After defeating Maryland 37-30 and earning their first Big Ten win of the season, Rutgers is listed as a 16.5-point underdog this week, as they are set to hit the road once again to take on No. 24 Northwestern. The Wildcats currently sit at 5-1 on the year, with their only loss coming by six points to No.6 Indiana.
The game against Indiana aside, Northwestern has pulled off several convincing wins against weaker competition this season. The Wildcats handed Colorado a 34-point loss and Penn State a 21-point loss while also pulling off wins against teams like Michigan State, Ball State and South Dakota State.
Former Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles has been leading the charge for Northwestern as he currently has 1,398 yards, nine touchdowns and no interceptions on the year while also boasting a 70.5% completion rate. He has also shown off his mobility, adding 60 rushes for 98 yards and seven more touchdowns.
At running back, the Wildcats have Caleb Komolafe, who has totaled 401 yards on 75 carries for four touchdowns, and Joseph Himon II, who has totaled 30 carries for 346 yards and three touchdowns. Chiles, in combination with these two, give Northwestern a lot of options to take advantage of the Scarlet Knights’ porous run defense. In fact, it is almost a guarantee they will run the ball a lot considering the Wildcats average less than 24 passes a game.
At receiver, the Wildcats are led by Griffin Wilde, who has 30 catches for 483 yards and three touchdowns.
Defense seems to be where Northwestern shines the most, as they have held their opponents to under two touchdowns in half of their games. While their overall opponent completion percentage is high, their yards per pass are among the lowest in the country, as they only surrender an average of 6.2 yards per pass. It will be interesting to see how a consistent big play threat like KJ Duff matches up against a secondary known for forcing shorter passes.
In addition to their pass defense promise, the Wildcats are a team that attacks the football, as they have over 10 turnovers this year so far.
Rutgers will be facing Northwestern in their new stadium, which opened for games earlier this season. Rutgers vs. Northwestern will kick off in the new Ryan Field on Saturday, Oct. 24 at noon. Live coverage for the game will be available on Peacock.