After further review: Northwestern 45 UMass 6

Relish Northwestern's win one more time as we give you the 3-2-1 and hand out some awards.

There were two different teams in Purple and Black. In the first quarter, we saw the continuation of one of the most frustrating teams in Northwestern history -- a team that scored zero points, threw two interceptions in enemy territory, fumbled once, ran for just 36 yards on 11 carries, and was outgained by a 1-and-9 UMass team that ranked dead-last in nearly every major category. Then UMass failed to convert on third-and-8 and brought on placekicker Cooper Garcia to try a 30-yard FG to start the second quarter.

Joe Gaziano bull-rushed the left side of the UMass line, went up with both arms and deflected the kick to his right. It bounced right into the arms of “Johnny-on-the-spot”, Chris Bergin, who scooped and scored 85 yards later. From that point on, the Wildcats were a new team with an increasingly pulsating heart. They added two offensive scores later in the second quarter and held UMass to just three points, forcing three three-and-outs. Northwestern rushed for 143 yards and two ground scores by first-year RB Evan Hull in the quarter and went into the locker room with some momentum.

Unfortunately, the feeble felines that started the game seemed to return in the third quarter, as Northwestern added just three points to the ledger and left some hungry fans a bit anxious and leery of a potential “down-to-their-level” performance that might result in a UMass comeback if things weren’t handled properly.

Thankfully, the thunder Cats returned and answered any questions of a let-down when they exploded for 21 points in the fourth quarter, which included two more Hull touchdowns, an interception on defense and a recovery of a squib kickoff that helped seal the Wildcats’ win. In all, the Cats scored 45 total points and got a much-needed “W.” We're hoping that the feeble and frustrating Cats have left the field for good.

The running game looked pretty good... Forget about the fact that they played the 130th-ranked rush defense in the country. Northwestern executed. At least in the second and fourth quarters, the line was getting a push, sticking blocks and winning the one-on-ones they needed to. Running back Evan Hull took advantage of the opportunities they provided to produce a memorable performance.

When you’re a team that’s struggling to muster any offense (especially from the quarterback position), putting up 334 yards of rushing offense (which was 37 more than UMass was already giving up per game) with five touchdowns, and producing four runners that averaged more than six yards per carry is something to hang your hat on and build off of.

...but the passing game, still, did not. Aidan Smith had his best completion percentage game of the season in five starts, going 7 of 13 (54%). But his incompletions were just not very pretty, and he threw two interceptions, both in the first quarter. The first pick was not so much a bad throw on his part -- UMass’ LB Xavier Steele (what a great defensive name) made an outstanding, athletic play on a blitz to tip Smith’s pass and then intercept it. The Wildcats were lucky he didn’t take it to the house.

The other interception was just poor performance by Smith and his receiver, Ramaud Chiakhiao-Bowman, on a back-shoulder fade. Either RCB didn’t expect a back-shoulder or gave a lackluster effort in playing the ball and shielding the defender. There were other throws that Smith lead his receivers too far up field or zipped routine passes that needed more touch.

To prove how ineffective the passing game was, Riley Lees was the only Wildcat to make a catch in this game. You might expect that from a triple-option team, or perhaps college football teams pre-1980, but not in the pass-happy “spread” offense of 2019. Northwestern had seven different ball carriers, including three different QBs, but had only one guy catch a pass. And they still won by 39 points.

Chiakhiao-Bowman, Berkley Holman, Malik Washington and Evan Hull were targeted but Smith was only able to connect with Lees. Many of those misses weren’t great defensive plays or freak bounces -- they were just poorly timed and executed. Better things will hopefully come soon; if not this season, then next.

Why was the defense so soft in the first half? UMass ranked in the bottom five out of 130 teams, in six defensive categories coming into Saturday's game. Northwestern’s defense, though, which came in ranked in the top-third of most defensive rankings, actually looked like the worst of the two units in the first quarter. They allowed the Minutemen to move down the field, seemingly at will, racking up 115 yards of total offense and earning six first downs (five through the air), and really should have given up two TDs. One was called back because of an illegal man downfield (which didn’t even cause or aid the touchdown play), and on two other occasions quarterback Randall West missed open receivers. UMass drove into the red zone three times but came away with just two field goals, while Northwestern cashed in a touchdown on the other field-goal attempt.

This pass defense, especially without Greg Newsome, has shown to be pretty vulnerable against any team that can run precise routes and coordinate the timing between their QB and receivers -- something it seems the Wildcats' offense has not been able to replicate in practice to give the defense a realistic look. Who knows how badly this game could have turned out if UMass had actually converted those two passing touchdown opportunities to go up 14-0 in the first quarter.

What’s happened to Drake Anderson? We saw what looked like the emergence of a pretty good back in week two against UNLV, when the redshirt freshman rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown. But since then, Anderson has greatly digressed.

In seven of the last eight games, his rushing yardage has actually decreased from the previous week, and he averaged only 5 ypc or more in two of those eight games. The vision and burst he displayed has turned to indecision and hesitancy. There were times on Saturday when he had an opening, where a cut or a bend one way or another would have sprung him for a jaunt, but instead he ran right into defenders. Averaging just 3 ypc against the nation’s worst rushing defense is a bit concerning, especially considering he averaged 5.4 and 6.2 against Michigan State and Iowa, respectively, two teams that rank in the top 16 nationally in defending the run.

Anderson fumbled on his fifth carry on Saturday and didn't get off the sideline for the remainder of the team. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald seems to have lost all confidence in him. Anderson doesn't appear to be hurt, so there may be bigger concerns. We certainly hope for the return of the back we saw earlier in the season.

Northwestern will have a lot of good running backs next season.

Even if Anderson (for some reason) doesn’t pan out, this group that heads into 2020 should push each other and create for some really good “competitive depth.” Isaiah Bowser will rehab and figures to return stronger and hungrier next season, getting back to the form he displayed as a first-year phenom last season.

We know we should pump the brakes on Hull’s breakout performance on Saturday, but there were some pretty good looking things he showed, almost reminiscent of a Darnell-Autry-in-the-making. Sure, that sounds like quite a leap to make from just one big game, but his low-to-the-ground, balanced running style, with what seemed like good vision and slow-to, quick-through approach that No. 24 had, gives us hope for good things to come from No. 29.

Anderson and Jesse Brown will be back to show that the Wildcats made the right choice to give them scholarships. They both have shown flashes of promise and talent that can transcend with some offseason work. Kyric McGowan has proven to be an explosive running back, but the depth the Wildcats will have next season will likely move him back to wide receiver -- though expect him to continue to line up all over the field in that capacity, including the backfield.

Then there’s incoming freshman Cameron Porter, from the same Cincinnati LaSalle High School that produced former RB great (before his career-ending injury) Jeremy Larkin. Many feel that Porter can push for some serious time next season, and if there’s something else we know, based on this season, it’s that everyone on that team will have a shot to compete.

Offensive game ball: RB Evan Hull

Did you really need to ask? No. 29 had himself a career day with 220 rush yards, four TDs and four runs of 30 yards or more. He eclipsed the century mark and scored two of his “tuddies” in the first half, only to heat back up in the fourth quarter. Hull only had one negative yardage carry on the day, and it came early in the first quarter as he was getting his feet wet. Of course, we will take this performance with a slight grain of salt because it came against one of the worst defenses in the country, but he’s a first-year playing in just his third game of the season, and 220 is 220. At this point, we’ll take it and hope for more.

Defensive game ball: OLB Blake Gallagher

Gallagher made eight tackles, six of them solo, as he covered the field, outside and in. “Gally” also notched his second straight game with an INT to now lead the team in that department (though it’s not brag-worthy). Most impressive about the pick was not how he got it, but what he did afterward, churning his legs and moving his feet for a 40-yard return that very nearly resulted in a pick-six. If he wasn’t so valuable at his primary position at Will LB, we might suggest he get a couple cracks at fullback. He and fellow Massachusetts native Joe Gaziano (2 TFLs, 2 PBUs, a QBH and a blocked FG) turned in great games against their home-state school.

Special Teams game ball: Chris Bergin

Bergin’s heroics Saturday were far and away the special teams performance of the year for the Wildcats. That's saying something, as Fitzgerald praised that phase of the game for performing well all season. It started with his 85-yard TD return on the blocked FG in the second quarter, in which he beat out a couple of UMass players racing down the sideline. Bergin also had a few stops on the kickoff and punt coverage teams. It was great to see him and his brother, Joe, combine on a tackle to open the second half. Chris also recovered a live-ball, squib kick in the fourth quarter, which only happened because No. 28 hustled 32 yards down the field to beat anyone to the ball.

Wildcat Warrior: ST/RB Raymond Niro

Niro has won this award before, but the redshirt freshman, who many said was turning heads in camp last spring, had his best performance of the year on Saturday. Not only did he show us his usual, excellent coverage downfield on special teams, but he also carried the ball seven times for 45 yards (6.4 ypc) and scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter. And it didn’t all come easy, either. For an overlooked, deceptively fast, workhorse from nearby Barrington, Ill., seeing him earn his yardage and get into the end zone was special. It was reminiscent of Corey Acker’s long touchdown run against Minnesota in 2017 -- a guy who paid his dues and didn't get a lot of playing time for a while, but when given the opportunity to shine, made the most of it.

Things were looking bad at the end of the first quarter. Northwestern was losing. They had turned the ball over twice and were having to cover their ears from the deafening cries of “here we go again.” They could (and maybe should) have been down by two touchdowns, but forced the Minutemen to try a 30-yard field goal. It was then that Cooper Garcia’s kick was blocked by Gaziano, and Bergin picked it up and ran it in for the first touchdown of the game. This play spurred Northwestern to an onslaught of 38 more points, and it gave the Wildcats and their fans a reason to smile for the first time in quite a while.

Tim Chapman is a teacher and former Michigan high school football coach who is currently working on a book titled "ChampioN Underdog" about the 1995 Northwestern Rose Bowl team. Follow him via Twitter: @Champion_Lit. Email him at nufbhistorian@gmail.com.