After falling 42-7 to Wisconsin on Homecoming last year, Northwestern welcomed alumni back to Ryan Field with a 23-20 win against Howard.
Saturday’s game marked the Wildcats’ (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) and Bisons’ (2-3, 0-0 MEAC) first meeting, and it was a welcome one. At halftime, Howard’s “Showtime” Marching Band was met with raucous applause from NU and Howard fans alike. The NU Marching Band followed with a similarly received performance that included “Dance the Night Away” from the “Barbie” movie.
Aside from the halftime performances, the ‘Cats entertained fans on the field with a strong running game and dominant defense. Now sitting at .500, interim head coach David Braun and NU enter their bye week, continuing to improve on last season’s 1-11 finish.
Here are five takeaways from the clash between the ‘Cats and the Bison.
Takeaways:
1. Sullivan steers the ship with Bryant out
With graduate student quarterback Ben Bryant out due to an upper-body injury sustained against Penn State last week, junior quarterback Brendan Sullivan made his mark with three total touchdowns, two through the air and one on the ground.
The Davison, Michigan, native sustained his fair share of sacks but didn’t let the Bisons’ pressure stop him, completing 13-of-18 passes for 131 yards.
After being flushed out of the pocket in the third quarter, Sullivan completed a cross-body throw to graduate student wide receiver Cam Johnson down the sideline for six. Although Bryant will still return as a starter, Sullivan performed well in the former’s stead.
“The great thing about this game that we play or coach or are involved with, it’s the ultimate team game and I think Brendan Sullivan understands that,” Braun said of Sullivan’s leadership. “He understands that his energy can be a catalyst to other people’s success.”
2. Speedy start doesn’t last for long
With his interception last week against Penn State in the rearview mirror, Sullivan kicked it into high gear with a rushing touchdown on the ‘Cats’ opening drive. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound quarterback ran 35 yards, dodging a defender before greeting the end zone with prayer hands.
Sullivan’s touchdown capped off a five-play drive highlighted by first downs from Johnson and senior wide receiver Bryce Kirtz.
But, the ‘Cats failed to find similar success the remainder of the first quarter. Their next three drives accounted for just 18 yards on 16 plays. Aside from a 23-yard reception from Kirtz to overcome a deficit on third-and-17 and a forced safety from the defense (its first since 2019), the clock ran out on offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian’s unit.
3. Defense can’t find an answer for James
For most of Saturday’s game, NU’s defense stymied Howard’s chances of prolonged drives. Thwarted by incomplete passes from quarterback Quinton Williams and various ‘Cats tackles, the Bison recorded a third-down conversion rate of 28.6% in the first half.
Senior linebacker Xander Mueller and senior defensive back Rod Heard II led NU in solo tackles, Mueller with seven and Heard with five. Heard garnered NU’s only forced fumble in the first quarter, though Howard recovered the ball.
Similar to the team’s second-half display against Penn State last week, the ‘Cats defense surrendered another late push from their opponent. Howard tallied two rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a 64-yard rush from running back Eden James, who tallied 177 yards on the ground. Still, NU was able to hold on.
Mueller emphasized the challenge of playing a “full four quarters,” and said that the ‘Cats are still working toward that goal.
“Just like a lot of big plays that were just one little miscommunication, one missed tackle,” Mueller said of the defense’s second-half performance. “(Us not) being all on the same page and allowing those big plays (was) a big part of their success.”
4. Special teams soar in Henning’s absence
With senior wide receiver A.J. Henning sidelined for Saturday’s contest, Kirtz and junior running back Anthony Tyus III split the bulk of NU’s returning duties.
“A.J. is an absolute weapon (and) we look forward to having him back,” Braun said. “But those other guys continue to show a lot of really good things that get us excited. At the end of the day, (if other teams) start kicking away from A.J., you want to make sure that you’ve got other people back there that can continue to flip the field.”
Following Howard’s touchdown in the third quarter, Tyus exploded for a 30-yard run out near midfield on the first kickoff return of his career.
Senior punter Hunter Renner produced another solid performance, highlighted by a 43-yard boot which pinned the Bison inside their own five-yard. Aside from a shanked punt, Renner finished the day with an average of 36.8 yards on five punts.
5. Knock, knock, nobody’s home
Alongside Bryant and Henning, senior tight end Marshall Lang was also ruled out of Saturday’s game, leaving major gaps at wide receiver and tight end, respectively. But this didn’t thwart the ‘Cats, with the dynamic duo of Kirtz and Sullivan driving the offense.
After scoring his first and second collegiate touchdowns in NU’s 37-34 win against Minnesota, Kirtz kept the momentum going with his first quarter touchdown, 41 receiving yards and an 80% completion percentage. Following Saturday’s game, Kirtz remains the team’s leading receiver with 327 total yards.
Nine players who were previously active this season were listed as out before Saturday’s contest. Next week’s bye should prove significant for the ‘Cats to revive their ranks before the Oct. 21 contest at Nebraska.
“We need the break to get guys’ legs back and maybe figure out some injuries,” Kirtz said. “I know we’ve got a couple of guys coming back after five weeks, so that’s exciting.”
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Twitter: @elenahubert25
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