Hoosiers and Wildcats Clash in Pivotal Swing Game
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Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)
The Indiana Hoosiers and Northwestern Wildcats both enter Saturday’s contest at 3-3 but their seasons aren’t mirror images. In fact, the similarities probably end at their records. The Hoosiers have lost their past two games after beginning the season 3-1 while the Wildcats have won their past two after opening at 1-3. IU has relied on a surprisingly stingy defense to keep them in games this season while the Wildcats have gotten a major boost from a suddenly explosive offense during their current two-game winning streak. Indiana and Northwestern have taken differing routes to get to .500 at the midway point of the season but they enter Saturday’s contest in the same place, looking for a victory that can vault them towards postseason eligibility. Kevin Wilson met with the media on Monday and he’s been impressed with Northwestern during their recent two-game road winning streak.
“They’ve got the number one runner, number one receiver, he’s playing outstanding. He’s the first guys since Teddy Johnson to score five touchdowns in a row in five straight games. That’s back on the 2000 team. I was there. It’s a hot team. This team is playing really good offense the last couple of weeks…38 on the road at Iowa and 54 at Michigan State doesn’t happen a whole lot,” Wilson said. “Quarterback Clayton Thorson won ten games last year as a redshirt freshman. You can see him growing and settling in. He can move around with his feet, really throwing it clean, running the ball. The last couple of games over 400 yards, holding the opponent down. But Clayton’s throwing for couple…putting 500 yards on Michigan State and 54 points is the most ever in Spartan Stadium.”
The Northwestern offense, a seemingly weak unit for much of the 2015 season and the beginning of the 2016 season, has come to life in the past two weeks and led the Wildcats to road wins at Iowa and Michigan State. After failing to top 24 points in any of their first four games, Northwestern scored 38 points in an efficient outing at Iowa and then torched the Michigan State Spartans for 54 yards and 490 yards. Justin Jackson has rushed for 7.8 yards per carry on 50 carries in those two games and he appears to be back to form after a slow start to the season. Senior Austin Carr has emerged as one of the top wide receivers in the country, catching at least five passes in every game and leading the Big Ten in nearly every receiving category. Indiana’s defense has been a revelation thus far, holding opponents well under their season averages and performing well enough to land at #30 in the S&P+ defensive rankings. They know they’ll be facing a stiff test against a suddenly confident and hot offense but the Hoosiers defense will be ready.
“We like what we are doing,” sophomore defensive back Jonathan Crawford said. “We are always going to be confident in ourselves. We know what we can be, and we know what we are going to be.”
The Hoosiers have not won in Evanston since 1993, a losing streak of seven games. If they are to halt that losing streak, they’ll need to get the offense on track. Kevin Wilson believes the attack is just “a little bit off” and that the issues with the attack are correctable. The running game has been poor in the absence of All-American right guard Dan Feeney and it’s not likely to get on track against Northwestern if he is still out this Saturday. The Wildcats are only surrendering 140 rushing yards per game. However, they have allowed more than 275 passing yards per game, including 424 yards against Michigan State.
“They are big and physical,” senior wide receiver Mitchell Paige said of Northwestern’s defense. “They will definitely be a challenge. They have been impressive the first couple of days on film, defensively. We are going to have to bring our best stuff and prepare better and be ready, because they are going to be coming.”
The Wildcats defense relies on a strong defensive line, particularly the pass rushing prowess of Ifeadi Odegnibo (six sacks in the past two games) and the outstanding play of All-Big Ten linebacker Anthony Walker. Walker has 40 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks on the season and he helps free up Godwin Igwebuike and Jaylen Prater to make plays.
Both teams enter this noon clash at 3-3 with three very winnable games on their respective remaining schedules. The victor will be 4-3 with a very strong chance at getting through the rugged Big Ten with enough wins to go bowling. The defeated squad will be sitting at 3-4 and be left without much wiggle room if they are to return to the postseason.