Saunders
Heisman Trophy Winner
CollegeFootballNews: Can Northwestern Ever Win The Big Ten?
Since 1896, how many outright Big Ten titles does Northwestern have?
Three.
That’s a whole lot of football played for a very, very, very long time for just two undisputed championships.
Northwestern was the co-champion in five other seasons, but in the new world of the Big Ten Championship Game, the program can’t get away with that anymore. It’s not that the other titles weren’t earned, but there was one giant thing missing from the last three championships.
Ohio State.
http://collegefootballnews.com/2017/preview-2017-can-northwestern-ever-win-the-big-ten
2017 Northwestern Preview: What You Need To Know
2017 Northwestern Schedule Breakdown & Analysis
HuskerOnline: Spring Opponent Preview - Northwestern
Northwestern has been close to contending in the Big Ten Conference over the past few years, but it's always been left with no cigar when all was said and done. But with a talented and veteran roster coming back, the Wildcats have their sights set on a West Division title and more heading into the 2017 season. We caught up with WildcatReport.com's Louie Vaccher to get an idea of where things stand with Northwestern coming out of spring ball and what the expectations are going into the fall.
Overall 2017 win-loss expectation
“Pat Fitzgerald has done a lot for the program. He’s won two bowl games, and they’ve got three bowl wins in school history. He’s the all-time winningest coach, and I think the expectation now is to make a bowl just about every year.
“But the one thing he hasn’t done really is contend for a Big Ten title. He hasn’t really contended in the (Big Ten) West, either. I think this is the year where they could do that. Looking at what they have coming back and the other schools in the West, I think they should be in contention for the title.
“They’re going to find out early, because their first two Big Ten games are Penn State and Wisconsin, the two teams that played for the conference title last year. So they’ll find out where they are in a hurry.
“In terms of wins, I’ll say nine, but the expectation is for them to be in the hunt in the Big Ten West. I think this is the year they could do that.”
https://nebraska.rivals.com/news/spring-opponent-review-northwestern
Athlon Sports: Northwestern 2017 Preview and Prediction
Wildcats rank No. 41 in Athlon’s Top 130 for 2017
Northwestern finished tied for fourth in the Big Ten West last season, but the Wildcats could challenge for the top spot thanks to a mix of experience and depth. The offense will be led by one of the conference’s better backfields and a veteran offensive line, but some reliable targets will need to emerge. The defense has the potential to open some eyes, but that’s only if some dependable linebackers emerge to support a deep front and back end. Northwestern’s schedule isn’t that daunting, so this could be the season Pat Fitzgerald’s team takes a step or two forward in the division standings.
Final Analysis
After recording multiple 10-win seasons and multiple bowl wins since 2012, Northwestern now hopes to contend in the Big Ten West. The return of 15 starters and a fairly favorable schedule (no Ohio State nor Michigan) suggests that this is the season to make a move. But a larger indicator, according to Fitzgerald, is how many starters will be pushed or displaced by others. Northwestern must show it can handle inevitable injuries as well as underperforming play better than it did early last season.
Consecutive games against West Division winner Wisconsin (road) and league champion Penn State (home) on Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 should show whether Northwestern is for real or not.
National Ranking: 41
Big Ten West Prediction: 2
https://athlonsports.com/college-football/northwestern-football-2017-wildcats-preview-and-prediction
More to come...SBNation: Northwestern is closer than you think to a Big Ten West title run
With just a couple answers, this can be Pat Fitzgerald’s best team yet.
Coaching college football is playing chess with pieces that don’t cooperate. You come up with your plan of attack, and sometimes the knight moves in the wrong direction. You could have the best plan in the world, but its execution still relies on 18- to 22-year-old males.
Building a program is the same thing, only at a macro level. You address one weakness, and two more form. Fix those, and another cracks open. Very few coaches get all the pieces pointed in the right direction at the same time, and when they do, it’s brief.
Pat Fitzgerald’s slow build at Northwestern has been impressive by any measure. The former Wildcat linebacker took over as head coach earlier than anybody intended; he was a 31-year-old linebackers coach when head man Randy Walker passed away of a heart attack. He was given patience (he was 10-14 in his first two seasons), and both he and the school have been rewarded.
2016 record and S&P+ ranking: 7-6 (49th)
Projected 2017 record and S&P+ ranking: 7-5 (37th)
Biggest strength: Running back Justin Jackson is dynamite, and he’s got a seasoned line and veteran quarterback.
Biggest question mark: Can the run defense avoid a drop without Anthony Walker Jr.? The secondary should improve quite a bit, but that only matters if the front seven doesn’t regress much.
Biggest 2017 game: Beating Maryland in College Station (Oct. 13) could be huge. The Wildcats will likely start conference play 0-2, but every game from Maryland on is either a tossup or a likely win, and winning them all could mean the Wildcats’ first Big Ten West title.
Summary: Northwestern has star power and experience and is basically two pieces — a No. 1 receiver and a middle linebacker — away from a division title run.
https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2017/6/27/15864518/northwestern-football-2017-preview-schedule-roster
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