestern’s defense has allowed Rutgers and Duke move the football fairly easily against them and I do not think this game will be much different. I expect Minnesota’s offense, especially Athan Kaliakmanis to get back on track and the Gophers have and impressive 38-0 victory.