In a season that noticed Northwestern journey to New Orleans and Los Angeles, coach David Braun’s group won’t have to journey far to end off its marketing campaign.
The Wildcats (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) will compete in Detroit’s GameAbove Sports Bowl in opposition to Central Michigan on Dec. 26, the group introduced Sunday afternoon. The sport is about to be performed at Ford Field with a midday kickoff.
This season’s journey to Detroit implies that Braun is the primary coach in program historical past to safe two bowl bids in his first three seasons. NU has received 5 consecutive bowl video games, with the newest coming over Utah in 2023.
“This is an exciting time for our football team,” Braun mentioned at a Sunday afternoon press convention. “ … It’s been a great opportunity to continue to challenge this football team and finish off the season the right way, finish what we started. Also, just an incredible opportunity to continue to develop a lot of guys on this football team that have played limited football.”
The late December matchup will mark the second time the ’Cats have confronted the Chippewas (7-5, 5-3 MAC) in this system’s historical past. In 2010, NU received the one assembly between the squads 30-25 at Ryan Field.
Central Michigan is led by first-year coach Matt Drinkall, who helped this system enhance its file in the common season by three wins in 2025.
The ’Cats and the Chippewas share a standard opponent in now-No. 18 Michigan. While NU fell simply wanting taking down the Wolverines at Wrigley Field, Central Michigan suffered a 63-3 defeat early in the season.
“Coach Drinkall, the job that he’s done in his first year at CMU is really impressive,” Braun mentioned. “Know that we have a great opponent in front of us, an opponent that will be highly motivated, well coached and still just getting started in terms of truly understanding who they are and what their strengths are.”
The prolonged preparation interval for the ultimate sport of the season is optimistic for a group that has handled its justifiable share of accidents. Braun mentioned Sunday that he’s “really confident” about having redshirt sophomore operating again Caleb Komolafe and graduate pupil defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard again for the bowl sport.
He additionally added that redshirt junior operating again Joseph Himon II, who picked up an damage in opposition to Illinois, is extra up in the air.
Playing in a bowl sport additionally offers the ’Cats with additional practices with their gamers. Braun mentioned that they’re ensuring their younger guys are getting reps and that it’s like “a mini spring ball of sorts.”
Ultimately, although, Braun has repeatedly mentioned that one of many targets of this group is to dominate in the postseason. That is NU’s high precedence.
“What our seniors deserve, what our leadership deserves is for us to be at our absolute best in our last game with an opportunity to win a bowl championship,” Braun mentioned.
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