Aidan Chiles and Chip Kelly have found early success at Northwestern, with the Wildcats scoring 75 points and surpassing 400 yards in each of their first two games.
Two games into the 2026 season, Aidan Chiles and Chip Kelly already look comfortable working together.
That comfort has translated directly to the field, with Northwestern scoring 75 points through its first two games while surpassing 400 total yards in each. The Wildcats opened with 497 yards against South Dakota State before following it with 423 yards in Saturday’s 41-7 win over Colorado.
At the center of it all has been Chiles.
The Northwestern quarterback has looked confident operating Kelly’s offense, making smart decisions, finding open receivers and taking advantage of opportunities when defenses give them to him. Through two games, Chiles has completed 31 of 46 passes for 514 yards and four passing touchdowns while adding three rushing touchdowns.
More importantly, he has protected the football. Chiles has not thrown an interception or lost a fumble through Northwestern’s first two games, giving the Wildcats an efficient and explosive presence at quarterback.
Against Colorado, Chiles was especially sharp.
He completed 17 of 22 passes for 241 yards and three touchdowns while adding two rushing scores. His ability to make plays with his arm and legs was a major reason Northwestern jumped out to a 21-0 halftime lead before cruising to the 41-7 victory.
Sep 5, 2026; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Aidan Chiles (0) throws a pass intended for wide receiver Griffin Wilde (17) during the first half against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn ImagesThe big plays have continued to be there, but so have the smart ones.
Chiles has shown an ability to keep his eyes downfield while using his athleticism to extend plays. That combination can make Kelly’s offense difficult to defend because a play that appears to break down can quickly turn into a completion or a gain with Chiles creating outside of the pocket.
David Braun has noticed that development.
After Northwestern’s opening win over South Dakota State, Chiles came back to work the following week and was coached hard despite the strong performance. That willingness to be coached and continue improving is something Braun has repeatedly emphasized as an important part of Chiles’ development.
Braun has also praised Chiles’ poise, athleticism and ability to keep his eyes downfield.
Those traits were on display against Colorado, particularly in Chiles’ connection with Joseph Himon II. The two connected for three touchdown passes, giving Northwestern another example of how explosive the offense can be when Chiles is making the right reads and getting the ball to his playmakers.
It is still early, but the first two weeks have provided plenty of evidence that the Chiles-Kelly pairing can work. Now comes the first real test of how well that relationship can translate to Big Ten play.
Northwestern travels to Bloomington on Friday, Sept. 25, to face No. 4 Indiana at 7 p.m. CT. The Hoosiers will provide a different challenge than South Dakota State and Colorado, and Chiles will have to continue making quick decisions, protecting the football and creating explosive plays against a ranked opponent.
If Chiles continues to play with the same confidence and efficiency, Northwestern has the pieces around him to make Kelly’s offense dangerous.
The Wildcats have already shown they can move the football. Chiles has shown he can make the right decisions while also creating plays on his own. And Kelly has helped put him in positions to succeed.
The next question is how long that combination can continue.
Two games into the season, there are already signs that Northwestern has found something that works. The Wildcats will learn much more when they take that formula into Big Ten play.
