Sorry, no. Last year when the game mattered we killed them. The 2nd game which didn't matter they played it like their season was on the line, we played it like an early spring scrimmage going total vanilla on offense, played base defense and just tried to stay healthy... and they still barely won the game. If it's anywhere near a close game at the start of the 4th quarter, we're probably going to have trouble the rest of the year.
Please do not delude yourself. You make it sound like NU simply did not care about winning and that is why we got beat. No. NU was simply bested, and in a game that mattered. NU showed no heart and were a divided team... that much is true... and that factored in hugely... but the game nattered and UW beat us (more soundly than the score would seem to indicate).
For this next season, all offensive scheming and such aside, the real issue is this... does this NU team have heart? Last years team, generally, did not. Hopefully that changes.
The UW game last year was testimony of NU playing w/o be prepared and w/o heart. Hopefully we never see that again.