Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, October 4
Evanston, Ill.
2:30 pm CT
Northwestern
vs
ULM
Northwestern Hosts ULM for Homecoming Matchup
10/3/2025 10:06:00 AM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. — Coming off a Big Ten home win this past weekend, Northwestern will wrap up its non-conference slate with a matchup against ULM at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Last time out, the Wildcats (2-2, 1-1 Big Ten) held off UCLA's late comeback for a 17-14 victory. Redshirt sophomore running back Caleb Komolafe had the best game of his collegiate career, notching career-highs in both rushing attempts (27) and rushing yards (119) while scoring a touchdown. On the defensive end, Northwestern posted four tackles for loss and three sacks.
The Warhawks (3-1, 1-0 Sun Belt) enter Evanston on a two-game winning streak and on the heels of defeating Arkansas State 28-16.
"Excited to be back into prep," Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun said. "Opportunity for all of us to learn a lot from Saturday. The first thing that we learned is we still have a lot of work to do."
Saturday's matchup will be Northwestern's 114th Homecoming game, which is the second-oldest Homecoming of any school in the country. The matinee will be just the third Homecoming game in program history against a non-conference opponent.
The game will air on Big Ten Network. Jack Kizer (play-by-play) and Anthony Herron (analyst) will be on the call, joined by Dannie Rogers on the sidelines.
The game can be heard on WGN Radio 720 with The Voice of the Wildcats, Dave Eanet, who is in his 36th season calling Northwestern football, and former Wildcat signal caller Dan Persa (2007-2011) as analyst, filling in for Ted Albrecht. Former NU defensive lineman Jake Saunders (2016-2020) is in his first season as the duo's sideline reporter.
Stay tuned to Northwestern football's Twitter and Instagram channels for live highlights, photos and reactions throughout the Wildcats' clash with the Bruins.
As the Wildcats close their four-game homestand, the program's longest since 2016, here are five things to watch for.
1. Griffin Wilde's been running wild
In every game Northwestern has played this year, junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde has led the team in receptions and receiving yards. He is the first player to accomplish this feat since Austin Carr did so in 2016 during his Big Ten Receiver of the Year campaign.
Through four games, Wilde has caught 22 balls for 311 yards, ranking seventh and 10th in the Big Ten, respectively. The South Dakota State transfer has shown no signs of slowing down from his 2024 season in which he logged 71 catches and 1,154 receiving yards.
"The level of trust that he has built up with his entire offense, all his teammates, and specifically Preston Stone, is something that stands out," Braun said. "I know he's not surprised in the way that he's performing, and there's no one on this staff that is either. We see it every day in practice."
Against UCLA, Wilde registered his first touchdown as a Wildcat while also having season-highs in receptions (7) and receiving yards (98). He appeared on PFF's Big Ten Team of the Week, posting an 87.1 grade.
The jump from the FCS to the FBS level has clearly not slowed Wilde down.
"It's the same mentality," Wilde said. "As a competitor, you want to be the best no matter where you're at, so just having that mindset that you belong and the confidence in yourself that you can make plays regardless of where you're at is something that's very important."
2. Caleb Komolafe looks to continue breakout campaign
There has not been a game during the 2025 season where Komolafe has not set a new career-high in carries, going from handling nine carries to 11 to 16 to 27.
Komolafe's 27 carries against the Bruins marked the most by Northwestern running back since Nov. 5, 2022 when Evan Hull took 30 carries against Ohio State. Komolafe also became the first Wildcat to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a game since Hull tallied 105 on Nov. 19, 2022 against Purdue.
"I was just running the ball the best I could," Komolafe said about his performance. "Just getting the ball, trying to get downhill and make the most of each carry."
Komolafe's 27 carries marked the most by any Big Ten running back playing against a conference opponent so far this season.
The Katy, Texas, native has already recorded 63 carries for 269 yards and two rushing touchdowns, all figures that already exceed last season's totals through 11 games. Given that he is averaging 67.3 yards per game on the ground, the most by a Northwestern player since Hull in 2022, he has gained the utmost confidence from his coaching staff.
"One thing I've told Caleb all along is that he has the ability to be as good as anybody that I've coached or been around," Running Backs Coach Aristotle Thompson said.
3. Ore Adeyi stars after missing 2024 slate
Graduate student defensive back Ore Adeyi tabbed the second start of his career and first start of the season against UCLA. Just a year prior, Adeyi was forced to watch from the sidelines while undergoing recovery.
"With the injury that he sustained last year, there are a lot of guys that would never find a way to get back on the football field after something like that," Braun said. "His attitude from day one was like, 'I'll be back, Coach, and I'll be better than ever.' That attitude fueled him throughout this entire process."
Adeyi posted four tackles and two pass deflections, one of which came in the end zone. He stepped up to the plate in lieu of redshirt sophomore defensive back Josh Fussell, who missed the contest due to injury.
Throughout it all, Adeyi has been a clear leader for the Wildcats.
"Ore had a phenomenal day. He had a huge day for us," redshirt junior defensive back Robert Fitzgerald said. "He's dealt with some injuries in the past year, year and a half, and I'm just so proud of the way he's fought back. He really stepped up today."
Adeyi was a key player on the 2023 Northwestern squad that went 8-5 and won the Las Vegas Bowl. During that campaign, Adeyi notched 20 tackles and one pass deflection. Over 20 months removed from that bowl game victory, Braun is excited about the level Adeyi can still reach.
"His ceiling is still something like, 'How good can Ore get?' Pretty excited about where he's trending right now," Braun said.
4. Enter: Anto Saka
As the Wildcats needed to halt UCLA from driving up the field on its final drive, redshirt junior defensive lineman Anto Saka tallied his second half sack of the contest with under a minute remaining. It effectively secured a Northwestern win.
"I was just trusting what I was doing the entire week, trusting my keys, trusting my coaches and the game plan they put out," Saka said. "It wasn't anything really special. It was just me being patient, waiting for my opportunity, and not being scared when the opportunity presented itself."
In addition to his one sack, Saka registered a career-high four tackles, posting a season-high 72.2 PFF grade.
Coming into the 2025 season, Saka received NFL draft hype and was named as the No. 56 player on Bruce Feldman's annual "Freaks List."
Over the offseason, Saka put on 15 pounds of muscle to become more of an asset for the Wildcats. Through four games, the Baltimore, Md. native said that has helped take his game to the next level.
"I feel more stout," Saka said. "I feel like it opens up my pass rush game a little bit. I've been using more speed-to-power."
Saka added that feeling more stout has allowed him to be on the field for more downs with an improved ability to thwart the run.
5. Matching up with ULM
Saturday's contest will be the first time in program history that the Wildcats will take on the Warhawks. It will also mark the first time in program history that Northwestern faces a Sun Belt team.
ULM enters its second season under Bryant Vincent and posted a 5-7 record in 2024. The Warhawks have totaled 13 sacks through four games this season, while only allowing two. In addition, they boast the 16th best run defense in the country.
"They're going to run the ball effectively," Braun said. "They're going to challenge you on the perimeter. The quarterback is slippery in the pocket, can extend plays, can kind of go off-script and force you to defend things that aren't naturally right in front of you. … Defensively, in their wins, they've found ways to play really good defense. They're stout up front — good personnel."
With a win this weekend, Braun would move to 6-3 against non-conference opponents during his tenure at Northwestern. In preparation this week, he is preparing his squad to move to over .500 for the first time this season.
"It's very clear with our football team that our focus needs to be on respecting, understanding our opponent, and focusing on daily improvement," Braun said.
Last time out, the Wildcats (2-2, 1-1 Big Ten) held off UCLA's late comeback for a 17-14 victory. Redshirt sophomore running back Caleb Komolafe had the best game of his collegiate career, notching career-highs in both rushing attempts (27) and rushing yards (119) while scoring a touchdown. On the defensive end, Northwestern posted four tackles for loss and three sacks.
The Warhawks (3-1, 1-0 Sun Belt) enter Evanston on a two-game winning streak and on the heels of defeating Arkansas State 28-16.
"Excited to be back into prep," Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun said. "Opportunity for all of us to learn a lot from Saturday. The first thing that we learned is we still have a lot of work to do."
Saturday's matchup will be Northwestern's 114th Homecoming game, which is the second-oldest Homecoming of any school in the country. The matinee will be just the third Homecoming game in program history against a non-conference opponent.
The game will air on Big Ten Network. Jack Kizer (play-by-play) and Anthony Herron (analyst) will be on the call, joined by Dannie Rogers on the sidelines.
The game can be heard on WGN Radio 720 with The Voice of the Wildcats, Dave Eanet, who is in his 36th season calling Northwestern football, and former Wildcat signal caller Dan Persa (2007-2011) as analyst, filling in for Ted Albrecht. Former NU defensive lineman Jake Saunders (2016-2020) is in his first season as the duo's sideline reporter.
Stay tuned to Northwestern football's Twitter and Instagram channels for live highlights, photos and reactions throughout the Wildcats' clash with the Bruins.
As the Wildcats close their four-game homestand, the program's longest since 2016, here are five things to watch for.
1. Griffin Wilde's been running wild
In every game Northwestern has played this year, junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde has led the team in receptions and receiving yards. He is the first player to accomplish this feat since Austin Carr did so in 2016 during his Big Ten Receiver of the Year campaign.
Through four games, Wilde has caught 22 balls for 311 yards, ranking seventh and 10th in the Big Ten, respectively. The South Dakota State transfer has shown no signs of slowing down from his 2024 season in which he logged 71 catches and 1,154 receiving yards.
"The level of trust that he has built up with his entire offense, all his teammates, and specifically Preston Stone, is something that stands out," Braun said. "I know he's not surprised in the way that he's performing, and there's no one on this staff that is either. We see it every day in practice."
Against UCLA, Wilde registered his first touchdown as a Wildcat while also having season-highs in receptions (7) and receiving yards (98). He appeared on PFF's Big Ten Team of the Week, posting an 87.1 grade.
WILDE for SIX ??
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) September 27, 2025
??: @BigTenNetwork pic.twitter.com/lj9Q9r3ufB
The jump from the FCS to the FBS level has clearly not slowed Wilde down.
"It's the same mentality," Wilde said. "As a competitor, you want to be the best no matter where you're at, so just having that mindset that you belong and the confidence in yourself that you can make plays regardless of where you're at is something that's very important."
2. Caleb Komolafe looks to continue breakout campaign
There has not been a game during the 2025 season where Komolafe has not set a new career-high in carries, going from handling nine carries to 11 to 16 to 27.
Komolafe's 27 carries against the Bruins marked the most by Northwestern running back since Nov. 5, 2022 when Evan Hull took 30 carries against Ohio State. Komolafe also became the first Wildcat to eclipse 100 rushing yards in a game since Hull tallied 105 on Nov. 19, 2022 against Purdue.
"I appreciate those boys up front."
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) September 27, 2025
??? @Caleb_1_23 pic.twitter.com/OUT2MIiEyi
"I was just running the ball the best I could," Komolafe said about his performance. "Just getting the ball, trying to get downhill and make the most of each carry."
Komolafe's 27 carries marked the most by any Big Ten running back playing against a conference opponent so far this season.
The Katy, Texas, native has already recorded 63 carries for 269 yards and two rushing touchdowns, all figures that already exceed last season's totals through 11 games. Given that he is averaging 67.3 yards per game on the ground, the most by a Northwestern player since Hull in 2022, he has gained the utmost confidence from his coaching staff.
"One thing I've told Caleb all along is that he has the ability to be as good as anybody that I've coached or been around," Running Backs Coach Aristotle Thompson said.
Career day for The Beast ?? pic.twitter.com/pWepJ2JNsr
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) September 29, 2025
3. Ore Adeyi stars after missing 2024 slate
Graduate student defensive back Ore Adeyi tabbed the second start of his career and first start of the season against UCLA. Just a year prior, Adeyi was forced to watch from the sidelines while undergoing recovery.
"With the injury that he sustained last year, there are a lot of guys that would never find a way to get back on the football field after something like that," Braun said. "His attitude from day one was like, 'I'll be back, Coach, and I'll be better than ever.' That attitude fueled him throughout this entire process."
Adeyi posted four tackles and two pass deflections, one of which came in the end zone. He stepped up to the plate in lieu of redshirt sophomore defensive back Josh Fussell, who missed the contest due to injury.
Throughout it all, Adeyi has been a clear leader for the Wildcats.
"Ore had a phenomenal day. He had a huge day for us," redshirt junior defensive back Robert Fitzgerald said. "He's dealt with some injuries in the past year, year and a half, and I'm just so proud of the way he's fought back. He really stepped up today."
Adeyi was a key player on the 2023 Northwestern squad that went 8-5 and won the Las Vegas Bowl. During that campaign, Adeyi notched 20 tackles and one pass deflection. Over 20 months removed from that bowl game victory, Braun is excited about the level Adeyi can still reach.
"His ceiling is still something like, 'How good can Ore get?' Pretty excited about where he's trending right now," Braun said.
4. Enter: Anto Saka
As the Wildcats needed to halt UCLA from driving up the field on its final drive, redshirt junior defensive lineman Anto Saka tallied his second half sack of the contest with under a minute remaining. It effectively secured a Northwestern win.
Depth and leadership up front.
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) October 2, 2025
Northwestern's defensive line looks to carry momentum forward after UCLA ??
"I was just trusting what I was doing the entire week, trusting my keys, trusting my coaches and the game plan they put out," Saka said. "It wasn't anything really special. It was just me being patient, waiting for my opportunity, and not being scared when the opportunity presented itself."
In addition to his one sack, Saka registered a career-high four tackles, posting a season-high 72.2 PFF grade.
Coming into the 2025 season, Saka received NFL draft hype and was named as the No. 56 player on Bruce Feldman's annual "Freaks List."
Over the offseason, Saka put on 15 pounds of muscle to become more of an asset for the Wildcats. Through four games, the Baltimore, Md. native said that has helped take his game to the next level.
"I feel more stout," Saka said. "I feel like it opens up my pass rush game a little bit. I've been using more speed-to-power."
Saka added that feeling more stout has allowed him to be on the field for more downs with an improved ability to thwart the run.
5. Matching up with ULM
Saturday's contest will be the first time in program history that the Wildcats will take on the Warhawks. It will also mark the first time in program history that Northwestern faces a Sun Belt team.
ULM enters its second season under Bryant Vincent and posted a 5-7 record in 2024. The Warhawks have totaled 13 sacks through four games this season, while only allowing two. In addition, they boast the 16th best run defense in the country.
"They're going to run the ball effectively," Braun said. "They're going to challenge you on the perimeter. The quarterback is slippery in the pocket, can extend plays, can kind of go off-script and force you to defend things that aren't naturally right in front of you. … Defensively, in their wins, they've found ways to play really good defense. They're stout up front — good personnel."
With a win this weekend, Braun would move to 6-3 against non-conference opponents during his tenure at Northwestern. In preparation this week, he is preparing his squad to move to over .500 for the first time this season.
"It's very clear with our football team that our focus needs to be on respecting, understanding our opponent, and focusing on daily improvement," Braun said.
Players Mentioned
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