Aidan Chiles Powers Northwestern Past Ball State In Homecoming Blowout

The Northwestern Wildcats rode their ruthlessly efficient quarterback, Aidan Chiles, past Ball State and treated their second crowd at the new Ryan Field to a homecoming win, 45-14.

NU (4-1, 1-1 Big Ten) closed out an undefeated non-conference slate for the first time since 2015 with the rout of the Cardinals (1-5, 0-2 MAC). 

One week after throwing only 14 times vs. Penn State, Chiles rifled 17 of 23 passes for 272 yards, throwing for three touchdowns and rushing for another. 

The Wildcat offense finished with 436 total yards, with Chiles accounting for 304 of them. It scored touchdowns on its first three drives, covering more than 75 yards on each possession.

NU opened its first drive with two play-action passes to receiver Griffin Wilde and tight end Alex Honig for first downs, sandwiched by a 41-yard run from Joseph Himon II. The Cardinals stuffed Gavin Sawchuk and Caleb Komolafe at the goal line before Chiles took a quarterback keeper on fourth-and-one to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.

The Wildcats’ second drive covered 92 yards in nine plays. A Komolafe rush for a first down came with an added 15 yards after Ball State’s Willizhaun Yates was called for a horse collar tackle. On a second down at the 50-yard line, Chiles fumbled a Jackson Carsello snap before recovering the ball and escaping for an 18-yard gain. Chiles ran another sneak play at fourth-and-one on the Cardinal 21 to put the Cats in the red zone. On the next play, Chiles connected with Wilde for a 19-yard pass on play action to make it 14-0.

Northwestern’s 14 first-quarter points were their most in 2026.

Chiles found early success rolling out of the pocket under pressure and finding Wilde and receiver Drew Wagner downfield. On the team’s first drive of the second quarter, Wilde caught two downfield passes, one for 39 yards and the other for 13 yards, to set up a 14-yard rushing touchdown from Komolafe.

Chiles connected with Wilde eight times for 144 yards. That mark is Wilde’s high as a Wildcat, and most since his 150 yards vs. Oklahoma State in August 2024 as a member of FCS South Dakota State. Chiles has yet to throw an interception in a Wildcat uniform. 

The offense stalled on its first drive of the third quarter, its first drive resulting in no points. Midway through the quarter, the Cats gained excellent field position after Ball State ran a fake punt and failed to convert. Frank Covey IV made the tackle to force the turnover on downs. On the ensuing drive, Chiles ran for an 11-yard gain extended by an Anthony Pinnance personal foul. Chiles hit Drew Wagner for a 12-yard pass and a touchdown on the very next play for a 38-14 advantage.

The Wildcats have scored on 22 of 23 red zone possessions this season.

Chiles connected with Honig for a 32-yard pass, with the tight end tumbling backward into the end zone, to increase the lead to 45-14 late in the third quarter. A first-down completion to Wagner and an 18-yard carry by Sawchuk teed up the 10-play, 99-yard scoring drive.

Northwestern lifted Chiles for West Virginia transfer Nicco Marchiol in the fourth quarter.

Bowling Green transfer Jackson Kleather hit a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter. It tied the second-longest distance in NU history and was the longest Northwestern field goal since Brian Gowins hit a 52-yarder against Michigan in 1997.

NU’s defense struggled early to get off the field, forcing no true three-and-outs until the third quarter.

Michael Kilbane and Payton Roth snuffed out a BSU drive in the opening minute of the second quarter, teaming up for an eight-yard sack of quarterback Keldric Luster.

The Cardinals got their first jolt of momentum on a 46-yard pass from Luster to receiver Donovan Hamilton, who was a step and a half past transfer defensive back Montae Pate in coverage. Ball State would score its first touchdown thanks to some trickery; running back Johnny Thompson took a direct snap, lateralled to Luster, who threw to Alex Scherle at the 1-yard line. Running back TJ Horton would punch it in to make it 21-7.

The Cardinals committed three penalties 17 yards late in the second quarter to put them behind the sticks. On third and long, Luster threw a pick six to defensive back Robert Fitzgerald, who returned it 15 yards to make it 31-7.

Ball State closed the first half with a 13-play drive for 55 yards, with Luster completing a touchdown pass to Jamarion McDougle on fourth-and-goal at the two-yard line to make it 31-14.

Northwestern further made its case for its first Associated Press Top 25 ranking since the end of the 2020 campaign with the offensive onslaught on its 115th homecoming in front of an annouced crowd of 25,629.

NU resumes conference play Saturday in East Lansing, Mich. for the inaugural Fitz Bowl. The Wildcats will visit Chiles' former program, Michigan State, led by first-year head coach and Northwestern’s all-time winningest coach, Pat Fitzgerald. It will be the first time Fitzgerald shares the field with an NU team since his suspension and firing for cause in July 2023.  

The Wildcats and Spartans are set to kick off at 11 a.m. CT on Peacock.