American college football season
The 2023 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season . They were led by first-year head coach David Braun and played their home games at Ryan Field (in its final season) in Evanston, Illinois . Braun began the season as interim head coach and was elevated to permanent head coach on November 15 following the team's 24–10 road win over Wisconsin .[1]
The Wildcats finished the regular season with a record of 7–5 and went 5–4 in conference play to finish second in the Big Ten West. Braun was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.[2] The Wildcats were selected to face Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl , where they won 14–7.
Hazing and sexual abuse allegations [ edit ] On July 7, 2023, the school announced that they had suspended head coach Pat Fitzgerald for two weeks without pay after an investigation related to hazing within the football program.[3] Three days later as details emerged of the allegations from a former player that included hazing and sexual abuse, the school fired Fitzgerald after 17 years as head coach.[4] The school named defensive coordinator David Braun the interim head coach for the season.[5]
Preseason [ edit ] Big 10 media poll [ edit ] The Wildcats were predicted to finish seventh in the Big Ten's West Division.[6]
Big Ten media poll West Division Predicted finish Team Points (1st place votes) 1 Wisconsin 233 (20) 2 Iowa 232 (16) 3 Minnesota 176 (1) 4 Illinois 152 5 Nebraska 116 6 Purdue 89 7 Northwestern 38
Schedule [ edit ] Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance Source 11:00 a.m. at Rutgers CBS L 7–2453,026 [1] [2] September 9 2:30 p.m. UTEP * BTN W 38–714,851 [3] [4] September 16 2:30 p.m. at No. 21 Duke * ACCN L 14–3818,141 [5] [6] September 23 6:30 p.m. Minnesota BTN W 37–34 OT 20,148 [7] [8] September 30 11:00 a.m. No. 6 Penn State BTN L 13–41 25,064 [9] [10] October 7 2:00 p.m. Howard * BTN W 23–20 22,160 [11] [12] October 21 2:30 p.m. at Nebraska BTN L 9–17 86,769 October 28 11:00 a.m. Maryland BTN W 33–27 19,286 November 4 2:30 p.m. Iowa Peacock L 7–10 38,000 November 11 2:30 p.m. at Wisconsin FS1 W 24–1076,124 November 18 11:00 a.m. Purdue BTN W 23–15 23,291 November 25 2:30 p.m. at Illinois BTN W 45–43 42,310 December 23 6:30 p.m. vs. Utah * ABC W 14–7 20,897
Game summaries [ edit ] At Rutgers [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Wildcats 0 0 0 7 7 Scarlet Knights 7 10 7 0 24
Statistics NU RUTG First downs 13 20 Total yards 201 285 Rushing yards 12 122 Passing yards 189 163 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 22:04 37:56
Team Category Player Statistics Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 20/36, 169 yards, 2 INT Rushing Brendan Sullivan 4 rushes, 11 yards Receiving Camron Johnson 4 receptions, 45 yards Rutgers Passing Gavin Wimsatt 17/29, 163 yards, TD Rushing Kyle Monangai 14 rushes, 49 yards, TD Receiving Isaiah Washington 4 receptions, 36 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Miners 7 0 0 0 7 Wildcats 7 0 21 10 38
Statistics UTEP NU First downs 18 17 Total yards 319 391 Rushing yards 104 184 Passing yards 215 207 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 31:21 28:39
Team Category Player Statistics UTEP Passing Gavin Hardison 17/25, 192 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Torrance Burgess Jr. 7 rushes, 34 yards Receiving Jeremiah Ballard 4 receptions, 92 yards Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 11/17, 116 yards, TD Rushing Cam Porter 17 rushes, 90 yards Receiving Joseph Himon II 1 reception, 85 yards, TD
At No. 21 Duke [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Wildcats 0 7 0 7 14 No. 21 Blue Devils 7 10 14 7 38
Statistics NU DUKE First downs 19 25 Total yards 267 487 Rushing yards 104 268 Passing yards 163 219 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 28:54 31:06
Team Category Player Statistics Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 17/34, 123 yards, TD, INT Rushing Cam Porter 10 rushes, 49 yards Receiving Camron Johnson 5 receptions, 45 yards Duke Passing Riley Leonard 15/20, 219 yards Rushing Riley Leonard 13 rushes, 97 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jalon Calhoun 5 receptions, 112 yards
Minnesota [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 OT Total Golden Gophers 7 17 7 0 3 34 Wildcats 0 7 3 21 6 37
Statistics MINN NU First downs 15 25 Total yards 397 492 Rushing yards 244 92 Passing yards 153 400 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 30:10 29:50
Team Category Player Statistics Minnesota Passing Athan Kaliakmanis 14/19, 153 yards, 2 TD Rushing Darius Taylor 31 rushes, 198 yards, 2 TD Receiving Daniel Jackson 4 receptions, 53 yards, TD Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 33/49, 396 yards, 4 TD Rushing Cam Porter 16 rushes, 56 yards, TD Receiving Bryce Kirtz 10 receptions, 215 yards, 2 TD
No. 6 Penn State [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total No. 6 Nittany Lions 3 7 17 14 41 Wildcats 3 7 0 3 13
Statistics PSU NU First downs 19 12 Total yards 353 175 Rushing yards 134 45 Passing yards 219 130 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 32:08 27:52
Team Category Player Statistics Penn State Passing Drew Allar 18/33, 189 yards, TD Rushing Nicholas Singleton 21 rushes, 80 yards, TD Receiving KeAndre Lambert-Smith 4 receptions, 86 yards Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 14/25, 122 yards Rushing Brendan Sullivan 7 rushes, 25 yards Receiving Camron Johnson 6 receptions, 81 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Bison 0 0 7 13 20 Wildcats 9 7 7 0 23
Statistics HOW NU First downs 18 21 Total yards 331 312 Rushing yards 162 181 Passing yards 169 131 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 29:34 30:26
Team Category Player Statistics Howard Passing Quinton Williams 18/30, 169 yards Rushing Eden James 21 rushes, 177 yards, TD Receiving Richie Ilarraza 7 receptions, 65 yards Northwestern Passing Brendan Sullivan 13/18, 131 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cam Porter 18 rushes, 78 yards Receiving Camron Johnson 4 receptions, 55 yards, TD
At Nebraska [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Wildcats 3 3 0 3 9 Cornhuskers 3 7 0 7 17
Statistics NU NEB First downs 12 14 Total yards 257 248 Rushing yards 81 163 Passing yards 176 85 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 30:52 29:08
Team Category Player Statistics Northwestern Passing Brendan Sullivan 12/23, 176 yards, INT Rushing Anthony Tyus III 6 rushes, 63 yards Receiving Bryce Kirtz 3 receptions, 96 yards Nebraska Passing Heinrich Haarberg 8/17, 85 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Emmett Johnson 12 rushes, 73 yards Receiving Malachi Coleman 1 reception, 44 yards, TD
Maryland [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Terrapins 14 3 3 7 27 Wildcats 14 10 3 6 33
Statistics MD NU First downs 25 19 Total yards 391 364 Rushing yards 117 99 Passing yards 274 265 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 29:13 30:47
Team Category Player Statistics Maryland Passing Taulia Tagovailoa 30/47, 274 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Colby McDonald 5 rushes, 43 yards Receiving Jeshaun Jones 9 receptions, 78 yards, TD Northwestern Passing Brendan Sullivan 16/23, 265 yards, 2 TD Rushing Brendan Sullivan 14 rushes, 56 yards Receiving Joseph Himon II 2 receptions, 67 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Hawkeyes 0 0 7 3 10 Wildcats 0 0 0 7 7
Statistics IOWA NU First downs 14 12 Total yards 169 170 Rushing yards 104 89 Passing yards 65 81 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 30:18 29:42
Team Category Player Statistics Iowa Passing Deacon Hill 10/15, 65 yards, TD, INT Rushing Leshon Williams 24 rushes, 79 yards Receiving Kaleb Brown 1 reception, 23 yards Northwestern Passing Brendan Sullivan 12/19, 81 yards, TD Rushing Anthony Tyus III 10 rushes, 40 yards Receiving A. J. Henning 4 receptions, 13 yards
At Wisconsin [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Wildcats 7 17 0 0 24 Badgers 3 0 0 7 10
Statistics NU WIS First downs 18 17 Total yards 324 341 Rushing yards 129 86 Passing yards 195 255 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 32:10 27:50
Team Category Player Statistics Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 18/26, 195 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cam Porter 18 rushes, 72 yards Receiving A. J. Henning 3 receptions, 70 yards, TD Wisconsin Passing Tanner Mordecai 31/45, 255 yards Rushing Cade Yacamelli 9 rushes, 47 yards Receiving Will Pauling 10 receptions, 96 yards
1 2 3 4 Total Boilermakers 0 0 7 8 15 Wildcats 6 0 10 7 23
Statistics PUR NU First downs 21 12 Total yards 443 329 Rushing yards 303 99 Passing yards 140 230 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 34:43 25:17
Team Category Player Statistics Purdue Passing Ryan Browne 12/16, 104 yards, 2 INT Rushing Tyrone Tracy Jr. 16 rushes, 160 yards, TD Receiving Devin Mockobee 3 receptions, 44 yards Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 13/24, 230 yards, TD, INT Rushing Cam Porter 17 rushes, 95 yards, 2 TD Receiving Camron Johnson 3 receptions, 88 yards, TD
At Illinois [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Wildcats 7 14 7 17 45 Fighting Illini 3 17 3 20 43
Statistics NU ILL First downs 20 20 Total yards 379 455 Rushing yards 145 107 Passing yards 234 348 Turnovers 2 4 Time of possession 29:50 30:10
Team Category Player Statistics Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 24/32, 234 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Cam Porter 16 rushes, 69 yards Receiving Camron Johnson 7 receptions, 124 yards, TD Illinois Passing John Paddock 24/34, 334 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT Rushing Reggie Love III 23 rushes, 106 yards Receiving Casey Washington 9 receptions, 218 yards, 3 TD
Vs. Utah (Las Vegas Bowl) [ edit ] 1 2 3 4 Total Utes 0 0 0 7 7 Wildcats 0 7 0 7 14
Statistics UTAH NU First downs 13 18 Total yards 211 290 Rushing yards 138 65 Passing yards 73 225 Turnovers 3 0 Time of possession 34:21 25:39
Team Category Player Statistics Utah Passing Bryson Barnes 8/13, 55 yards, 2 INT Rushing Ja'Quinden Jackson 8 rushes, 55 yards Receiving Micah Bernard 3 receptions, 24 yards Northwestern Passing Ben Bryant 23/34, 222 yards, 2 TD Rushing Cam Porter 10 rushes, 33 yards Receiving Bryce Kirtz 5 receptions, 68 yards, TD
References [ edit ] ^ Chicago Tribune staff (November 15, 2023). "David Braun named Northwestern's permanent head football coach midway through interim season" . The Chicago Tribune . Retrieved December 2, 2023 . ^ "Northwestern's Braun named Big Ten coach of the year. Coaches vote 8 Michigan players to 1st team" . Associated Press . November 29, 2023. Retrieved December 1, 2023 . ^ "Northwestern Football: Pat Fitzgerald Suspended Amid Hazing Probe - Sports Illustrated" . Sports Illustrated . Retrieved August 23, 2023 . ^ "Northwestern fires Fitzgerald amid hazing claims" . ESPN.com . July 10, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023 . ^ "Northwestern names defensive coordinator David Braun as interim head coach" . Yahoo Sports . July 14, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2023 . ^ Cobb, David (July 25, 2023). "Big Ten football predicted order of finish for 2023: Michigan picked to win conference title over Ohio State" . CBS Sports . Retrieved October 20, 2023 . ^ "2023 Football Schedule" . Northwestern University Sports. Retrieved December 20, 2022 .
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