Big Ten Preview- #5 Northwestern

Northwestern Wildcats
Projected #2 (tie) in Legends Division
2010 Record: 7-6 (3-5)


Um... what?

Is Northwestern seriously ahead of teams like Illinois and Penn State in this preview? Really? How could the Cats stack up against teams like those, let alone finish in a tie for second in the Legends division with Michigan State?

My answer, and defense of that answer, really isn't that complicated. These guys return plenty on both sides of the ball - the majority of which are veterans - on what should be a very well balanced and tough team to beat in conference play.

Last season, Northwestern started off very strong at 5-0 and 1-0 in the Big Ten, until they hit the meat of their schedule and fell victim to the big boys. Their 7-5 regular season record is awfully deceiving, as they had a 21-0 lead on PSU only to fall victim to another Joe Paterno record setting comeback, lost in another comeback to Sparty, and were upset by three against Purdue. If they played up to their potential in those games, Northwestern could've won 10 games last season! Think about that for a second and this is what probably pops in your mind: WOW!

The late season-ending injury to star QB Dan Persa's knee resulted in beatdowns against Illinois and Wisconsin, and Pat Fitzgerald's team failed to win a bowl game once again, but spirits are extremely high in Evanston, IL and this has the feeling of a special Wildcats team; the kind of team that only comes around those parts every decade or so. Of the 16 returning starters, none are as important as the aforementioned Persa who is the ringleader of the offense and in essence the entire team's hopes of competing in a January bowl game. The defense returns very well intact to support the dual-threat QB, which will give teams fits in 2011.

Both Michigan State and Penn State, teams that came back from big deficits to beat the Wildcats, all travel to the death trap AKA Ryan Field this season which will give plenty of incentive for Northwestern to earn some revenge. I can see them winning both of those games, along with plenty of other upsets along the way. They aren't talented enough to win the division outright in my opinion, but they will be damn close. I can see the Cats winning as many as 9 games this season en route to Fitzgerald's best season in Evanston yet.

Predicted Record: 8-4 (5-3)