The Northwestern Wildcats are a dark horse Big Ten contender this season with enough talent to compete against and potentially beat any team in the conference. 

Coach David Braun has proven himself to be one of the grittiest, most energetic and determined coaches in the conference and he's embraced the challenge of bringing the Wildcats upward to the top of the league. 

This past weekend, Braun shed light on a surprise visit from one of the best offensive players in program history, D'Wayne Bates, who offered four astute words of advice for the 2026 Wildcats along with a request that fired up the team. 

Coach Braun's team is scheduled to open the 2026 season at home against South Dakota State before a higher profile game the following week against Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes. 

The Wildcats are trending upward with new faces Aidan Chiles and Chip Kelly leading the offense and star defender Robert Fitzgerald leading the defense, but Bates cautioned that Braun's team is still not close to what it will be at the end of the season. 

"Guys, I'm going to turn it over to someone that I consider, not only someone that is like an iconic figure in Northwestern football in Northwestern football, but an incredible friend not only to me but to the program as a whole," Braun said of the two-time Big Ten champion and former Chicago Bears wide receiver. 

Bates thanked Braun for "one of the best introductions he's ever had" and shared his love of the Wildcats with his team.

"Honored to be here, great to be back on campus, I bleed purple," Bates said. according to the Wildcats' official X account on Aug. 7. 

"So number one, not a finished product," he said about the 2026 team. 

"Number two I'm going to take you down the road 20 years from now, this experience changed my life at Northwestern," he said.

"You already set yourself apart, the fact that you're here. Less than six percent of athletes in the world get a chance to go to college on some type of athletic fund. You've already set yourself apart," he added.

"The skills that you're learning right now, there's no better corporation in the world than football," Bates continued.

"When coach said I've had success after college, there's nothing I face today that I didn't overcome while I was at Northwestern," he added, preparing the Wildcats for the challenges ahead of them in life and football.

Bates, who played five NFL seasons with the Bears and Minnesota Vikings, also told his players to trust in the Northwestern coaches and the process they are currently undertaking. 

"You're not a finished product," Bates reiterated. 

"When we competed, we knew where we were at, but we knew where we wanted to be. So keep working, trust the process, trust the coaches, more importantly, trust yourself," he continued. 

Bates also had a request for the Wildcats' football team this season.

"We want to see this best football from the Wildcats in December, and hopefully January," he added.

"Please afford me an opportunity to take a vacation in January so I can see a bowl game," he concluded.

"Let's go baby, let's go."