Can't think of better bona fides for Coach of the Year.

Coach Braun, Seniors,
Get our 🎩 back!
Go Cats!!

He's big. Illinois gave that game to Iowa. On the other hand, how can a team win the B1G West with ZERO offense? Hopefully, though they can do the same to OSU or Michigan That would be a statement. The good news--NU will beat the Illini if they both play the way they did today, and for a better bowl game.

When all the crap transpired, no comment on the events, I asked my group if they wanted to cancel our seats for the year. There are 10 of us who sit together and some stragglers who come to our tailgate. They all said to keep the seats.

From prior years, I had some serious trepidation about the upcoming season. Last year, we never sat through an entire game. 2021 and 2022 were painful, but we marched on. The women who are part of our group were restless.

We entered this season with extremely low expectations. We tailgated at every game and were at each game with a few missing the Howard game. I first started with Cat games when Mike Adamle was the running back. This season was probably the most fun since I have had season tickets in 1996. I have attended some incredible games, like Michigan in 2000 and rushed the field after beating Wiscy. I sat through some great seasons and some bad ones. This season exceed any expectation we had. The games were fun/exhilarating. The players really persevered. I was thrilled to be able to see those games in person. You folks who could have gone and stayed away really missed an opportunity to see the joy in the players and something special. The cherry on the cake was ending the Dyche/Ryan Field era with a win. Whatever happens from here on really doesn't matter. The young men really did a wonderful job. They made this old man and women in our group really happy! It was a great, great, great season. Go Cats!

Here are @mshelton33's takeaways.

Here are @mshelton33's takeaways.

Assuming (?) this week will be the final game at the old stadium, it seems fitting that we send it off with some reminiscences. My question is simple: What are your fondest, and worst, memories at Ryan Field? In-person experiences only. (Update: I now see there was a thread similar to this a few weeks ago, but I missed it)…

For me, the best is easy. Ohio State, 2004. I was an undergrad. Stormed the field. Magic.

Wisconsin 2009 gets an honorable mention. And, weirdly, Syracuse 2013. Why? Gorgeous evening game, large crowd, 95% purple. Coming off a thriller at Cal and a 10-win season. Easy, satisfying win, with nothing but optimism before the season went into a tailspin. I just remember it feeling very satisfying.

Worst memory? Gah, there are quite a few. Quite a few blowouts with half the place filled with visiting fans. 2006 blown lead on homecoming a true disaster. There was a night game against Purdue at some point that I remember being important. We lost and they shot off planned postgame fireworks, adding insult to injury. And maybe this is recency bias, but last season’s SIU loss was a low point.

Here’s to one more win at the place that I deeply love and somewhat hate — and to many more victories and a better home field advantage at the new, gleaming RF (fingers crossed)…

Went to the doc yesterday for what was supposed to be a minor thing and he took one look at me and said no dice I need to go back for a general anesthesia procedure Monday so I cannot make the games. Have fun those of you who are there.

First game, Mike Adamle was the running back. Today, Braun’s first as actual coach. Probably my last game at Dyche/Ryan Field.

Sparse crowd. Sunny. Windy. Go Cats,

Tough break for these guys. Najee is Questionable.

OUT
0 Coco Azema
5 Jacob Gill
12 Nigel Williams
16 Frank Covey
35 Kenny Soares
81 Chris Petrucci
87 Jack Fitzgerald
98 Duke Olges

It's the last game at Ryan Field! (Probably)

Northwestern (5-5, 3-4 Big Ten) hosts Purdue (3-7, 2-5 Big Ten) with an 11:01 kickoff at Ryan Field. The game will air on BTN and serve as Northwestern's Senior Day.

With the mess of COVID eligibility, we don't have an official list of seniors in their last season, but know that just because someone walks today does not mean they can't come back next season.

NU will be slight underdogs at Illinois. The Cats can certainly do it. Illinois will likely playing for their sixth win.

This is an amazing season.

GO CATS GO CATS GO

Here's the release from NU....


Wildcats to Play at 2023 Hall of Fame Tip Off at Mohegan Sun


EVANSTON, Ill. - The Northwestern men's basketball team has announced it will participate in the 2023 Hall of Fame Tip Off at Mohegan Sun on Saturday, Nov. 18 and Sunday, Nov. 19 in Uncasville, Conn.

The Wildcats will open the weekend on Saturday with a tilt against Rhode Island before appearing in the championship or consolation game on Sunday against either Mississippi State or Washington State. Game times and TV designations will be released on a later date.

Northwestern is 0-2 all-time against the Rams, and will meet for the first time since a 76-64 setback on March 17, 2010 in the first round of the NIT.

"We are excited to host another highly competitive weekend of basketball at the Mohegan Sun for the 2023 Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the host of the event. "We look forward to watching the field of teams play and welcoming their fans to one of the country's best early season events."

Tickets for the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off will go on sale Friday, September 8, via Ticketmaster and on sale at the Mohegan Sun Arena Box Office starting Saturday, September 9. For more information, please visit hoophall.com.

Saturday, November 18
Mississippi State vs. Washington State
Rhode Island vs. Northwestern

Sunday, November 19
Consolation Game
Championship Game

Last season Northwestern finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference standings and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the offseason head coach Chris Collins signed a contract extension that will keep him in Evanston through 2028.

Since the game is tomorrow one would think there's a list already.

Xfinity will be broadcasting the MSU vs IU in my area. Is there a way to stream our upcoming game against PU? Thanks for any tips.

Very interesting that NU opened up as 1.5 point favorites and that has swung all the way to Purdue being a 3 point favorite. Usually a swing like that is due to a QB injury or something else significant, but no sign of any significant injuries for NU.

Apparently, the bettors are loading up on the Boilers. It is what it is, but definitely interesting and a little surprising.

Back in the days when the Big Ten was filled with Legendary Leaders, there was a protected annual rivalry between NU and PU. There was little reason to it, but every year the two schools were ordained to meet, even while NU missed real rivals like Wisconsin or Iowa. And NU still meets PU every year in the Western Division. On Saturday, the two teams meet again in what might be the last game at NU's home stadium in its current form...a stadium that harkens back to the time of Legendary Leaders, to the time of Walker and Barnett, through the Dark Ages, to Ara, to hosting Al Capone.

As for the present, NU had a dominant win against the Badgers last week in their house, while a resurgent PU managed a third win on the season. With a win, NU clinches bowl eligibility. If it plays like it did last week, it should be favored.

PU 10
NU 28

Brutal:

I talked to Ray Niro III after practice on Tuesday about his improbable rehab from a foot injury, his last Senior Day at Northwestern and how he was able to make it back this season.

I talked to Ray Niro III after practice on Tuesday about his improbable rehab from a foot injury, his last Senior Day at Northwestern and how he was able to make it back this season.

Starting a new thread on the Stadium and its impact on the University and Athletic Department budget...

Original baseline
The original baseline was a $800 million stadium, financed with $400 million from the Ryans and at least $100 million from other NU mega-donors. This meant $300 million would be financed via debt. At 5% interest and 20-year payback, the $300 million loan would cost $24 million per year to pay off. This cost would be offset by $10 million in incremental concert revenue, plus corporate naming rights, suites, etc.

- Debt Payment = $24 million per year
+ Concerts = $10 million per year
+ corporate naming rights
+ suites
+ improved parking/concessions/gear/ticket sales

Easy to see how this scenario gets to be a cash flow positive proposition for the university (i.e. BEAUTIFUL !!)

After Schill Declares NU Athletics Has a Cultural Problem
$800 million stadium. Ryan stay in at $400 million, but say 'it's up the University if they want to proceed', which means they ain't donating more.
loss of $100 million in mega-donors
loss of concert revenue

- Debt payment = $32 million per year
+ Concerts = zero
+ corporate naming rights = none today
+ suites = none today

Stadium looks like it could be a huge drag on University.

Worst Case
@techtim72 worst fears come true and stadium costs explode to $900 million, and university has to borrow $500 million to build it.

- Debt payment = $40 million per year
+ Concerts = zero
+ corporate naming rights = none today
+ suites = none today

In this case, the new stadium would use up most of the incremental B1G media money and leave no new money for our varsity teams (and maybe even take money away from the some team's budget). Buried in debt. Awful scenario.

What say the experts?

As you guys know, I was out of town watching Mizzou this weekend, so I didn't get a chance to watch my recording of the game until yesterday. Wow, I didn't see that coming. I knew the score and the stats, but I didn't expect to see that dominant of a performance.

Here are just a few impressions:

- Ben Bryant is a difference maker. When he gets time to throw, the guy is just deadly accurate. He knows where the ball is supposed to go, and he gets rid of it on time and in rhythm. Brendan Sullivan did a good job in his absence -- he's a heckuva backup and a serviceable starter. But I had forgotten just how good Bryant is.

- NU's secondary was lights out. Not only were they playing sound, fundamental shell coverage, but they were flying to the football whenever a Badger caught a pass. Johnson, Hollis, Heard, Joseph...they were just cutting guys down right after the catch. Badger receivers never had a chance to make any plays. And they lost Azema and didn't miss a beat. How many missed tackles did NU have in the whole game?

- That was the best Northwestern has played since 2020, and that first half was a work of art. It was the offense's best showing since the season opener against Maryland in 2020. They ran the ball, they protected Bryant and they were a third-down conversion machine. The offensive line completely controlled the line of scrimmage (I don't know the last time I wrote that sentence). Wisconsin didn't know what hit them.

- Speaking of Wisconsin, Luke Fickell's first year is not going well. His team was flat, the fans were flat and the student section never even filled up. The whole Air Raid thing seemed like an odd fit from the outset, and now I don't even know what their identity is. Neither do they, it seems. Fitz told us last spring that the potential was there for a cultural backlash in Madison, and I think we're seeing it.

- Fox broadcasters Chris Myers and Robert Smith obviously didn't do their homework for that game. Man.

I have extras since the school gave us two extras. Let me know but only for Cats fans.

While many are lamenting how poorly NU played tonight, here are a few positives to pick out of the box score:

Boo - 21 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists and 0 turnovers
Barnhizer - career-high 20 points, 7 boards, 3 steals, 3 assists
Clayton - career-high 23 minutes, made a three-pointer (his first points as a Cat)
Martinelli led the NU bench in scoring for second game in a row (albeit with just 4).

Team: Only 7 turnovers (vs. 17 for WMU). NU has won the TO battle in all three games this year by at least seven. Overall, it's a 51 to 26 differential for NU. They can't get regularly outrebounded like they did tonight, but if so, they can make up the difference via turnovers.