“Thrilled with the opportunity ahead. Huge thanks to the GameAbove Sports Bowl for the invite,” Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun mentioned. “This is an exciting time for our football team. … It’s been a great opportunity to continue to challenge this football team and finish off the season the right way.”
The Wildcats (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) are showing in their first postseason recreation for the reason that 2023 Las Vegas Bowl, the place they defeated Utah, 14-7, permitting the fewest factors in a bowl recreation in college historical past behind three takeaways.
It’s been almost a month for the reason that ‘Cats performed their ultimate recreation of the common season, falling at Illinois on a snowy Saturday, Nov. 29, by a 20-13 rating. Sophomore huge receiver Hayden Eligon II hauled in eight catches for 99 yards and a landing, whereas first-year working again Robbie Preckel recorded profession highs with 22 carries for 82 yards.
The Chippewas (7-5, 5-3 MAC) closed their season by successful two of their ultimate three video games towards Kent State and Buffalo, however dropped their common season finale to Toledo, 21-3.
Friday’s tilt would be the second-ever matchup between Northwestern and Central Michigan. The groups beforehand confronted off on Sept. 25, 2010, at Ryan Field, the place the Wildcats claimed a 30-25 victory.
The recreation will air on ESPN with Matt Schumacker (play-by-play), Dustin Fox (analyst), and Ashley Stroehlein (sideline) on the decision. It could be heard on WGN 720 AM and SiriusXM Channel 372 with the Voice of the ‘Cats, Dave Eanet, who’s in his thirty sixth season calling Northwestern soccer, and Thirty second-year analyst Ted Albrecht. Former Wildcat defensive lineman Jake Saunders (2016–20) is in his first season as sideline reporter.
Stay tuned to Northwestern soccer’s Twitter and Instagram channels for reside highlights, images, and reactions all through the bowl recreation.
As the Wildcats intention for their sixth consecutive bowl victory, listed here are 5 issues to know.
1. Northwestern’s bowl recreation historical past
Northwestern has appeared in 17 bowl video games, with 11 coming in the final twenty years. The Wildcats are 7-10 all-time however have received six of their final seven since 2013.
Northwestern has received 5 straight bowl video games (2016 Pinstripe Bowl, 2017 Music City Bowl, 2018 Holiday Bowl, 2021 Citrus Bowl, 2023 Las Vegas Bowl), which is tied for the third-longest streak in the nation behind Minnesota (8) and Ohio (7).
Braun is the primary coach in program historical past to make two bowl recreation appearances in his first three seasons on the helm. With a win, he’ll change into the primary Northwestern head coach to win every of his first two bowl video games.
“We’ve talked about the goals of this program, but one of the goals is to dominate in the postseason,” Braun mentioned.
Friday’s contest will likely be simply the Wildcats’ second bowl matchup towards a MAC opponent. Northwestern confronted Bowling Green in the now-defunct Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26, 2003, and fell 28-24.
On Location.
?? Ford Field pic.twitter.com/2JA7j9DCtj
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) December 23, 2025
2. The Wildcats’ All-Big Ten nods
Northwestern had 15 gamers named to an All-Big Ten Team, with seven approaching the defensive facet of the ball — the Wildcats’ most since 2017.
Graduate pupil offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan and redshirt junior defensive again Robert Fitzgerald led the best way with All-Big Ten Second Team honors.
Tiernan recorded an 86.2 PFF pass-blocking grade, rating third in the Big Ten and seventh nationally amongst offensive tackles. Fitzgerald posted 109 complete tackles, with a Big Ten-high 68 solo tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, three move breakups, one fumble restoration, and an interception.
Appearing on the All-Big Ten Third Team have been graduate pupil linebacker Mac Uihlein and junior huge receiver Griffin Wilde. Uihlein logged 93 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, one compelled fumble, and 4 interceptions, whereas Wilde recorded 61 catches for 783 receiving yards and 6 receiving touchdowns.
The groups’ All-Big Ten Honorable Mentions included the next gamers: redshirt sophomore working again Caleb Komolafe, graduate pupil offensive lineman Evan Beerntsen, graduate pupil tight finish Hunter Welcing, redshirt first-year Ezomo Oratokhai, redshirt sophomore defensive again Josh Fussell, junior defensive lineman Michael Kilbane, redshirt junior defensive lineman Anto Saka, redshirt junior defensive again Braden Turner, and graduate pupil defensive lineman Carmine Bastone.
3. CT returns house
Playing in his ultimate collegiate recreation, offensive lineman Caleb Tiernan will cap off his Wildcat profession simply 19 miles from the place he attended highschool at Detroit Country Day. Since the beginning of the 2023 season, the Livonia, Mich., product has began 37 consecutive video games at left sort out, encompassing each recreation of the David Braun period.
The left sort out expects a large contingent of family and friends to attend Friday’s matchup with Central Michigan. Soon after the bowl recreation’s announcement, a Facebook group labeled the “Tiernan Fan Club” swiftly grew in scale.
As of Tuesday night, the group contains 71 members and has begun distributing customized Tiernan merchandise for these in the All-Big Ten sort out’s private cheering part.
Read More on Tiernan’s Final Northwestern Game
4. Northwestern’s standout protection
This season, the Wildcats allowed simply 20.9 factors per recreation, the seventh-best mark in the Big Ten and thirty fourth nationally. The defensive unit held 11 of 12 opponents beneath their scoring common. Excluding the nine-game 2020 season, this season marked Northwestern’s greatest scoring protection since 2015 (18.6) and the eighth-best mark since 1970.
The Wildcats’ protection ranks sixth in the Big Ten, producing 16 complete takeaways this season (eight fumble recoveries, eight interceptions). The staff’s eight fumble recoveries rank second in the Big Ten.
Defensive coordinator Tim McGarigle‘s unit additionally had a powerful secondary all season. Northwestern ranked seventh in the Big Ten and Thirty second nationally, permitting a median of 194.8 passing yards per recreation. Since 1995, it’s the program’s fifth-fewest passing yards allowed per recreation.
5. Scouting the Chippewas
In his first 12 months as Central Michigan’s head coach, Matt Drinkall led the Chippewas to a three-win enchancment from final season and their first bowl recreation berth since 2021.
“Coach Drinkall, the job he’s done in his first year at CMU is really impressive,” Braun mentioned. “I know that we have a great opponent in front of us — an opponent that will be highly motivated and well-coached.”
Central Michigan proved to be one of many nation’s greatest defenses at forcing turnovers, as its +8 turnover margin ranked tied for sixteenth nationally. The staff totaled 12 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
The Chippewas had 5 All-MAC honorees. Linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski and defensive lineman Michael Heldman, who ranks eighth nationally with 10.5 sacks, earned first-team recognition.
The staff’s offense averages 23.8 factors per recreation, with quarterback Joey Labas main the MAC with a 68.9 completion proportion. His high goal was huge receiver Langston Lewis, who acquired All-MAC Third Team honors with 35 receptions for 513 yards and three touchdowns.