Northwestern running back Caleb Komolafe had totaled 148 career rushing yards entering the 2025 season. The redshirt sophomore ran for 119 yards on Saturday alone.
"The Beast," as wide receiver Griffin Wilde said the team has started calling him, toted the rock 27 times in Northwestern's 17-14 home win over UCLA. Komolafe's nine-yard rushing touchdown in the second quarter helped the Wildcats build a large enough lead to survive the Bruins' comeback, and his bruising, physical playstyle drained the clock to even NU's record at 2-2 (1-1 Big Ten).
"The thing that Caleb has proven is that he can carry that load and the level of consistency," head coach David Braun said after the game. "Caleb has just continued to grow. We got some running-back-by-committee out there for sure, but a guy like Komo having 27 carries and over 100 yards, that fires me up. That's something that's going to have to show up throughout the season."
Komolafe and Joseph Himon II were part of a Northwestern rushing attack that went for nearly 200 yards on the ground, cementing the identity that the 'Cats have embraced in the season's early going. Northwestern won the time-of-possession battle by a substantial margin, largely thanks to Komolafe and Himon's contributions.
Here are three more takeaways from the Wildcats' 17-14 victory against the Bruins:
Defense bent, but didn't break
Although Northwestern suffered 20-point defeats to Tulane and Oregon, the 'Cats' defense was not entirely at fault. Tim McGarigle's unit mostly held its own in each outing, but offensive turnovers and an inability to capitalize on stops proved too much for the defense to withstand.
Against UCLA, Preston Stone and the Wildcats' offense put points on the board, alleviating some stress from the other side of the ball. Facing a ferocious defensive line and a hard-hitting second level, the Bruins punted twice and had a turnover on downs on their first three drives.
Nico Iamaleava and UCLA started to find rhythm, scoring on their next three possessions, but the 'Cats stood strong when it mattered most. Northwestern forced a three-and-out deep in Bruin territory, then Anto Saka and Braydon Brus brought down Iamaleava for a game-ending sack.
Northwestern has allowed 21 combined points in its two wins this season and 57 points in its two losses.
Stone is steady, though not spectacular
Quarterback Preston Stone's first four games in purple have been a rollercoaster ride. Against UCLA, it was a tale of two halves. The SMU graduate transfer was 9-for-11 for 104 yards in the first half and found Wilde for a 10-yard score to give Northwestern a 17-0 lead. He completed his next three passes to start the second — two of which went for a loss — before ending the game with four consecutive incompletions.
In all, Stone finished 12-for-18 with 115 yards and a touchdown. While it wasn't a stat line that pops off the sheet, Stone did exactly what was asked of him. Northwestern ran the ball a whopping 42 times, and Komolafe's success on the ground took pressure off Stone to win the game himself.
Most importantly, he did not turn the ball over once. Stone, who leads the Big Ten with six interceptions and has had several unforced fumbles as well, was reliable and kept the football out of harm's way. By limiting his mistakes, UCLA had few opportunities to take advantage, and NU's defense remained fresh.
The WR depth chart is in flux
Griffin Wilde has been everything the Wildcats could've asked for and more since transferring from South Dakota State. The junior ranks eighth in the Big Ten in catches (22) and 10th in receiving yards (311), and he posted another great performance on Saturday with seven receptions for 98 yards and a score.
Outside of him, Northwestern's receiving corps is a mess. After dealing with drop problems over the first three weeks, Braun gave a significant portion of Frank Covey IV and Ricky Ahumaraeze's snaps out wide to Drew Wagner and Hayden Eligon II against UCLA. However, the change in personnel did not translate to success, as the pair combined for negative four yards on three catches. Tight end Hunter Welcing, who had a 22-yard catch-and-run, was the only other player to turn a reception into a gain.
For a team that will have to keep up with high-powered offenses like Purdue and USC later this year, as well as score on defenses like Michigan and Illinois, that's unacceptable. The Wildcats desperately need a pass-catcher to step up alongside Wilde.
"Drew and Hayden, most recently, have shown a lot of progress and are making a lot of plays," Braun said. "[We're] kind of going with the hot hand. That's a group that needs to continue to be a threat because of their depth and the diversity in that room, in terms of skillsets. Frank and Ricky are guys that we certainly believe in and continue to do a great job, but Hayden and Drew are really starting to come on and I see more opportunities because of that."
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