3 Takeaways: Northwestern Shuts Purdue Out, But Questions Remain

Gavin Dorsey

Oct 19, 2025, 00:20

Gavin Dorsey

Oct 19, 2025, 00:20

Updated at: Oct 19, 2025, 00:20

The Northwestern Wildcats are now 5-2 (3-1 B1G), their best start to a season since 2020. Although the team's 19-0 shutout victory over Purdue on Saturday ended with a less-than-encouraging fourth quarter, NU's win is cause for celebration nonetheless.

Led by a defense that forced three turnovers and stopped the Boilermakers thrice on fourth down, the 'Cats are just one win away from returning to the postseason, only one year removed from a 4-8 (2-7 B1G) record in 2024. Here are three things we learned from Northwestern's final game off the shore of Lake Michigan:

Defense Holds Strong in Biggest Moments

When Northwestern's offense sputtered in the second half, the Wildcats' D picked up the slack with a stalwart performance. Of Purdue's seven second-half drives, the final six ended in a turnover or a turnover on downs. Four of those came inside of Northwestern's 30-yard line, as NU's defense once again bent, but didn't break.

Defensive linemen Anto Saka and Michael Kilbane each earned a sack, while Brendan Flakes and Aidan Hubbard combined on a tackle-for-loss. Linebacker Mac Uihlein tallied two TFLs in his own right and added his third interception of the season. Saka and Braden Turner were both responsible for a forced fumble apiece, helping turn the tides any time Purdue found offensive momentum.

Another Successful Day on the Ground

The Wildcats carried the ball a whopping 50 times against the Boilermakers for 232 rushing yards. Caleb Komolafe continued his breakout campaign with 67 yards on 12 rushes before leaving the game in the third quarter, and Joseph Himon II managed his biggest workload of the season with 87 rushing yards on 22 carries. Redshirt freshman Dashun Reeder went for 51 yards on just five carries in relief of Komolafe, but also fumbled.

It can't be overstated how outstanding Northwestern's offensive line has been this season. Anchored by four experienced graduate students (and redshirt freshman Mo Oratokhai), the Wildcats have created massive holes for Komolafe, Himon, Reeder and previously Cam Porter to run through, and NU's talented running backs have certainly taken advantage.

Northwestern's recipe for victory with this current roster is to stifle their opponents with a capable defense and dominate the time of possession battle with a strong run game. Against upcoming foes Nebraska, USC, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois, the 'Cats will need to keep the ball out of their opponents' hands for as long as possible.

Fourth Quarter Struggles Return

On Northwestern's lone third-quarter drive, Preston Stone found Griffin Wilde for a 12-yard touchdown, putting the Wildcats ahead, 19-0. The team had five drives in the fourth quarter before lining up in victory formation, which ended like this:

Punt (3 plays, -2 yards)
Fumble (3 plays, 55 yards)
Punt (3 plays, 3 yards)
Interception (3 plays, 5 yards)
Missed Field Goal (5 plays, 37 yards)

The first four of those drives combined to drain just 4:21 off the clock, and the fifth took just under two-and-a-half minutes before Jack Olsen's missed 26-yarder. Although it wasn't as much of an issue this time, the Wildcats similarly got too conservative against UCLA last month and allowed a 17-0 lead to shrink to an eventual 17-16 win. Braun said the team got "comfortable" with the lead.

"In the Big Ten, you can't afford to ever take your foot off the gas," Braun said during his postgame press conference. "If you do, you're going to expose yourself to a team finding a way to beat you."

3 Takeaways: Northwestern Shuts Purdue Out, But Questions Remain