Can Northwestern Win the Big Ten West in 2021?
2020 was a great year for Northwestern football: the Wildcats finished with a 7-2 record, a Big Ten West crown, and a Citrus Bowl victory over Auburn.
Can Chicago's Big Ten Team carry its success into 2021 and earn another division title, or will it regress while another team climbs to the top? We break it down here.
Analysis:
To say there is a lot of turnover going into the 2021 season would be an understatement, as both sides of the ball return less than half of their starters from 2020. Despite the team's youth, the Wildcats will be a contender in the Big Ten title race.
The offense will be led by the sophomore running back, Cam Porter, who put up 333 on 81 attempts in a shortened 2020 season. The Wildcats will lean heavily on Porter to shoulder the load on offense as they lost their top four pass catchers as well as their starting quarterback.
At the quarterback position, there will be a battle to see who starts between two transfers, South Carolina transfer Ryan Hilinksi and the former Clemson transfer Hunter Johnson. However, it is most likely that Hilinski will come in and win the starting job over Johnson.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Wildcats will look to maintain the same effort from 2020 that led the nation in passing efficiency, allowing 341 yards per game through the air and only giving up 16 points per game.
This could prove to be difficult for the Wildcats defense, which is being led by new defensive coordinator in Jim O’Neil. Despite the loss of five starting players, the defense does return some serious talent that should help fill the gap.
The Wildcats defense, which is known for hard hitting linebackers, will not be any different in 2021 as Chris Bergin will lead a solid linebacker core. Elsewhere on the defense, look for Joe Spivak to anchor the defensive line and wreak havoc on opposing offenses allowing for the secondary to shut down offenses through the air as well.
Prediction:
Northwestern had a bounce back season in 2020 after a disappointing 2019, going 7-2, reaching the Big 10 championship and earning a Citrus Bowl victory over Auburn. However, 2021 may not be as easy for the Wildcats. They will face tough challenges in Michigan and Michigan State from the Big 10 East.
As for the Big 10 West, Northwestern will be in a three team battle with Wisconsin and Iowa to claim the crown. Unlike Northwestern, Wisconsin and Iowa are bringing back a majority of their starters from their 2020 campaigns and are the early favorites to win the division.
Ultimately, the Big Ten West will most likely end up in the following order:
- Wisconsin
- Iowa
- Northwestern
- Minnesota
- Nebraska
- Purdue
- Illinois
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