EVANSTON-it is difficult to overstate just how devastating Northwestern’s shocking 9-7 loss to Illinois State on Saturday was.

The Wildcats, already coming off of a home loss to a MAC team last weekend, were pushed around and outplayed by the Redbirds, who play in the FCS and are built for the Missouri Valley Conference, not the Big Ten. Coming off of a 10-win season, Northwestern is now a stunning 0-2 after dropping games to the only two non-Power Five schools on the schedule, and at home, no less.

From this point -- rock bottom -- it’s difficult to see how the Wildcats could possibly get to six wins and a bowl game with only Duke and Big Ten teams remaining on the schedule. Disastrous is not to strong a word to describe the Wildcats' start.

An edgier-than-usual head coach Pat Fitzgerald had plenty of reasons for the loss in the post-game press conference. The Wildcats inexplicably were unable to run the ball on the Redbirds, amassing just 86 yards on an anemic 2.8 yards per carry. The offensive line was dominated by Illinois State’s front seven. The defense once again couldn’t get off the field as the Redbirds held the ball for a whopping 19:51 in the first half and 34:18 for the game. The offense couldn’t sustain drives, converting just 5-of-18 first downs. Ill-timed penalties killed momentum. One-man breakdowns destroyed plays on both sides of the ball. It was like a step-by-step instruction manual for how to lose a football game.

Yet even after that lengthy laundry list of problems, Northwestern was still in place to escape with a win late in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats were nursing a 7-6 lead when Hunter Niswander, who turned in another strong outing, neatly placed a 41-yard punt that was downed at the Illinois State 13-yard line with just 3:11 left. After all the mistakes, flags, missed assignments and injuries, all the Wildcats defense had to do was get a stop and a victory, however ugly, would be theirs.

Anthony Walker, the Wildcats’ captain, All-America candidate and defensive leader, sensed that this was a big moment. His helmet off, he made a passionate plea to the defense, gesturing wildly and barking out admonitions like a drill sergeant as his unit assembled by the numbers, waiting to be called onto the field after the TV timeout. They took the field knowing that all they had to do was force a punt -- like they did so many times a season ago -- and the game was effectively over.

Instead, they got a rude awakening. Jake Kolbe dropped back and fired a strike to Spencer Schnell on the very first play for 18 yards. First down, Redbirds.

After a false start penalty, Kolbe went on to complete his next six passes, as well, without a single incompletion. Throw in two timeouts and three George Moreira runs for 15 yards, and the Redbirds were at the Northwestern 16 with three seconds left.

Then, on the last play of the game, Sean Slattery, of all people -- the kicker who had earlier missed the extra point that could have cost ISU the game -- went from goat to hero when his fluttering 33-yard kick hit the left upright but ricocheted through to give Illinois State the win that, for the second straight week, shook Northwestern to its core.

With the game on the line, Illinois State had driven 71 yards in 11 plays for the winning score on Northwestern’s once-vaunted defense. Kolbe went 7-for-7 for 56 yards on that decisive drive to wrap up a day that saw him complete 30 of 41 passes for 287 yards and overcome two interceptions.

And for the second straight week, an underdog opponent celebrated on Ryan Field after pulling off an upset.

“We just have to get a stop on that last drive,” lamented Walker. “The offense, they gave us a lead, 7-6, we’ll take it, any day of the week. We’ll take it, as long as we have a shot to win. The defense has to get off the field. We’ll take that one.”

No, Illinois State will, actually.

Fitzgerald, ever the optimist, thinks that his team can overcome its mistakes through coaching and hard work. He used the clichés of improving each day in practice and finding a way to win. He blamed himself and his coaching staff and encouraged his players to look within themselves do the same, using the well-worn Randy Walker adage of pointing thumbs, not fingers, and taking responsibility for these two season-opening debacles.

“They’ve gotta fix it by approaching each day with a relentless attitude and a relentless work ethic to improve and get better,” he said. “If we do that we’ll find a way to win and get the momentum going the other way.”

But the most exasperating aspect of the loss to Fitzgerald was his team’s lack of passion. For the second straight week, the Wildcats came out flat and didn’t play with much energy or emotion, Walker’s fourth-quarter demonstration notwithstanding.

Just like last week, it was Northwestern’s opponent that was the aggressor. Illinois State was the fighter pressing the issue and moving forward, while Northwestern was the counterpuncher being backed into the corner with his hands up around his ears, hesitant to throw a punch for fear of getting hit.

Simply put, the fiery coach’s team is playing with a lack of fire.

“We’re not having the same type of enthusiasm, I don’t see the same type of enthusiasm, the same type of passion,” said Fitzgerald. “I see a bunch of guys trying not to make mistakes, instead of trying to make plays.

“And when you overthink things, like we are right now, for whatever reason, you’re inconsistent. We’re overthinking it. The fear of making a mistake or the fear of failure is as debilitating as anything. That’s what I’m seeing right now.”

So what can the Wildcats do to get that passion back? In Fitzgerald’s view they don’t have much choice but to get back to work. He said he would start by leaning on his captains and his leadership council and exploring what the coaching staff can do differently to give the team a spark.

“When things are adverse and things are tough, you have to stick together,” said Fitzgerald. “That’s all you can do. You’ve got to get up off the mat.”

He knows that Northwestern will have to play at Iowa, at Michigan State and at Ohio State in October, regardless of whether they recapture their mojo or not.

After the game, Fitzgerald didn’t channel his inner Woody Hayes. He didn't throw any chairs or peel the paint in the locker room by yelling at his already wounded players. He gave them a positive message. A message of hope.

“I said I believe in you. I believe in who you guys are. I believe in what we are.”

At this point, there probably aren’t very many people outside of that locker room who feel the same way.