ESPN College GameDay is reporting that Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa will NOT play in the Wildcats' season opener at Boston College today (11 a.m. CT, ESPNU).

The show attributed the news to Wildcat coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Northwestern officially listed Persa's status as questionable on Thursday. He suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last Nov. 13 in a win over Iowa and has been rehabbing it since.

With Persa sidelined, sophomore Kain Colter will get his first career start at quarterback for the Wildcats.