So football is finally here, even if Dyche Stadium/Ryan Field no longer is. The Cats christen their new, temporary home with an opponent with whom they have some history.
It was Miami of Ohio that was the lone blemish in the perfect 1995 miracle regular season. In addition to instilling a little humility (according to some) that helped on the road to the Rose Bowl, it also was an introduction to one Randy Walker. Walker came to Evanston to coach the second revival of NU Football, introducing the spread offense that, um, spread throughout the college game in the years that followed. It was in the Walker Era and with that spread offense that NU won what some consider the greatest game in college football history, remembered by many just by the score: 54-51.
Walker wasn't the only coach to come to Evanston from Miami. Legendary Ara Parseghian took NU to its most recent #1 ranking in the 1962, before being lured away to an independent school in Indiana.
But the question at hand is will the Cats be ready to play in their new home against a solid MAC foe. With Coach Braun being circumspect, particularly about starting QB, and with new coaching, particularly on offense, predictions would be pretty speculative at this point.
Nonetheless, the time has come for that speculation...
Red Birds 17
Purple Cats 28