Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Leans Into Smash-Mouth Identity in Shutout of Purdue
10/18/2025 7:57:00 PM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. — Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun considers Northwestern's four-game winning streak a testament to playing into the team's identity.
"The beautiful thing that you see over the course of these last few weeks is we know who we are," Braun said. "It starts with the run game, and it's built around that. It's one thing to start off and have some success with it. But we have to make sure we continue to re-emphasize it."
As the Wildcats (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) dismantled Purdue, 19-0, in Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Saturday, their smash-mouth brand of football was on full display. Northwestern ran the ball a season-high 50 times, amassing 232 rushing yards.
The Wildcats' rushing total marked their most prolific Big Ten performance on the ground since Dec. 12, 2020, against Illinois. The success in the running game gave the 'Cats a 15-plus-minute advantage in the time of possession battle.
"We know who we are. We want to run the football behind those big boys up front," redshirt junior running back Joseph Himon II said. "We trust those guys, and they trust us."
Himon took a career-high 22 attempts for 87 yards, while redshirt sophomore Caleb Komolafe and redshirt first-year Dashun Reeder added 67 and 51 yards, respectively.
"I always stay ready for when my number is called," Himon said. "No matter the opportunity, no matter how little or how many I get, I just continue to prepare every day. I just want to maximize my opportunities and just help my team win."
For Himon, who had nine carries in the first quarter, patience was paramount as NU looked to wear down the Boilermakers. The Little Rock, Ark., native set a new season-long on a 37-yard carry in the fourth quarter.
While graduate student quarterback Preston Stone accounted for both his team's touchdowns through the air, the veteran signal-caller made sure to credit the rushing attack for opening up opportunities in the pass game. Stone said it has been a recurring theme in recent weeks.
"When we're able to run the ball as effectively as we do, defenses can't help but load the box," Stone said. "That opens up a lot of space downfield, and we were able to capitalize on a few of those today."
Defensively, the program pitched its first shutout since a 39-0 win over Minnesota in 2017.
"There's a lot of pride there; we know when all 11 of us on defense are on the same page, we're pretty good," said redshirt junior linebacker Braydon Brus, who logged seven tackles and a quarterback hit in the win. "All that takes is just executing and doing your job…It's always exciting to not let the opponents score any points. It makes it a lot easier to win."
A week after Purdue ran for 253 yards against Minnesota, the 'Cats stymied the Boilermakers to just 87 rushing yards. The pass rush appeared to fly toward the football, and Purdue passers combined for just a 53% completion rate.
The Northwestern defense forced a season-best three turnovers on Saturday, including a team-high third interception for graduate student linebacker Mac Uihlein. The Wildcats recovered a pair of forced fumbles — the latter of which capped redshirt junior defensive lineman Brendan Flakes' career day.
"Ultimately, it was a great play for the defensive line as a whole," Flakes said. "Anto [Saka] did a great job hitting the quarterback. I saw the ball in the air, just went up and got it. We work high-point with coach [Harlon] Barnett all the time. They say it's a fumble, but in the Flakes household, it will be an interception."
As Northwestern shifts its focus toward a road test at No. 25 Nebraska on Saturday, Oct. 25, Braun said his team can ill-afford "feeling comfortable" about its best seven-game start to a season since the 2020 campaign.
But Braun said he is certainly proud that his team commemorated the 1995 Rose Bowl squad fittingly with a commanding shutout win.
"I was observing our football team as coach [Gary] Barnett was talking yesterday, and you could tell how important it was to our players — but also how important it was to our staff," Braun said. "It was a pinch yourself moment… You go back to that team and coach Barnett, that is the catalyst [for] what we see today in Northwestern football."
"The beautiful thing that you see over the course of these last few weeks is we know who we are," Braun said. "It starts with the run game, and it's built around that. It's one thing to start off and have some success with it. But we have to make sure we continue to re-emphasize it."
As the Wildcats (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten) dismantled Purdue, 19-0, in Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Saturday, their smash-mouth brand of football was on full display. Northwestern ran the ball a season-high 50 times, amassing 232 rushing yards.
The Wildcats' rushing total marked their most prolific Big Ten performance on the ground since Dec. 12, 2020, against Illinois. The success in the running game gave the 'Cats a 15-plus-minute advantage in the time of possession battle.
"We know who we are. We want to run the football behind those big boys up front," redshirt junior running back Joseph Himon II said. "We trust those guys, and they trust us."
Himon took a career-high 22 attempts for 87 yards, while redshirt sophomore Caleb Komolafe and redshirt first-year Dashun Reeder added 67 and 51 yards, respectively.
"I always stay ready for when my number is called," Himon said. "No matter the opportunity, no matter how little or how many I get, I just continue to prepare every day. I just want to maximize my opportunities and just help my team win."
For Himon, who had nine carries in the first quarter, patience was paramount as NU looked to wear down the Boilermakers. The Little Rock, Ark., native set a new season-long on a 37-yard carry in the fourth quarter.
While graduate student quarterback Preston Stone accounted for both his team's touchdowns through the air, the veteran signal-caller made sure to credit the rushing attack for opening up opportunities in the pass game. Stone said it has been a recurring theme in recent weeks.
"When we're able to run the ball as effectively as we do, defenses can't help but load the box," Stone said. "That opens up a lot of space downfield, and we were able to capitalize on a few of those today."
Defensively, the program pitched its first shutout since a 39-0 win over Minnesota in 2017.
"There's a lot of pride there; we know when all 11 of us on defense are on the same page, we're pretty good," said redshirt junior linebacker Braydon Brus, who logged seven tackles and a quarterback hit in the win. "All that takes is just executing and doing your job…It's always exciting to not let the opponents score any points. It makes it a lot easier to win."
A week after Purdue ran for 253 yards against Minnesota, the 'Cats stymied the Boilermakers to just 87 rushing yards. The pass rush appeared to fly toward the football, and Purdue passers combined for just a 53% completion rate.
The Northwestern defense forced a season-best three turnovers on Saturday, including a team-high third interception for graduate student linebacker Mac Uihlein. The Wildcats recovered a pair of forced fumbles — the latter of which capped redshirt junior defensive lineman Brendan Flakes' career day.
"Ultimately, it was a great play for the defensive line as a whole," Flakes said. "Anto [Saka] did a great job hitting the quarterback. I saw the ball in the air, just went up and got it. We work high-point with coach [Harlon] Barnett all the time. They say it's a fumble, but in the Flakes household, it will be an interception."
As Northwestern shifts its focus toward a road test at No. 25 Nebraska on Saturday, Oct. 25, Braun said his team can ill-afford "feeling comfortable" about its best seven-game start to a season since the 2020 campaign.
But Braun said he is certainly proud that his team commemorated the 1995 Rose Bowl squad fittingly with a commanding shutout win.
"I was observing our football team as coach [Gary] Barnett was talking yesterday, and you could tell how important it was to our players — but also how important it was to our staff," Braun said. "It was a pinch yourself moment… You go back to that team and coach Barnett, that is the catalyst [for] what we see today in Northwestern football."
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