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Rutgers game week: David Braun presser notes
Northwestern head coach David Braun previewed the upcoming Rutgers matchup in a Monday press conference, reflecting on the Wildcats' thrilling road win over Michigan State. He emphasized honesty, improvement, and staying aggressive as the team hits the season’s midpoint. Braun praised Rutgers' coaching, top receiver KJ Duff, and quarterback play, while urging fans to create a noisy, fast‑paced environment to disrupt the opponent’s tempo. He highlighted the importance of communication, leverage, and a calm kicker for late‑game situations, and discussed protecting quarterback Aidan Chiles and special‑teams challenges. The notes reveal Braun’s confidence tempered by humility as Northwestern aims to remain on the attack.
Set Point #9: A Big Ten gauntlet
Northwestern women's volleyball sits at 7-12 overall and 0-8 in the Big Ten, coming off loss‑streaks to No. 1 Nebraska and No. 22 Michigan State. Against Nebraska, the Wildcats were shut out 75-46 with a .030 hitting percentage, while versus Michigan State they took a set but fell 25-21 after fading in the later points. Standout performers Bella Bullington (13 kills) and Mara Štiglic (12 kills) kept the team competitive, but block coordination and middle‑court defense remain critical weaknesses. The next match is a Thursday night showdown with Michigan, offering a potential turning point.
The Low Block, Week 9: Confusion and frustration
Northwestern’s Week 9 loss to Penn State left the Wildcats scrambling for a Big Ten tournament spot. After two weeks without a win, the senior‑night showdown was a must‑win, yet a controversial red card for veteran Fritz Volmar in the 12th minute forced NU to play with ten men. Despite a solid first‑half defense and a key save by Dominic Pereira, the team faded, conceding a late goal from Joe Sheridan that sealed the defeat. The defeat drops NU to one point and one spot outside the newly expanded six‑team tournament field, a slight reprieve after the format change. Coach Russell Payne’s discipline plea and lineup uncertainties, including Baraka Tarleton’s benching, add to the frustration.
Golf: Women shine out west, men stumble down the stretch in Georgia
Northwestern’s golf teams had mixed fortunes this week. The women surged to a fourth‑place finish at the Stanford Intercollegiate (Oct. 16‑18), posting a 10‑over total behind Stanford’s 28‑under win and outpacing ranked foes such as UCLA and Iowa State. Freshman Rebecca Wang shone with a 4‑under 209 (71‑67‑71) and a tournament‑low 67, while Emilie Knai tied for 13th. Meanwhile, the men slipped to a tie for 10th at the Georgia Collegiate Invitational, finishing 4‑under after a strong 278 opening round but faltering with 292 and 298 in the final two days. Freshman Kuan Zhou led Northwestern with a 1‑over 217, and Carter Gaede’s final‑round 80 dropped him from T‑10 to T‑46. Both squads head to the Preserve Golf Club in California on Oct. 26‑27.
Big Ten Power Rankings: Week 7
After a tumultuous Week 7, the Big Ten holds three top‑10 spots in the AP Poll. Ohio State (6‑1, 4‑0 B1G) remains No. 1 despite a narrow win over Indiana, though an injury to Julian Sayin raises concerns. Indiana (6‑1, 4‑0) stays at No. 2 after a defensive showcase that limited the Buckeyes to 3.7 yards per play. UCLA, the only unbeaten Power Five team (6‑0, 4‑0), holds the No. 9 spot, powered by a dominant defense and QB Colton Joseph’s five‑touch‑down streak. Iowa (5‑1) holds at No. 15 during a bye week, while Northwestern (5‑1) clings to No. 24 after a gritty win at Michigan State. Oregon jumps to the Coaches’ top 25 at No. 25.
Pitch Perfect, Week 10: Farewells
In Week 10, Northwestern women's soccer suffers a 3-0 loss to USC on senior day, marking their third consecutive Big Ten defeat. While the result hurts, the column shifts focus to honoring the departing senior class. Defenders Maddie Finnerty, a stalwart right back behind many shutouts, and backup keeper CJ Roy, a 2025 Big Ten Sportsmanship honoree, will be missed. Midfielder Holland Carey, praised for his work rate and creativity, and academic standout Presley Nevadomsky, a multiple‑time Academic All‑Big Ten scholar, also receive tribute. The piece previews the upcoming roster turnover as the Wildcats look ahead to next season.
Doug Collins’ homecoming sours as Northwestern falls to Illinois State in exhibition
Doug Collins’ homecoming turned sour as Northwestern fell 70-64 to Illinois State in their exhibition opener. Despite shooting 51% and hitting 6‑of‑14 three‑pointers, the Wildcats committed 20 turnovers and struggled on the defensive glass, while the Redbirds capitalized with 18 offensive rebounds and a 23‑7 edge in points off turnovers. Illinois State’s Noah Cleveland dominated with 16 points and 15 rebounds, and key late‑game plays—including a clutch three from Mason Klabo—sealed the upset. Northwestern’s promising start, highlighted by Jake West’s 14 points and seven assists, vanished as ball‑handling and second‑chance scoring proved decisive.
Three takeaways from Northwestern’s tense 24-21 win over Michigan State
Northwestern survives a sloppy showing to edge Michigan State 24‑21 in East Lansing, clinching the win with kicker Jackson Kleather’s last‑second field goal. Despite a blocked go‑ahead attempt, a 53‑yard TD catch by MSU’s Crishon McCray and a risky fake punt on fourth‑and‑8, the Wildcats rallied late, highlighted by Aidan Chiles’ 29‑yard pass to Griffin Wilde in a one‑minute drive. Coach David Braun praised the team’s belief and “it” factor, but noted the need to cut self‑inflicted errors that made the game tighter than expected. The victory marks NU’s fifth win of the season and a statement Big Ten road win.
Rapid Reaction: Northwestern collapses during second half in 70-64 exhibition loss to Illinois State
Illinois State upsets Northwestern 70-64 in an exhibition on Oct. 18, 2026, after a second‑half surge fueled by 18 offensive rebounds and just 10 turnovers versus Northwestern’s 20. Noah Cleveland tops the box score with 16 points and 15 rebounds, while Johnny Kinziger adds 15 for the Redbirds. Northwestern’s Jake West leads the Wildcats with 14 points and seven assists, but turnovers and poor ball security cost them. The game featured a unique coaching twist—Chris Collins faced his father’s alma mater, with Doug Collins serving as honorary coach for both squads. Illinois State, a Missouri Valley Conference frontrunner, reverses a 35‑point loss from the previous year.
Gamethread/How to follow Northwestern men’s basketball vs. Illinois State: Radio, live updates, injury report
Northwestern men’s basketball opens the 2026‑27 season with a southern exhibition against Illinois State at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Ill., kicking off at 4:00 p.m. CT. Coach Chris Collins debuts on the court named for his Hall‑of‑Fame father, Doug Collins. The game streams only via WGN Radio 720, while Inside NU will live‑tweet play‑by‑play on X @InsideNU. Northwestern lists Jayden Hodge (knee) as out; Illinois State has no injuries, though Malik Messina‑Moore’s eligibility remains "fluid." Fans can follow real‑time stats without missing a beat.
Northwestern football wins ugly, and that might be the best sign yet
The Wildcats’ teams of the past drop this game. They’d find a way to lose, usually in the most agonizing manner available. It looked like that was inevitable in the dying moments of this one. And yet, despite failing on a fake punt from its own 28-yard line in a tie game, on the road, […]
Men’s Soccer: The Wildcats get a draw after a late defensive miscue
Northwestern put forth a strong performance against Big Ten rival Penn State to get its record back to .500 for the year. The game ended 1-1 after both teams scored in the second half, yet the Wildcats seemed to be the team clawing their way to the draw. Within the first 10 minutes of the […]
Volleyball: Northwestern loses to No. 22 Michigan State as hunt for Big Ten win continues
After getting swept 3-0 by No. 1 Nebraska on Thursday, Northwestern had yet another difficult matchup against No. 22 Michigan State, where the ‘Cats fell 3-1. Northwestern dropped to 7-12 overall and 0-8 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats fought hard, but sloppy mistakes and fatigue ultimately cost them. The first set started promisingly, with […]
Stock up, stock down for Northwestern’s last second win over Michigan State
What a win. Aidan Chiles, following an incredible 60-yard drive down the field with just a minute to go, allowed Jackson Kleather a chip-shot 34-yard kick to complete Northwestern’s comeback bid over Michigan State. However, this game was far from pretty and there are questions to be answered following the victory. Though, for just the […]
Rapid Reaction: Northwestern escapes Michigan State with impossibly dramatic 24-21 win
Well, that went just as everyone expected. Pat Fitzgerald’s and Aidan Chiles’ first games against their former teams more than lived up to the billing. A blocked kick at the other end led to a one-minute drill that eventually resulted in a Jackson Kleather 34-yard field goal. That was the difference, as No. 25 Northwestern […]
Northwestern vs. Michigan State: Game chat, updates
Northwestern takes on Michigan State in Week 7 of college football. The game will be on Peacock. It will also be available on NBCSN in select markets. Pregame reading: Chat about the game in the comments!
Northwestern Men’s Basketball Player Previews: The first-years
Head coach Chris Collins brought in five first-year players last season. Only two remained: sophomore guards Jake West and Phoenix Gill. Forward Tre Singleton transferred to Iowa State University, forward Tyler Kropp to Washington State University and Cade Bennerman to North Carolina University. In the chaos of this offseason, after which nine players entered the […]
ROUNDTABLE: No. 25 Northwestern at Michigan State Predictions
Full circle moments are awesome in sports. We’ve got multiple on our hands. Last time Northwestern was ranked was in the Pat Fitzgerald era. Now, the ‘Cats travel to East Lansing to face their former head coach, while Aidan Chiles goes head-to-head with a quarterback he lost the starting job to a year ago at […]
Northwestern women’s basketball 2026-27 player previews: The first-years
The Northwestern Wildcats have plenty of new faces this season, including new head coach Carla Berube. But only three of them are new to college basketball. The Wildcats are bringing in three first-year students this season: Xyanna Walton, Brooke Golden and Romana Jelenc. Both Walton and Golden were Joe McKeown’s final recruits after his 18-year […]
Volleyball: Northwestern falls to No. 1 Nebraska, bringing it to seven straight losses
In a much anticipated game between Northwestern (7-11, 0-7 B1G) and No. 1 Nebraska (18-0, 7-0 B1G), the Cornhuskers showed 5,329 fans, the most at a NU volleyball game this year, why they are the best team in the country. Though the ‘Cats had some flashes of good play, they were ultimately out-dueled in a […]
Big Ten men’s basketball offseason recap
The college basketball offseason will never be the same. What used to be a mild, high-school-recruit-focused six months has now turned into a mad dash, with coaches like Northwestern’s Chris Collins scrambling to rebuild its rosters after waking up to find it has just three returning players. Combine that with the fact that this is […]
Three keys to Northwestern vs. Michigan State
Before the season started, most fans circled Northwestern’s trip to East Lansing as a toss-up, must-win game for bowl eligibility. Before the season started, the media pitted Northwestern as the 14th-best team in the Big Ten. Before the season started, most sportsbooks projected Northwestern at 5.5 wins. Now, entering Week 7, the preseason projections couldn’t […]
Big Ten Power Rankings: Week 6
Week 6 was a pivotal week for the Big Ten, with teams like Purdue and UCLA making massive jumps with their victories. Here’s how our power rankings changed based on this week’s results: 1. Ohio State (AP No. 4, Coaches No. 5) 5-1 | 3-0 B1G Last Week’s Ranking: 1 Movement: 0 Ohio State left […]
The Northwestern Field Hockey Notebook: Full circle heartbreak
Two shocking losses, separated by 363 days, have a couple commonalities. Same opponent, wearing the same uniforms, beating Northwestern by the same scoring margin. But the most important commonality between the two games is this: both these games, for the first time, have proven the Wildcats to be vulnerable. NU was 11-0 before its first […]
Michigan State game week: David Braun presser notes
Head coach David Braun had a media availability Monday afternoon to address the upcoming Michigan State game. Here are our notes, with some edited for clarity: Braun on Ball State win: The truth is, we didn’t play a complete game against Ball State. There was good, there were lulls, there was bad, there was a […]
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