After an… eventful summer we are back for another year of NU and Big Ten football. The television deals have changed: CBS and NBC have taken the place of the ESPN family of networks.

All times CENTRAL. Rankings come from the AP poll. All games available nationally unless otherwise indicated.

First, the NU game:

Northwestern @ Rutgers
Sunday, September 3
11:00 AM, CBS
PxP: Tom McCarthy
Color: Jason McCourty

And the rest:

Thursday, August 31

Nebraska @ Minnesota
7:00 PM, FOX
PxP: Gus Johnson
Color: Joel Klatt

Friday, September 1

Central Michigan @ Michigan State
6:00 PM, FS1
PxP: Tim Brando
Color: Spencer Tillman

Saturday, September 2

Fresno State @ Purdue
11:00 AM, BTN
PxP: Cory Provus
Color: Jake Butt

Utah State @ #25 Iowa
11:00 AM, FS1
PxP: Jeff Levering
Color: Mark Helfrich

East Carolina @ #2 Michigan
11:00 AM, Peacock (streaming only)
PxP: Mike Tirico
Color: Chris Simms

#3 Ohio State @ Indiana
2:30 PM, CBS
PxP: Brad Nessler
Color: Gary Danielson

Towson @ Maryland
2:30 PM, BTN
PxP: Joe Beninati
Color: Anthony Herron

Buffalo @ #19 Wisconsin
2:30 PM, FS1
PxP: Eric Collins
Color: Devin Gardner

West Virginia @ #7 Penn State
6:30 PM, NBC
PxP: Noah Eagle
Color: Todd Blackledge

Toledo @ Illinois
6:30 PM, BTN
PxP: Mark Followill
Color: Matt Millen

Here are our takeaways from David Braun's Week 1 press conference.

@a_siegel has the story on how interim head coach David Braun's relationship with the media has taken shape over the last two months.

And their quarterback looks like he is 40.

NFM

Hey guys! Rich Schnyderite here, publisher of The Knight Report aka the Rutgers-Rivals site. Just wanted to drop by and post our video from Rutgers Football HC Greg Schiano's press conference today.

There is only a couple of Northwestern questions / answers in there, so ENJOY!

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FULL TRANSCRIPT FOUND BELOW

Best wishes to all posters based in Northerm Florida as Idalia approaches. Please take care and let’s hope this thing passes quickly and without much damage. I think Glades is based in that area and I also think Purple Pile Driver has a home in that area.

What kind of bad coach couldn’t eke out more than one win with this guy, Skoronski, Cam Mitchell, among other good players on the team?

When might we expect some news?
Some info on Saturdays scrimmage, the 2 deep for Rutgers. and our starter at QB.

Keep an eye on local TE prospect Pat Schaller. He camped at NU earlier in the summer and was up at Minny earlier in the week (see clip below). TOS reported he was at the BBQ yesterday.

@Purple Pile Driver I know you are wary about local TEs…just keep in mind we have a new TE Coach evaluating prospects now.

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@a_siegel has the story on how interim head coach David Braun's relationship with the media has taken shape over the last two months.

TV coverage of the Cats this year looks like a nightmare. First Rutgers on CBS and then Duke on ACCN.

Not sure how to get either one of these. What are people doing?

The reigning IHSA 8A champions just picked up a pretty qualified parent volunteer.

Here are our takeaways from David Braun's Week 1 press conference.

Looks like there will be at least one other hot topic at Media Days.

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David Braun will hold his first game-week press conference today at noon at the WAC. Matt Shelton and Austin Siegel will be there covering it for WildcatReport.

There won't be any players at the Monday press conference this season, according to an NU spokesperson, and this week, the Monday presser is the only media access we will have all week. However, a spokesperson told me that players will be available post-practice by request on Tuesdays after practice this season. They're not doing it this week because they are playing on Sunday instead of Saturday.

I'm not sure if we'll get a two-deep today or not. But here's my best guess at the starting lineup:


QB Ben Bryant
RB Cam Porter
WR AJ Henning
WR Cam Johnson
WR Bryce Kirtz
TE Thomas Gordon
OT Caleb Tiernan
OG Josh Priebe
C Ben Wrather
OG Jordan Knox
OT Zachary Franks

DE Aidan Hubbard
DT Najee Story
DT Matthew Lawson
DE Sean McLaughlin
LB Greyson Metz
LB Bryce Gallagher
LB Xander Mueller
CB Theran Johnson
S Coco Azema
S Rod Heard II
CB Garnett Hollis Jr.

Hope Springs Eternal!


When NU kicks off, they’ll be ahead of *at least* two teams in the conference.


And it’s Buttgers.

GO CATS GO CATS GO!!

Interim head coach David Braun addressed the media in his first game week press conference of the season. It was Braun's decision not to have players available to the media this week, by request or by press conference, so that they can focus on preparing for Rutgers.

Here are some quick notes, there will be a full takeaways piece this afternoon.

Quarterback has been chosen, but not disclosed
Braun said they have picked their starting quarterback and don't intend to split series, but won't make the decision public yet.

"This locker room and this program is hungry for a starting quarterback and someone that everyone can look to and say that's our starting quarterback. That's who's going to lead us to victories and we've made that decision but we are just choosing to keep that information in-house at this time.

Captains will be announced this week
"That's something that we plan on doing this week," Braun said on naming captains. "We're excited to announce those names, excited not only about the results but also really impressed by the number of young men that were voted for by their teammates. That reflects not just a small group of leadership, I think there's there's leadership throughout our locker room right now that has been absolutely necessary as we navigated late July and August."

No two-deep depth chart to come
Northwestern has joined the majority of Big Ten programs and won't be releasing a preseason, or in-season, two-deep depth chart. The department will list the last game's starters and a full roster for game sheets.

Braun thinks he's capable for the head coaching role even though he was hired as DC
"I am extremely confident in my ability to lead, to inspire and to pull people together for common purpose. I also believe I have a unique ability to identify the things that I don't know...and seek wisdom to help me navigate that."

Braun has built trust through transparency
"I think with the team specifically, transparency is key," Braun said on how he has learned to communicate with his squad. "Just being genuine is absolutely critical. That's how you build up credibility. You know, a lot of people want to throw around the word trust. You can't demand trust. That's something that you build through your actions. And I hope that anyone that's interacted with me since I've arrived at Northwestern would say that I've tried to do my best in both those roles, being as transparent as I possibly can be and just truly being myself."

Gotta keep gamblers happy.

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I think iowa will soon follow


Meet the new Bucky. Not the same as the old Bucky. What could be described as the most comfortable program in college football—rooted in continuity, staunchly wedded to an old-school ethos, proudly bland, same as it ever was—has left its comfort zone. Wisconsin has broken its mold and is being rebuilt in a daring, fresh image.

A staffer described the program’s 30-year identity, from Barry Alvarez to Bret Bielema to Gary Andersen to Paul Chryst, as “the little engine that could.” The Badgers now want to be the full-grown engine that will.

The aspirations now are to move up alongside Ohio State and Michigan at the top. There is a greater urgency, a sharper edge, a renewed push to take the Badgers where they’ve never been before.

“Luke believes, as do I, that there’s no ceiling on us at Wisconsin,” McIntosh says.

During a recent scrimmage in Camp Randall Stadium, Wisconsin quarterback Tanner Mordecai fired a bullet to Braelon Allen running a circle route out of the backfield. Allen hauled it in and kept possession through a hard shot from a safety in the end zone for a touchdown.

That one play said a lot about how different Badgers football is going to be in 2023.

The play originated without a huddle and from the shotgun formation. The offensive linemen were pass protecting out of the wide splits that come with an Air Raid offense. The play was in the red zone, but there was no fullback to be found. Mordecai wore an SMU uniform for his previous two seasons, and an Oklahoma uniform the three before that. The 245-pound Allen has had 437 touches from scrimmage in two seasons of college ball without recording a touchdown reception.

Apologies if this has already been posted. It was only a matter of time....

Looks like he belongs in the NFL. May end up starting if the Colts can't resolve the messy situation with Jonathan Taylor.

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Check out this week's recruit roundup, the first will all nine commits in play.

Can't wait to see how the season goes!

GO CATS!