Gameday Central: 'Cats Set to Battle Illinois for Land of Lincoln Trophy

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern heads to Champaign to take on rival Illinois in the regular season finale, looking to secure its seventh "Hat" in the past 10 seasons, at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday.

Last week, the Wildcats secured bowl eligibility for the first time since 2020 with a 23-15 win over Purdue at Ryan Field.

How to Follow

Watch on BTN: Action will be televised on Big Ten Network, with Cory Provus (play-by-play) and Jake Butt (analyst) in the booth, joined by Brooke Fletcher on the sideline. Direct Link to Watch Online (Sign-in Required)

Listen on AM 720 WGN: The Voice of the Wildcats, Dave Eanet, returns for his 34th season calling Northwestern Football. Eanet will be joined on the call by 30th-year analyst Ted Albrecht, along with Lauren Withrow on the sideline.

Direct Link to Listen Online

Follow In-Game Updates (NUFBFamily): Stay tuned to Northwestern Football's Twitter and Instagram channels for live highlights, photos and reactions surrounding Sunday's game.

Digital Program: Can't wait for Saturday's game? Catch up on all the latest with the Wildcats prior to kickoff with this week's gameday program! View the Week 12 Digital Program HERE.

Five Things to Know:

With a 6-5 record, Northwestern is bowl eligible for the first time since the 2020 season. Northwestern is one of just five teams since 2000 to win six or more games the year after finishing 1-11. The Wildcats' five-win increase from last season is the largest in FBS, while their 6.9 point increase in scoring offense is the largest improvement in the Big Ten. The 'Cats finished the year 5-1 at Ryan Field, their best home record since 2017.
Linebackers Xander Mueller and Bryce Gallagher are the only defensive duo in the Big Ten to each record 90+ tackles this season. Gallagher surpassed 100 tackles on the season against Purdue, becoming the only player in the Big Ten and one of just four nationally to record 100+ tackles each of the past two seasons. Mueller is the first Big Ten player to post 90+ tackles, 5.0+ sacks, and 2+ interceptions through the first 11 games of a season since James Laurinaitis did so for Ohio State in 2007.
Northwestern is +8 in turnover margin this season, an improvement of +26 from last season (-18). Those numbers are on pace to be the second-highest improvement from season-to-season of any Big Ten Conference team in the 21st century: Minnesota improved from -15 to +12 for a +27 improvement from 2007 to 2008. Minnesota improved from one win to seven wins over that span.
DL Carmine Bastone racked up career-highs in solo tackles (3), sacks (1.0) and tackles for loss (2.0). The former walk-on posted an 89.5 PFF grade, ranking sixth among all defensive tackles in Week 11.
Last week, Northwestern named David Braun the permanent head coach. Braun is the first Power 5 coach to take his team from 1 or fewer wins to bowl eligibility in the following season since 2018 (Matt Rhule, Baylor). Braun is the first Northwestern head coach with five or more wins in his first season since Walter McCornack led his Wildcats to a 10-1-3 record and a Co-Western Conference (now Big Ten) Championship in 1903. = The forward pass wasn't legalized in college football until 1906 and touchdowns were worth five points until 1912. Here are some events that occured in 1903: Wilbur and Orville Wright flew the first airplane in Kitty Hawk, N.C., the Ford Motor Company is founded in Detroit and the first modern World Series is held with the Boston Americans defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in eight games. We were still 25 years away from sliced bread, 11 years away from Wrigley Field opening and four years away from Oklahoma becoming a state.

Gameday Central: 'Cats Set to Battle Illinois for Land of Lincoln Trophy

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Carmine Bastone

Bryce Gallagher

Xander Mueller

Northwestern University Athletics