With just two games remaining, Northwestern football had a chance to extend its season on Nov. 23. If the Wildcats beat a weak Michigan team, they would have taken a massive step towards bowl eligibility.

Instead, they were throttled in all three phases from the jump. For 60 minutes, NU was the inferior team to the defending champion Wolverines and by the time the clock hit zeroes, Michigan won 50-6. For the ‘Cats — a program that won the Las Vegas Bowl just 11 months ago — this was rock bottom on the 2024 season.

“Truly felt coming into this game … this is a game that we were hoping to win, that like we should win,” coach David Braun said following the loss. “What we saw there in the second half does not align with the standard of Northwestern, and (is) something we have to own and learn from. And we got an opportunity to put a lot better stuff on tape against Illinois.”

While NU will have another opportunity Saturday to play at Wrigley Field against No. 23 Illinois, it will almost certainly be its last. Even if the ’Cats are able to upset the Fighting Illini — who are coming off a last-second shootout victory at Rutgers — to get to five wins, they will need eight of the five-win FBS teams to lose.

NU will likely miss the postseason, and moreover, will finish with at least three wins less than it did in the 2023 season. But, what’s more concerning — especially on Saturday — is that it faces a competitive disadvantage against Big Ten teams.

Statistically, the ’Cats are last in the conference in total offense. They are ranked 18 out of 18 in yards per game and points per game. Michigan, which is 17th in the conference in total offense, put up 50 points on them; the Wolverines did this once in their national championship season in 2023, and it was against 3-9 Indiana.

While Braun has preached an idea of “complimentary football” — or winning the effort on offense, defense and special teams — last Saturday’s affair was not the only time NU lost in all phases. In games against Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa and Ohio State, the ’Cats fell in blowout fashion.

It’s one thing if it was a tight loss, but to have multiple losses against common opponents where the team is clearly the second best on the field brings up legitimate cause for concern. It points to the fact that the roster that the ’Cats are building is just not good enough.

In the modern college football era, this NU model will not work. There are powerhouse teams that will be playoff contenders every year — Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, to name a few — and others that make consistent bowl appearances. 

Where do the ‘Cats fall? After Nov. 23 , it has to be on the outside looking in.

What NU fans saw in Ann Arbor was a team that was unable to perform not only against expectations, but also against itself. Throughout the season, there have been too many self-inflicted mistakes, and many became apparent again at the Big House: the defense giving up a touchdown in the final two minutes of the first half, the offense failing to consistently move the ball and special teams providing a disadvantage. 

For not only a ’Cats fan, but a college football fan, what Braun and co. are putting on the field is not good enough. The Michigan loss showed it. More than half the games this season showed it, and NU missing a bowl game for the third time in four years shows it.

Does that mean 2023’s miraculous season was a hoax? No, definitely not. That team was talented, with good players on both offense and defense, and what Braun did — especially after what happened in the summer before — should be praised. 

But, 2023 is a year ago and now eyes are on the 2024 ’Cats, who failed to perform in crucial moments and after Saturday’s matchup at the Friendly Confines will see their season come to a close.

That feels like rock bottom.

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