Northwestern's regular season came to an ugly conclusion two weekends ago with a road loss to in-state rival Illinois. The 'Cats were careless with the football, and it cost them "the hat" trophy in a game that the Illini gave them a chance to have.
Now, with a 6-6 record, Northwestern is gearing up to play Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl in Detroit at Ford Field. It isn't the cream of the crop as bowls go, but the 'Cats will look to finish their season on a high note after the Illinois loss.
Earlier this week, head coach David Braun revealed that two crucial players will likely return from injury for the bowl game: RB Caleb Komolafe and EDGE Aidan Hubbard. Braun said he was "really confident" in both players' availability for the game.
Komolafe has been the 'Cats' RB1 for much of the season since Cam Porter went down with a season-ending injury. He's been lighting in a bottle for Northwestern, racking up 886 yards on the ground and 10 touchdowns on 175 carries.
The 'Cats have won games this season by running the ball effectively, and Komolafe has been an enormous piece of that puzzle. Northwestern's offensive line can block for anybody, but not having No. 5 in the Illinois game was noticeably debilitating. Robby Preckel did a solid job in relief, but Komolafe is a different beast.
Northwestern also may still be without Joseph Himon, who has spelled Komolafe all season and was injured at the beginning of the Illinois game, which makes getting the starter back all the more crucial. Braun said he's less confident in Himon's chances.
Hubbard, meanwhile, has been out of the lineup since the 'Cats lost to Michigan in mid-November. Northwestern's defense was noticeably worse in the immediate aftermath of the injury, surrendering 35 points to Minnesota. It struggled again in the first half vs. Illinois before keeping the team in the game in the second half.
Not having Hubbard hurt. The pass rusher has 4.5 sacks on the season and does a tremendous job setting the edge for the Wildcats. He's also a senior leader on the defense, and his presence is a big deal. NFL Draft prospect Anto Saka has talked a lot this season about rushing opposite Hubbard and how much he respects his game.
It seems like Hubbard will be able to play one last game in purple and help this team finish strong. Having both him and Komolafe back bodes well for Northwestern's chances, especially against a smaller school like Central Michigan.
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