Coach David Braun's Northwestern Wildcats have gained respect from Deion Sanders and Curt Cignetti amid their 3-1 start. Braun has protected his program's image following criticism stemming from the Colorado game and ahead of a pivotal October 2 clash against Penn State.
The night is being dubbed one of the biggest in Wildcats history, as Pete Thamel mentioned amid the hype and hoopla surrounding the opening of the new Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois.
“This is one of the biggest nights in Northwestern football history, that's not an overstatement, they have an $850 stadium renovation they're showing off, they hired (offensive coordinator) Chip Kelly to bring an offense to match it, this is a big deal, this was Northwestern saying, ‘Hey, we need to keep up with the times and be competitive in the Big Ten,'” Thamel said.
Article Continues Below“It's hard to overstate how big this is, Friday night showcase, new near-billion dollar stadium for Northwestern.”
Braun has lived up to his lucrative contract extension, posting a dominant home win over Colorado and playing Indiana to a close game in Week 5 in Bloomington, Indiana. The Nittany Lions have a powerful offensive line that could test Braun's defense, and a playmaking defense that could force big mistakes from new Wildcats starting QB Aidan Chiles.
The Wildcats will have a chance to see how far they've come in Week 6's showcase game, and fans are foaming at the mouth to welcome the new Ryan Field with a bang. The Wildcats have all the makings of a dark horse College Football Playoff team, but they won't get there without a signature win, one they have an opportunity to score against Penn State.