For only the second time in 45 years, Northwestern is searching to start 3-0 when it faces off with FCS powerhouse Southern Illinois.
The Wildcats will have to avoid the Salukis annual defeat of an FBS team (formerly 1-AA). SIU topped Northern Illinois 34-31 a year ago and Indiana 35-28 in 2006.
While the loss is not fresh in their minds, the Cats will look back to the 2006 matchup with New Hampshire, a 34-17 embarrassment at Ryan Field. That cannot happen again for a team that has serious bowl aspirations.
SIU is better than UNH was. The inter-state rival has compiled an impressive track record over the past 5 seasons.
SIU, coming off a 12-2 season, has won 50 games since 2003, an average of 10 wins per season, good enough for the ninth most wins of any team at any level.
There is good news for the Cats, though. Long time SIU coach Jerry Kill left for Northern Illinois, and the Salukis are still adjusting to Dale Lennon’s schemes. The Salukis also lost several top players and are in a transition period offensively.
Heading into week three, NU is the only Big Ten team to have defeated two FBS teams. Unfortunately, the Cats let Syracuse hang around for a half in the 30-10 season-opening win and were out-gained by nearly 150 yards against Duke last week. NU needs to put together a full 60-minute attack and show consistency.
It’s going to start up front.
With monsoon-like conditions in Evanston today, this game is sure to be won in the trenches. Bad weather, though, can be an equalizer – each team is going to pound the ball and hope to break one.
Ironically, both teams feature pass-heavy attacks. Last week, the Salukis racked up 538 all-purpose yards. But running back Larry Warner is a playmaker. The senior gained 151 yards on the ground a week ago and returned a kickoff 95 yards to the house. The diminutive 5-foot-5 running back gets lost behind the offensive line – similar to NU’s Tyrell Sutton.
Sutton quietly scored two touchdowns in last week’s contest in Durham. The senior rushed for 72 yards in the victory but had to leave in the second half due to cramps.
If the weather clears up, the Cats will have an opportunity to spread the ball around. Hampton ripped off 403 yards against SIU last week. Either way, C.J. Bacher has not gotten on track yet. The senior is 37-of-66 thus far with three touchdowns and one interception. Bacher failed to throw a touchdown last week, the first time since the 2007 contest against Michigan.
And while all of the focus will be on the offenses, because each team will score, NU’s defense came up huge a week ago. They were on the field for 91 plays, yielding 472 yards of offense, but came up huge in the fourth quarter. Duke had two chances to score late in the Durham night; the Cats defense bent but didn’t break.
Arguably, the biggest contributor in the win was cornerback Jordan Mabin. The red-shirt freshman forced and recovered a fumble in the third quarter and deflected a pass on Duke’s final drive. Mabin also recorded five tackles. For his efforts, Mabin has moved ahead of Justan Vaughn on the depth chart and will start opposing Sherrick McMannis.
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