Meet the Opponent: Northwestern Features Stout Defense, Struggling Offense Against Indiana

Northwestern made a quarterback change early in the 2024 season, but its defense has been a more consistent force in coach David Braun’s second season.

Northwestern Wildcats head coach David Braun claps during pregame warmups against Washington at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana will touch both ends of the stadium capacity spectrum during the first half of the 2024 season.

After defeating UCLA 42-13 in Week 3 at the Rose Bowl, which seats 89,702, the Hoosiers face Northwestern Saturday at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, a temporary stadium with 12,023 seats.

Northwestern tore down Ryan Field, its home for 97 years, following the 2023 season and plans to build a new stadium on the same site. But in the meantime, the Wildcats have five games at Martin Stadium in 2024 and two at Wrigley Field. Martin Stadium will also be their home field in 2025. 

It’s far different from any venue Indiana will play at this season. In addition to the limited capacity, the stadium was built steps from Lake Michigan in Evanston, Ill., providing unique views and potentially treacherous weather. The Hoosiers may avoid that obstacle, though, as Saturday’s forecast calls for a high of 67 degrees, mostly sunny skies, a 2% chance of rain and winds at 12 miles per hour.

Stellar day for some football on the lakefront… kickoff from Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium coming up at 2:30pm @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/WQiDlqI4um

— Jori Parys (@JoriParys) August 31, 2024

Kickoff between Indiana and Northwestern is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network. In their first year under coach Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers enter the game with a 5-0 record for the first time since 1967 and a five-game win streak for the first time since 1987. 

Northwestern is in its second season under coach David Braun, who went 8-5 last season. It’s off to a 2-2 start with a 13-6 home win over Miami (Ohio), a 26-20 home loss to Duke in double-overtime, a 31-7 home win over Eastern Illinois and a 24-5 loss at Washington on Sept. 21. The Wildcats had a bye week to prepare for the Hoosiers.

“They're a tough challenge,” Cignetti said. “This will be the best defensive team we've played. Really extremely well-coached, in the right places. They know what they're doing. They make you earn your points. They're not going to lose the game. You'll have to win it.”

Here’s a look at Northwestern.

Key offensive players

Northwestern moved on from quarterback Mike Wright going into its Week 3 game against Eastern Illinois, in favor of redshirt sophomore Jack Lausch, the 2021 Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year at Brother Rice High School. In his first career start, Lausch completed 20 of 31 passes (64.5%) for 227 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers, and he rushed seven times for 62 yards in a dominant win over FCS opponent Eastern Illinois.

Against a stronger opponent in his second start, Lausch and the Wildcats struggled in a 24-5 loss at Washington. Lausch completed 8 of 27 passes (29.6%) for 53 yards and two interceptions, along with 12 rushes for 21 yards.

Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Jack Lausch (12) passes against the Washington Huskies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Cam Porter was a bright spot in Northwestern’s run game, averaging 5.3 yards per carry in his first three games, but he missed the Washington game with a lower-body injury. Braun said on Monday that Porter is “definitely trending in the right direction. We’ll know more as the week goes along in terms of Cam’s availability, but really hopeful that he’ll be available on Saturday.”

Fellow running back Joseph Himon II is averaging 5.1 yards per carry on 18 attempts, and he had a 96-yard kick return against Washington.

Northwestern’s offensive line depth has been challenged due to injuries this year. Braun said the team will hopefully get starting left guard Nick Herzog back this week, but it’s unlikely that starting center Jack Bailey will play the rest of the season. Left tackle Caleb Tiernan is Northwestern’s highest graded offensive player by Pro Football Focus with a 72.6 grade for offense.

Senior wide receiver A.J. Henning has more than twice as many receptions as any of his teammates, with 25 receptions for 229 yards and one touchdown. He had at least five catches in each game and a season-high 117 yards against Eastern Illinois.

As a team, Northwestern ranks 123rd out of 134 FBS teams with 294.5 yards per game, 120th with 158.5 passing yards per game, 95th with 136 rushing yards per game and 121st with 17.3 points per game. Northwestern’s 66.7 team grade for offense ranks 105th, per PFF.

“We’re not playing at the level that we want to,” Braun said of Northwestern’s offense. “But I think there’s a lot of areas that we’re excited about to see some breakthrough in. Up until Washington, I thought we were doing a great job of establishing the run game. I think when we’re operating efficiently and staying ahead of the chains, you know, we saw some things in the passing game in the second half against Eastern Illinois that we can continue to build off of.”

Key defensive players

Northwestern has been much stronger on the defensive side of the ball. The Wildcats rank 23rd nationally with 15.8 points allowed per game, 10th with 79.3 rushing yards allowed per game and tied for 17th with 12 sacks.

Through four games, senior linebacker Xander Mueller leads Northwestern with 28 tackles, four pass breakups and a fumble recovery. He’s also the team’s highest-graded starter with a 74.7 defensive grade on PFF. 

Utah Utes running back Micah Bernard (2) is tackled by Northwestern Wildcats linebacker Xander Mueller (34) at Allegiant Stadium. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Safety Devin Turner is next with 23 tackles, and his 67.4 coverage grade is second among Northwestern starters, behind Mueller. Turner has two pass breakups on the season and had an interception against Eastern Illinois.  

Defensive lineman Anto Saka has a team-high 2.5 sacks, followed by defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard and linebacker Mac Uihlein with two sacks apiece. Saka is the team’s highest-graded pass rusher at 80.0 on PFF, though he has only played 74 snaps across three games.

Northwestern is tied for fourth in the Big Ten with 18 pass breakups and has four interceptions, but overall it has been more vulnerable against the pass than the run. The Wildcats allow the 52nd most passing yards per game in the country at 222.8.

Against Indiana, Braun said, it will be important for Northwestern to limit explosive plays through the air and force field goals if Indiana reaches the red zone. Braun has been impressed with quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who leads an Indiana offense that ranks ninth nationally with 513 total yards per game and third with 48.8 points per game. 

“We’re gonna have to find ways to affect him,” Braun said. “He’s the one with the ball in his hands on every play. We’re gonna have to force him to process post-snap. We’re gonna have to find ways to affect him in the pocket.”

Northwestern notes

• The Wildcats’ turnover ratio is six to six through four games. They’ve thrown three interceptions and lost three fumbles, and their defense has a slight edge with four interceptions compared to two fumbles recovered. 
• Kicker Jack Olsen is 7 for 7 on extra-point attempts but just 6-for-9 on field goals. He made a 46-yard field goal against Eastern Illinois but is 3 for 5 on attempts between 40 and 49 yards. He also missed a 29-yard field goal against Duke.
• Northwestern has committed 21 penalties for 176 yards, fourth fewest in the Big Ten. Opponents have been relatively mistake-free against the Wildcats, though, committing just 21 penalties, tied for third fewest among Big Ten teams.
• Northwestern and Indiana have had contrasting success on third down. The Hoosiers are tied for fifth nationally with a 53.3% third down conversion rate, while the Wildcats’ offense has converted just 25% of their third down attempts, which ranks 128th nationally. Defensively, Indiana has limited opponents to a 32.6% third down conversion rate, good for 30th in the FBS, and Northwestern is close behind at 36.5%, or 52nd.
• Northwestern leads the all-time series against Indiana 47-35-1. Indiana won the last matchup 34-3 on Nov. 2, 2019, in Bloomington, but Northwestern won the previous five matchups and is 13-4 against Indiana since 1994.

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