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Miami (Ohio) Aims to Continue Success Against Northwestern in Season Opener
As Northwestern gears up for its season opener against Miami (Ohio) on Saturday in Evanston, Ill., the Wildcats are embracing an underdog mentality amidst significant changes within their team and the broader Big Ten landscape. Despite external doubts, Northwestern is determined to prove the skeptics wrong.
Northwestern’s Chip-on-the-Shoulder Approach
Head coach David Braun has instilled a gritty mindset in his team, encouraging them to use the outside doubts as fuel.
“That’s right where the ‘Cats want to be,” Braun said. “Chip on our shoulder. A little bit of edge to us. Underdog mentality in the way we move every single day. And also coupling that with an understanding that the worst thing we can do is pay attention to the outside noise.”
Northwestern faces a tough challenge in their season opener against a Miami (Ohio) team with a strong history in the series. The RedHawks lead the all-time series 7-3, with each of their victories coming on the road. In their last meeting in September 2022, Miami edged Northwestern 17-14 with a late field goal.
Northwestern’s Focus on the Ground Game
With the departure of quarterback Ben Bryant from last season’s 8-5 Las Vegas Bowl championship team, Northwestern is expected to lean heavily on their ground game. Leading rusher Cam Porter, who racked up 651 yards and four touchdowns last season, returns to anchor the rushing attack.
While Braun has yet to name a starting quarterback, the Wildcats have two mobile options in Jack Lausch and Mississippi State transfer Mike Wright. Both quarterbacks fit well into new offensive coordinator Zach Lujan’s system, which emphasizes mobility and the ability to extend plays.
“The ability to extend plays, be a threat when scrambling, pick up first downs, keep the chains moving can certainly be utilized in the quarterback run game,” Braun said.
Miami (Ohio) Eyes Another Upset
Miami (Ohio) is coming off a strong 11-3 season, including a trip to their third straight bowl game, where they narrowly lost to Appalachian State 13-9 in the Cure Bowl. The RedHawks are led by quarterback Brett Gabbert, who passed for 1,634 yards and 14 touchdowns last season before a leg injury sidelined him for the final six games.
Now fully recovered, Gabbert is eager to make an impact in the season opener.
“Probably since the start of fall camp was when I started to feel kind of like myself again,” Gabbert said. “There was probably about 9 1/2 months where I didn’t know if I was going to be ready Week 1, didn’t know if I was going to do fall camp. … I’m ready to go.”
Gabbert will be supported by receivers Cade McDonald and Javon Tracy, as Miami looks to continue its success against Northwestern.
Game Outlook
Saturday’s game presents a compelling matchup between a Northwestern team eager to silence its doubters and a Miami (Ohio) squad with a history of success against the Wildcats. With Northwestern leaning on their ground game and Miami looking to capitalize on Gabbert’s return, this season opener is set to be a competitive and intriguing contest.
