Head coach and motivational speech giver David Braun's Northwestern Wildcats are 6-2 on the season and in a logjam for fifth place in the Big Ten as they prepare to face Iowa on Saturday, November 7 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Both teams made the Top 25 of the Week 10 College Football Power Rankings, but Northwestern is expected to be without rising star QB Aidan Chiles when the game kicks off at the New Ryan Field.

Pete Thamel of ESPN broke the news one day before the game, on the afternoon of November 6.

“Sources: Northwestern starting QB Aidan Chiles is expected to miss the game against No. 19 Iowa on Saturday. Chiles has been dealing with an upper body injury and his timeline for return is uncertain. Chiles has accounted for 23 TDs in leading the Wildcats to a 6-2 start.”

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Chiles transferred from Oregon State to Michigan State to Northwestern and has found his stride in offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's system under Braun's leadership. He passed for 281 yards and a touchdown against Oregon on October 31, the Wildcats' second loss of the season, with the first coming against Indiana in Bloomington.

Chiles also rushed for 91 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown in the Oregon game, showing his versatility. It's been a history-making season for Northwestern so far, and Chiles is a big part of it. Coach Braun and the Wildcats are expected to turn to West Virginia transfer Nicco Marchiol in place of Chiles, who passed for 720 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions last season in Morgantown.