2023 Northwestern Wildcats football team explained
The 2023 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by first-year head coach David Braun and played their home games at Ryan Field (in its final season) in Evanston, Illinois. Braun began the season as interim head coach and was elevated to permanent head coach on November 15 following the team's 24–10 road win over Wisconsin.[1]
The Wildcats finished the regular season with a record of 7–5 and went 5–4 in conference play to finish second in the Big Ten West. Braun was named Big Ten Coach of the Year.[2] The Wildcats were selected to face Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, where they won 14–7.
Hazing and sexual abuse allegations
On July 7, 2023, the school announced that they had suspended head coach Pat Fitzgerald for two weeks without pay after an investigation related to hazing within the football program.[3] Three days later as details emerged of the allegations from a former player that included hazing and sexual abuse, the school fired Fitzgerald after 17 years as head coach.[4] The school named defensive coordinator David Braun the interim head coach for the season.[5]
Preseason
Big 10 media poll
The Wildcats were predicted to finish seventh in the Big Ten's West Division.[6]
| Big Ten media poll West Division |
| 1 | Wisconsin | 233 (20) |
| 2 | Iowa | 232 (16) |
| 3 | Minnesota | 176 (1) |
| 4 | Illinois | 152 |
| 5 | Nebraska | 116 |
| 6 | Purdue | 89 |
| 7 | Northwestern | 38 | |
Game summaries
At Rutgers
See also: 2023 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team.
| Statistics | NU | RUTG |
|---|
| First downs | 13 | 20 |
| Total yards | 201 | 285 |
| Rushing yards | 12 | 122 |
| Passing yards | 189 | 163 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 22:04 | 37:56 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | | 20/36, 169 yards, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Brendan Sullivan | 4 rushes, 11 yards |
| Receiving | | 4 receptions, 45 yards |
| Rutgers | Passing | | 17/29, 163 yards, TD |
| Rushing | | 14 rushes, 49 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Isaiah Washington | 4 receptions, 36 yards | |
UTEP
See also: 2023 UTEP Miners football team.
| Statistics | UTEP | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 18 | 17 |
| Total yards | 319 | 391 |
| Rushing yards | 104 | 184 |
| Passing yards | 215 | 207 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 31:21 | 28:39 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| UTEP | Passing | | 17/25, 192 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Torrance Burgess Jr. | 7 rushes, 34 yards |
| Receiving | Jeremiah Ballard | 4 receptions, 92 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Ben Bryant | 11/17, 116 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Cam Porter | 17 rushes, 90 yards |
| Receiving | Joseph Himon II | 1 reception, 85 yards, TD | |
At No. 21 Duke
See also: 2023 Duke Blue Devils football team.
| Statistics | NU | DUKE |
|---|
| First downs | 19 | 25 |
| Total yards | 267 | 487 |
| Rushing yards | 104 | 268 |
| Passing yards | 163 | 219 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 28:54 | 31:06 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Ben Bryant | 17/34, 123 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Cam Porter | 10 rushes, 49 yards |
| Receiving | Camron Johnson | 5 receptions, 45 yards |
| Duke | Passing | | 15/20, 219 yards |
| Rushing | Riley Leonard | 13 rushes, 97 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | | 5 receptions, 112 yards | |
Minnesota
See also: 2023 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.
| Statistics | MINN | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 15 | 25 |
| Total yards | 397 | 492 |
| Rushing yards | 244 | 92 |
| Passing yards | 153 | 400 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 30:10 | 29:50 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Minnesota | Passing | | 14/19, 153 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | | 31 rushes, 198 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Daniel Jackson | 4 receptions, 53 yards, TD |
| Northwestern | Passing | Ben Bryant | 33/49, 396 yards, 4 TD |
| Rushing | Cam Porter | 16 rushes, 56 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Bryce Kirtz | 10 receptions, 215 yards, 2 TD | |
No. 6 Penn State
See also: 2023 Penn State Nittany Lions football team.
| Statistics | PSU | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 19 | 12 |
| Total yards | 353 | 175 |
| Rushing yards | 134 | 45 |
| Passing yards | 219 | 130 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 32:08 | 27:52 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Penn State | Passing | | 18/33, 189 yards, TD |
| Rushing | | 21 rushes, 80 yards, TD |
| Receiving | | 4 receptions, 86 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Ben Bryant | 14/25, 122 yards |
| Rushing | Brendan Sullivan | 7 rushes, 25 yards |
| Receiving | Camron Johnson | 6 receptions, 81 yards | |
Howard
See also: 2023 Howard Bison football team.
| Statistics | HOW | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 18 | 21 |
| Total yards | 331 | 312 |
| Rushing yards | 162 | 181 |
| Passing yards | 169 | 131 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 29:34 | 30:26 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Howard | Passing | Quinton Williams | 18/30, 169 yards |
| Rushing | Eden James | 21 rushes, 177 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Richie Ilarraza | 7 receptions, 65 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Brendan Sullivan | 13/18, 131 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Cam Porter | 18 rushes, 78 yards |
| Receiving | Camron Johnson | 4 receptions, 55 yards, TD | |
At Nebraska
See also: 2023 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.
| Statistics | NU | NEB |
|---|
| First downs | 12 | 14 |
| Total yards | 257 | 248 |
| Rushing yards | 81 | 163 |
| Passing yards | 176 | 85 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 30:52 | 29:08 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Brendan Sullivan | 12/23, 176 yards, INT |
| Rushing | Anthony Tyus III | 6 rushes, 63 yards |
| Receiving | Bryce Kirtz | 3 receptions, 96 yards |
| Nebraska | Passing | | 8/17, 85 yards, TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Emmett Johnson | 12 rushes, 73 yards |
| Receiving | Malachi Coleman | 1 reception, 44 yards, TD | |
Maryland
See also: 2023 Maryland Terrapins football team.
| Statistics | MD | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 25 | 19 |
| Total yards | 391 | 364 |
| Rushing yards | 117 | 99 |
| Passing yards | 274 | 265 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 29:13 | 30:47 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Maryland | Passing | | 30/47, 274 yards, 3 TD, INT |
| Rushing | Colby McDonald | 5 rushes, 43 yards |
| Receiving | | 9 receptions, 78 yards, TD |
| Northwestern | Passing | Brendan Sullivan | 16/23, 265 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Brendan Sullivan | 14 rushes, 56 yards |
| Receiving | Joseph Himon II | 2 receptions, 67 yards | |
Iowa
See also: 2023 Iowa Hawkeyes football team.
| Statistics | IOWA | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 14 | 12 |
| Total yards | 169 | 170 |
| Rushing yards | 104 | 89 |
| Passing yards | 65 | 81 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 30:18 | 29:42 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Iowa | Passing | | 10/15, 65 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Leshon Williams | 24 rushes, 79 yards |
| Receiving | | 1 reception, 23 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Brendan Sullivan | 12/19, 81 yards, TD |
| Rushing | Anthony Tyus III | 10 rushes, 40 yards |
| Receiving | | 4 receptions, 13 yards | |
At Wisconsin
See also: 2023 Wisconsin Badgers football team.
| Statistics | NU | WIS |
|---|
| First downs | 18 | 17 |
| Total yards | 324 | 341 |
| Rushing yards | 129 | 86 |
| Passing yards | 195 | 255 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 32:10 | 27:50 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Ben Bryant | 18/26, 195 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Cam Porter | 18 rushes, 72 yards |
| Receiving | A. J. Henning | 3 receptions, 70 yards, TD |
| Wisconsin | Passing | | 31/45, 255 yards |
| Rushing | Cade Yacamelli | 9 rushes, 47 yards |
| Receiving | | 10 receptions, 96 yards | |
Purdue
See also: 2023 Purdue Boilermakers football team.
| Statistics | PUR | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 21 | 12 |
| Total yards | 443 | 329 |
| Rushing yards | 303 | 99 |
| Passing yards | 140 | 230 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 34:43 | 25:17 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Purdue | Passing | Ryan Browne | 12/16, 104 yards, 2 INT |
| Rushing | | 16 rushes, 160 yards, TD |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 44 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Ben Bryant | 13/24, 230 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Cam Porter | 17 rushes, 95 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Camron Johnson | 3 receptions, 88 yards, TD | |
At Illinois
See also: 2023 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.
| Statistics | NU | ILL |
|---|
| First downs | 20 | 20 |
| Total yards | 379 | 455 |
| Rushing yards | 145 | 107 |
| Passing yards | 234 | 348 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 29:50 | 30:10 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Ben Bryant | 24/32, 234 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Cam Porter | 16 rushes, 69 yards |
| Receiving | Camron Johnson | 7 receptions, 124 yards, TD |
| Illinois | Passing | | 24/34, 334 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Reggie Love III | 23 rushes, 106 yards |
| Receiving | | 9 receptions, 218 yards, 3 TD | |
Vs. Utah (Las Vegas Bowl)
See main article: 2023 Las Vegas Bowl.
See also: 2023 Utah Utes football team.
| Statistics | UTAH | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 13 | 18 |
| Total yards | 211 | 290 |
| Rushing yards | 138 | 65 |
| Passing yards | 73 | 225 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 34:21 | 25:39 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Utah | Passing | | 8/13, 55 yards, 2 INT |
| Rushing | | 8 rushes, 55 yards |
| Receiving | Micah Bernard | 3 receptions, 24 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Ben Bryant | 23/34, 222 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Cam Porter | 10 rushes, 33 yards |
| Receiving | Bryce Kirtz | 5 receptions, 68 yards, TD | |
Notes and References
- News: Chicago Tribune staff. David Braun named Northwestern's permanent head football coach midway through interim season. en . . November 15, 2023. December 2, 2023.
- News: . Northwestern's Braun named Big Ten coach of the year. Coaches vote 8 Michigan players to 1st team . November 29, 2023 . December 1, 2023.
- Northwestern Football: Pat Fitzgerald Suspended Amid Hazing Probe - Sports Illustrated . en-us . Sports Illustrated . 2023-08-23.
- Web site: 2023-07-10 . Northwestern fires Fitzgerald amid hazing claims . 2023-08-23 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: 2023-07-14 . Northwestern names defensive coordinator David Braun as interim head coach . 2023-08-23 . Yahoo Sports . en-US.
- Web site: . Cobb . David . Big Ten football predicted order of finish for 2023: Michigan picked to win conference title over Ohio State . July 25, 2023 . October 20, 2023.
