Voltar
Northwestern looks to right the ship on the road Saturday as it will face off against No. 20 Ohio State, which has also lost its last two games.
In their matchup last weekend against Iowa, the Wildcats failed to generate offensive momentum, ultimately dropping their first game at the new Ryan Field as the Hawkeyes sealed the 24-10 victory.
In place of Aidan Chiles who was out last week, quarterback Nicco Marchiol threw for 24 of 32, recording 181 passing yards and a touchdown.
Aidan Chiles will miss his second consecutive game this weekend, with Nicco Marchiol once again getting the nod as the starting quarterback.
Despite Northwestern’s offensive struggles, wide receiver Griffin Wilde and tight end Luke Dehnicke each recorded 52 receiving yards, providing occasional sparks for the Wildcats’ offense.
Northwestern was held scoreless in the first half, putting its first points on the board in the 3rd quarter off of a field goal.
The sole touchdown for Northwestern came late in the fourth quarter as running back Joseph Himon II recorded his fourth receiving score of the season.
Northwestern welcomed defensive back Robert Fitzgerald back to the lineup after he missed several games due to injury.
Although the Wildcats' defensive unit held the Hawkeyes to fewer than 300 total yards of offense, Iowa remained in control for much of the matchup.
As Northwestern scouts its upcoming game against Ohio State, both teams enter the contest coming off similar recent results, looking to get back on track.
The Buckeyes most recently lost at home against Oregon last weekend and suffered a road loss to USC the previous weekend.
Ohio State leads the Big Ten offensively, averaging nearly 36 points and around 468 yards per game.
A major factor in their offensive success is star wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who ranks among the nation’s leaders in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
Ohio State has faced a few challenges offensively more recently in the absence of its starting quarterback, Julian Sayin who has missed the past two games due to injury.
Sayin will miss his third consecutive game this weekend against Northwestern, with freshman quarterback Luke Fahey expected to start in his place.
In last Saturday’s loss to Oregon, Fahey completed 36 of 50 passes for 360 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Despite the recent changes offensively for the Buckeyes, their defensive unit has remained rock solid, allowing a little over 18 points per game, 287 yards per game and around 97 rushing yards per game.
Saturday’s matchup will mark the 82nd meeting between both programs, with the Buckeyes holding an 11-game winning streak. Kick off is set for 11 a.m. CT.