It was an overall solid win by the wildcats, playing well on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Kain Colter looked good until he was injured on the second play of the game. However, more than capable 2nd quarterback Trevor Siemian did a good job taking over the rest of the game. He also had some help with Northwestern’s 209 rushing yards. However, with losing Colter you don’t just lose his duel threat skill set. You lose your only other quarterback in your 2 quarterback system. That puts a lot of pressure on Siemian to perform and stay healthy while receiving all of the reps at quarterback. If Colter’s upper body injury keeps him out of play for several weeks, Northwestern could face some difficulty. If Colter’s out for one game, Siemian is more than capable of getting a win. Syracuse is their next opponent who is coming off a loss to Penn State.
Despite allowing 30 points, the defense was impressive. Linebacker Collin Ellis had a pair of interception returns for touchdowns. That became the difference in the game. The defensive line was also dominant with 4 sacks. The defense was on the field for 99 plays but still kept their composure and forces turnovers. Though there were times where the wildcats were down and gassed, they made the most of the bounces that came their way, and that’s why they’re 1-0.
