The 2016 season is finally here.
Northwestern hosts MAC favorite Western Michigan on Saturday at Ryan Field in a tricky season opener. How will the Wildcats fare against the dangerous Broncos? Macray Poidomani and Louie Vaccher weigh in with their takes on how the game will unfold.
Northwestern wins if...
Macray: The offensive and defensive lines dominate the Western Michigan front. On offense, this will result in Justin Jackson having a big day and opening up the play-action pass for Clayton Thorson. The defensive line has to keep pressure on Zach Terrell, while also containing the Broncos’ stable of running backs.
Louie: The running game pounds the rock and controls the clock. If the offensive line gets a push and Justin Jackson (along with Warren Long) racks up typical Justin Jackson yardage, the Wildcats will keep WMU’s considerable cache of offensive weapons on the sideline, where they can’t do much damage.
Northwestern loses if...
Macray: Corey Davis lights up the Northwestern secondary, opening up running lanes for the Western Michigan backs. If this game ends up in a shootout, it may come down to the team which has more weapons. At this point, it looks like that team is Western Michigan.
Louie: The Broncos hit a few big plays or create a couple turnovers and turn the game into a shootout. Northwestern’s offense still isn’t equipped to rip off big plays or score in bunches. If the Wildcats get behind and have to throw to win, they could be in trouble.
Key to the game
Macray: Northwestern’s secondary vs. WMU wide receiver Corey Davis. Davis is one of the best receivers in college football and if he gets separation against the NU secondary it could be a long day. On the other hand, if NU can contain the dangerous Davis, then the defensive line can run wild against the weak WMU offensive line.
Louie: Third-down conversions. Northwestern needs to move the chains and win the time-of-possession battle offensively to keep Terrell, Davis & Co. off the field. On the flip side, Northwestern’s defense needs to do put pressure on Terrell and get off the field on third downs.
Player to watch
Macray: Justin Jackson has the opportunity to start the year off right. The Western Michigan defense is not very good outside from a few individuals (Keion Adams, for instance). So I expect him to run wild against the Broncos.
Louie: Montre Hartage is going to be on the hot seat on Saturday. With Matthew Harris on the other side, you know that the Broncos will be picking on the rookie corner making his first collegiate start. Hartage needs to keep his man in front of him, make tackles and not give up the long one over the top.
The skinny
Macray: This is a solid test for the Northwestern defense and a difficult game for the ‘Cats right off the bat. At the end of the day, however, Northwestern’s offensive line should overpower Western Michigan and Justin Jackson should have well over 100 yards rushing. The passing game from Northwestern will struggle a bit as Thorson and his new receiving corps get their first in-game action of the year, but the running backs will win this one for NU. They will keep the ball away from the dangerous spread offense of Western Michigan. I don’t expect this game to turn into a shootout, though it certainly has the potential to be one if NU can’t stop WMU. The pick: Northwestern 24 WMU 21
Louie: While Western Michigan is an elite MAC team, this is a good matchup for Northwestern. The Broncos have a powerful offense, but Northwestern’s salty defense should be able to contain Franklin and the running game. If the Cats make WMU one-dimensional, they won’t do much damage. WMU’s defense, on the other hand, is the team’s weak link, so the Wildcats’ ground game should dominate the game. Expect the Broncos to hit a couple big plays to make it interesting for a while, but in the end Northwestern wears them down. The pick: Northwestern 30 WMU 20
