August’s conclusion signifies that college football season is finally here. Northwestern will travel down south to New Orleans to kick off its season against Tulane on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Before the Wildcats provide the answer for us, the Daily’s Gameday Staff took a swing at predicting what the 2025 season has in store.
Record: 6-6 (3-6 Big Ten)
Key Player: Griffin Wilde
Breakout Contender: Braydon Brus
Expectations for year three of the David Braun era should fall between the results of 2024’s disappointing 4-8 season and 2023’s 8-5 record with a Las Vegas Bowl victory. Northwestern made significant improvements to last year’s squad on paper, but these changes could be neutralized by 2025’s tough conference schedule.
The ’Cats open the year with an uphill battle right away, one of two Big Ten teams on the road and tasked with facing a formidable Group of Five opponent in Tulane, which received 23 votes in the season’s opening AP Top 25 Poll on the heels of a nine-win campaign. If NU can knock down the Green Wave, it can ride the victory into four straight home games.
Graduate student transfer quarterback Preston Stone could be one of the best passers in the Big Ten, but he will need to elevate a mostly unproven group of receivers. Junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde, who transferred from South Dakota State, can anchor the receiving corps. The junior had over 1,000 receiving yards last year, and will be heavily leaned on as he jumps to the Big Ten.
The ’Cats’ identity will once again be in their defense, in particular, their front seven. Redshirt junior defensive end Anto Saka is receiving significant NFL Draft hype as part of a deep, experienced defensive line that will strike fear in opposing offenses. A strong pass rush will allow linebackers Mac Uihlein, a 2024 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, and Braydon Brus, recently-named starter, to fly around the middle of Tim McGarigle’s defense and make plays.
If NU takes care of business in its non-conference slate and at home against conference foes like UCLA, Purdue and Minnesota (at Wrigley Field), the ’Cats will be in position to finish .500 or better and return to a bowl game.
That outcome is easier said than done, but this team has the talent and experience to do it.
— Andrew Little, Senior Staffer
Record: 5-7 (2-7 Big Ten)
Key Player: Preston Stone
Breakout pick: Joseph Himon II
After an abysmal, 4-8 2024 season characterized by poor quarterback play from Jack Lausch and Mike Wright Jr., Northwestern will look to return to bowl game form with graduate student Preston Stone under center.
The SMU transfer offers promise to turn an offense that ranked 128th in scoring among 133 FBS schools last season into something much more productive.
But, one question mark is receiving play outside of South Dakota State transfer, junior Griffin Wilde, who amassed over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns at the FCS level in 2024. The rest of the inexperienced wide receiver room has a combined 17 receptions. It could be up to Stone to elevate his pass-catchers to prevent the offense from becoming one-dimensional as steady graduate student running back Cam Porter returns for his final season.
Defensively, NU shapes up to remain somewhat stout despite typical offseason movement in the NIL era. The offense’s progression — or lack thereof — could be the difference between a bowl team and another unremarkable year.
– Kamran Nia, Copy Chief
Record: 5-7 (3-6 Big Ten)
Key Player: Anto Saka
Breakout Contender: Griffin Wilde
Any Big Ten slate makes for a tough schedule, especially one that includes four teams ranked in the preseason poll. However, bowl eligibility isn’t off the table for NU this year. Early-season tilts against Tulane and UCLA should be competitive and are more winnable with early-season volatility. It’s not outside the realm of possibility for Northwestern to enter November at 6-2, or 2-6.
The Wildcats’ success will hinge on their trench play. With a reinforced line and a reliable between-the-tackles running back in graduate student Cam Porter, getting ahead of the sticks more often could open up opportunities for playmakers like redshirt junior running back Joseph Himon II and junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde to break out further.
On defense, redshirt junior defensive lineman Anto Saka is one of the most efficient pass-rushers in the Big Ten, but has played fewer than 400 collegiate snaps in a rotational role. Saka added weight in the offseason to become a true three-down player, and his ability to make splash plays could bring dynamism to an already solid front. If Saka can continue to ascend opposite graduate student defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard, the ’Cats’ defense could make a huge leap with a ferocious rotation up front and a strong secondary to support them.
The on-field product should improve this season, but that doesn’t mean the record will follow. If NU is playing meaningful games during their Wrigley Field stint this season, that’s a good sign.
– Alex Boyko, Senior Staffer
Record: 4-8 (2-7 Big Ten)
Key Player: Preston Stone
Breakout Contender: Frank Covey IV
Coach David Braun’s third season at the helm of NU’s football program will make or break his career in Evanston. After the Wildcats’ improbable 8-5 2023 season, Braun led NU to a disappointing 4-8 year, characterized by inconsistency in the backfield and slowing down Big Ten offenses.
Graduate student transfer quarterback Preston Stone’s play under center will be a large factor in the ’Cats’ success. The experience he brings from SMU provides stability NU did not have last year. There is only so much Braun’s squad can do, though, against the quality of opposition.
Opening the season on the road against Tulane is a tall task, but the rest of the non-conference slate is favorable. Western Illinois and ULM are not formidable opponents, so having a losing record in non-conference play would be a letdown.
Conference play is when the going gets tough. The ’Cats face four teams in the AP Top 25 in Oregon, Penn State, Michigan and Illinois. The only Big Ten matchup NU should be expected to win is October’s bout against Purdue.
Though the five games that follow aren’t a breeze, Braun cannot afford to end the season having lost all of them.
Improving from last season appears to be a difficult feat for the ’Cats.
– Anna Watson, Gameday Editor
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