DETROIT – For the second time in his three-year reign over Northwestern’s football program, coach David Braun’s season ended with a Gatorade bath and the jubilation of knowing a brand-new trophy would soon be handed to his team.
The 2025 iteration of this moment was not in the heat of the desert or the extravagance of Las Vegas. Instead, it was in the cold, midwestern haven of Detroit on a field with endzones painted Honolulu Blue.
Donning their signature gothic jerseys, the Wildcats (7-6, 4-5 Big Ten) overcame a slow start by forcing four Chippewa (7-6, 5-3 MAC) turnovers to handily win the GameAbove Sports Bowl 34-7.
The ’Cats took on an aggressive approach early, opting to stay on the field on 4th and 1 in their own territory less than two minutes into the game. Stone handed the ball to redshirt sophomore running back Caleb Komolafe, but the Chippewas stopped him short of the line to gain.
Central Michigan stood just 33 yards away from the endzone, but it could not convert. A third down sack by graduate student defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard killed the Chippewas’ touchdown hopes.
Kicker Cade Graham took a shot at a 43-yard field goal, but his attempt sailed wide.
NU and Central Michigan traded punts until the ’Cats dealt the first blow. With 8:06 remaining in the second quarter, redshirt junior defensive back Braden Turner made a highlight-reel grab to intercept Angel Flores and give his team great field position.
Three plays later, Stone connected with junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde for a 23-yard touchdown.
Complimentary football began to work its way into the fold.
Eager to maintain their dominance, the ’Cats’ defense only needed one play to get the ball back in Stone’s hands. Hubbard came up big once more, strip-sacking Joe Labas to set up a two-yard rushing score by Komolafe.
Then, defensive coordinator Tim McGarigle’s unit did it again.
On the first play of the next drive for the Chippewas, junior defensive lineman Michael Kilbane recovered another Labas fumble and set NU up 23 yards away from paydirt. Stone wasted no time getting there, finding graduate student tight end Lawson Albright in the endzone a play later to take a 21-point lead into halftime.
Central Michigan looked desperate for a spark on the opening drive of the second half, but NU’s defense refused to slow down. On a third down, Flores carried the football on a quarterback keeper, but graduate student linebacker Mac Uihlein forced the ball on the ground. Turner picked it up and ran 47 yards for a score.
After graduate student kicker Jack Olsen missed the PAT, NU held a 27-0 lead.
The ’Cats offense followed right behind its counterpart. NU topped off its first possession of the second half with an 11-yard touchdown connection from Stone to Wilde.
Neither team scored again until around six minutes remained in the game. The Chippewas waved goodbye to the ’Cats’ shutout bid with a three-yard touchdown pass from Labas to running back Brock Townsend.
The deficit proved too large for Central Michigan to overcome, and NU celebrated as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
Here are five takeaways from Northwestern’s victory over Central Michigan:
1. Defense wins GameAbove Sports Bowl championships
NU may not have been able to ask for more from its defense after the unit held the Chippewas to a missed field goal and two punts in the first quarter. Regardless of whether or not they wished for more, the ’Cats got it.
Friday’s matchup flipped on its head once the turnovers began to pile up in the second quarter.
Stone and the offense scored all 21 of its points in that period off turnovers. Turner’s nifty interception led to the contest’s first score by way of a 23-yard reception from Wilde. Two fumble recoveries on Central Michigan’s subsequent drives made way for two more touchdowns.
In the first half, NU also tallied three sacks while holding the Chippewas to a measly 61 total yards. Central Michigan only managed to finish the day with 269.
The unit was as potent in the final 30 minutes of the game, adding its own points to the ’Cats tally with a Turner touchdown while allowing seven points.
NU’s defense finished the day with five sacks and four turnovers.
2. Stone and the offense never quite found rhythm early in 2025
2025 was not a story of success for offensive coordinator Zach Lujan’s unit. Even after having almost four weeks off, his group came out of the gate in poor form.
The ’Cats’ opening drive risk from their own 34-yard line nearly left them with an unwanted obstacle, and the rest of the first quarter was more of the same as NU punted on its next two drives. Stone and his crew only gained one first down in the first quarter, and it took them more than 13 minutes to do so.
The offense did eventually find its way onto the scoreboard, but only once the defense put them in the perfect positions to do so with three consecutive turnovers.
Regardless, Stone finished his collegiate career on a high note, accumulating 226 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air while playing the majority of the game.
3. Welcome back, Aidan Hubbard
As a long-time ’Cat, Hubbard was not going to leave the final game of his fifth season without wreaking havoc, especially after missing the last two games.
That impact was felt early when NU’s offense struggled to find its footing.
The graduate student’s sack on Central Michigan’s first drive helped to save NU from an early deficit. Hubbard’s second sack of the day came with the addition of a fumble, handing possession back to the ’Cats after scoring their first points.
Komolafe made the effort worth it, helping to turn the punchout into seven points.
Hubbard finished the day with three sacks and one forced fumble. Despite missing the final two games of the regular season, the defensive lineman led NU with 7.5 sacks in 2025
4. Braden Turner and the ’Cats’ season-long stars shine in their last game of the season
NU did what it had to do to leave 2025 with a good taste in its mouth. That meant relying on the key pieces that proved so pivotal at various stages throughout the season.
Wilde, who transferred from South Dakota State before this season, acted as Stone’s most reliable target throughout the year. Needing to pull away from the game, the two inevitably connected for the game’s first score.
The duo continued to pour it on in the third quarter, connecting for an 11-yard score late in the third quarter.
Wilde finished Friday’s matchup with 10 catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns.
The same can be said for Komolafe. The running back rose to the occasion after graduate student running back Cam Porter suffered a season-ending injury two games into the season. He was the most constant part of the offense, serving as an engine even when times got tough.
Though Komolafe did not have his most productive day on the ground against Central Michigan, he did his job when it counted, punching the ball into the endzone to extend NU’s lead on a fourth down.
On the defensive side of the ball, Uihlein and Turner have both been magnets when it comes to forcing turnovers. The pair made that known Friday, as they combined to earn a fumble return touchdown in the third quarter and solidify the ’Cats’ grasp on victory.
5. David Braun earns second bowl victory in three seasons at the helm
It hasn’t always been pretty, but Braun ended the season accomplishing one of his main goals: dominating the postseason. He is the first coach in program history to bring NU to a bowl game twice in his first three seasons, and he has won each of them.
Everything about Braun’s tenure has seemed improbable. Beginning 2023 as an interim coach, he led the ’Cats to an eight-win season and a Las Vegas Bowl win. This season saw NU walk out of Wrigley Field and Penn State’s Beaver Stadium as the victors.
Next season will usher in a new era of NU football, as the ’Cats are moving away from the lakefront to settle in the new Ryan Field. There is no better housewarming gift Braun can provide than a brand-new trophy.
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