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First Look at Illinois Football's Week 14 Opponent: Northwestern Wildcats

After an embarrassing performance in Madison last week, the Illini will be looking for a strong finish to the regular season at home
Pranav Hegde|
Nov 22, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver Hayden Eligon II (80) runs the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images
Nov 22, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats wide receiver Hayden Eligon II (80) runs the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniNorthwestern Wildcats

Illinois football (7-4, 4-4 Big Ten) will head into its regular-season finale aiming to bounce back after a sloppy performance against Wisconsin. The Illini never settled in offensively in Madison, struggled in protection and let too many opportunities slip away. Now they return home for the regular season finale in Champaign (6:30 p.m. CT, FOX) against rival Northwestern – a game they simply need to take care of.

Northwestern doesn’t overwhelm anyone statistically, but they play hard, keep games close and force opponents to execute. For Illinois, the formula is straightforward: clean up the mistakes from last week and finish drives. With the Land of Lincoln Trophy on the line and a chance to end the regular season on a high note (as well as secure a decent bowl berth), this is a game the Illini have to control from the start.

Northwestern at a glance

The Wildcats are led by third-year head coach David Braun, who has quietly brought stability to Evanston. After winning eight games in Braun's first season (in which he earned 2023 Big Ten Coach of the Year honors), Northwestern took a small step back last fall – but has bounced back with a strong 2025 campaign. At 6–5, the Wildcats are bowl-eligible and have handled every opponent they were expected to beat.

Their season highlight came in Happy Valley, where a statement upset over Penn State triggered the dismissal of James Franklin the next day. Even in their losses, the Wildcats have been competitive, showing a level of consistency that reflects solid coaching and disciplined football. This is a confident, well-prepared team that will come into Champaign looking to avenge last year’s loss and finish the regular season with momentum.

Wildcats on the field

Northwestern is led by fifth-year senior quarterback Preston Stone, a veteran who arrived after four seasons at SMU. Stone has been a steady presence for the Wildcats and does most of his work through the air, having thrown for 2,011 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. He has the arm talent to push the ball downfield and is at his best when he’s operating in rhythm, delivering throws on time and within the structure of the offense. He is also coming off his strongest performance of the year – a 305-yard, two-touchdown outing in a win over Minnesota – giving Northwestern some real momentum heading into the rivalry matchup.

Stone’s top target – by a wide margin – is junior receiver Griffin Wilde. The South Dakota State transfer has been outstanding in his first season in Evanston, catching 56 passes for 755 yards and six touchdowns. He is the clear focal point of Northwestern’s passing game and has emerged as its most dynamic weapon. Wilde can line up anywhere on the field – which makes him a constant challenge for opposing secondaries – and win at all three levels. He will be the Illini’s primary concern on Saturday, and limiting his impact will go a long way toward controlling the Wildcats’ offense.

On the ground, Northwestern leans on sophomore Caleb Komolafe, who has put together a true breakout season in 2025. He has rushed for 886 yards and 10 touchdowns on an impressive 5.1 yards per carry – a strong number given the quality of defenses the Wildcats have faced. Komolafe hasn’t been heavily involved in the passing game, but his consistent production as a runner has more than compensated. He is a physical, downhill back who can wear down a defense over four quarters, and slowing him will be a major test for an Illini front that was embarrassed by Wisconsin a week ago.

The Wildcats' defense opened the season playing at a high level, but the unit has slipped in recent weeks. It allowed 28 points to Nebraska – with the Huskers starting a backup quarterback – then surrendered 38 points to USC and 35 more to Minnesota, though NU managed to pull out the win in that one. This group does enough to keep Northwestern competitive, but it’s far from an elite unit. The Wildcats can be scored on by a patient offense that finishes drives and avoids the self-inflicted mistakes that have hurt Illinois in its losses.

Illinois vs. Northwestern matchup

This is one of those classic rivalry games in which records, talent gaps and recent performances stop mattering the moment the ball is kicked off. Anything can happen when Illinois and Northwestern meet, and the Illini can’t afford to assume anything will come easy. After an ugly showing against Wisconsin, Illinois returns home with a chance to reset in front of the Illini faithful and put a much cleaner product on the field.

Sharper preparation, better execution and a more complete game plan will be required to beat a Northwestern team that has put together a soild season. This matchup is about urgency and identity – proving last week was an outlier and that the program is still moving in the right direction. For Illinois, it’s a game it simply has to win to maintain momentum and keep building toward the future.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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