"WINNERS
Northwestern: The air went out of Northwestern on Oct. 5, 2013, when a prime-time loss to Ohio State — coming on the heels of a 10-win season, a bowl win and a perfect September — deflated a football program seemingly destined for Rose Bowl contention. Pat Fitzgerald spoke this offseason of rediscovering what once made this program tick: defensive aggressiveness, a spread-based offensive system and an underdog's mentality. More than anything, however, Northwestern needed a marquee win to reverse a troubling trend.
Saturday's 16-6 victory against No. 21 Stanford will move the Wildcats' arrow upwards for the first time in two seasons. The defense limited Stanford to small chunks of yardage, which should force an offense stuck in the previous century to once again revisit its style and philosophy of choice. Northwestern's own offense has found an answer at quarterback: Clayton Thorson gives the Wildcats athleticism under center for the first time since Kain Colter's departure.
The same formula, tweaked slightly for personnel, should fare well once the calendar turns to Big Ten Conference play. And in the big picture, the victory itself should move Northwestern back onto the national radar; it should also begin the process of eroding the thought that Fitzgerald's tenure had grown stale"
LINK TO THE REST OF THE USA STORY:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...otball-winners-losers-week-1-pac-12/71770088/
Northwestern: The air went out of Northwestern on Oct. 5, 2013, when a prime-time loss to Ohio State — coming on the heels of a 10-win season, a bowl win and a perfect September — deflated a football program seemingly destined for Rose Bowl contention. Pat Fitzgerald spoke this offseason of rediscovering what once made this program tick: defensive aggressiveness, a spread-based offensive system and an underdog's mentality. More than anything, however, Northwestern needed a marquee win to reverse a troubling trend.
Saturday's 16-6 victory against No. 21 Stanford will move the Wildcats' arrow upwards for the first time in two seasons. The defense limited Stanford to small chunks of yardage, which should force an offense stuck in the previous century to once again revisit its style and philosophy of choice. Northwestern's own offense has found an answer at quarterback: Clayton Thorson gives the Wildcats athleticism under center for the first time since Kain Colter's departure.
The same formula, tweaked slightly for personnel, should fare well once the calendar turns to Big Ten Conference play. And in the big picture, the victory itself should move Northwestern back onto the national radar; it should also begin the process of eroding the thought that Fitzgerald's tenure had grown stale"
LINK TO THE REST OF THE USA STORY:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...otball-winners-losers-week-1-pac-12/71770088/
