With the 45-14 win over Ball State, the Wildcats finished non-conference play undefeated for the first time since 2015 and have scored at least 30 points in four of their first five games.
Despite NU’s success, Braun said the team remained frustrated with aspects of its performance on Saturday. Even after a convincing win, the players believed they could do better.
“You walk in that locker room, and there's almost a sense of, ‘We need to do better,’” Braun said. “And the thing that I love about this group is that they're right. We do need to do better. But, you know, I have to challenge this team to enjoy a win, and that's really important. Winning college football games is hard. When you earn the right to expect victory, and then you deliver on that and finish with the win, that's something that, for 24 hours as a football program, you should enjoy. And then there's a unique ability to enjoy that and also be really objective, constructive and hard on yourself about where we need to be better.”
That mindset starts with the team’s captains, who have helped establish a player-led culture that prioritizes preparation and accountability. Braun credited the leadership throughout the roster for helping the Wildcats maintain their standards amid their strong start.
“I can't overstate it,” Braun said. “This is a special group, and it starts with our captains, but it goes with our leadership and the response of our entire team. These guys just hold themselves to such a high standard, and knowing your captains are your best leaders, that's critical. But when they're also your best players, the credibility that's built, that's something really special.”
Quarterback Aidan Chiles has been one of the players setting that standard. After transferring from Michigan State in the spring, the senior quickly earned the respect of his teammates and was named one of Northwestern’s six captains.
Chiles opened Saturday’s game against the Cardinals with his sixth rushing touchdown of the season before adding three passing scores. Through five games, he became just the third Big Ten quarterback since 1995 to record at least nine passing touchdowns and six rushing touchdowns.
In the face of national recognition, the NU signal caller said the team isn't letting that change their mindset.
“It remains the same,” Chiles said on Saturday. “Don't get too high, don’t get too low. Just keep playing football, we know how.”
Senior wide receiver Griffin Wilde caught Chiles’ first passing touchdown against Ball State and finished with 144 receiving yards on eight receptions, leading Northwestern’s passing attack. Despite his individual success, Wilde believes he and the team still have work to do.
“We have an emphasis on being the best team that we can after each week and becoming the best team, that's kind of a week in and week out thing,” Wilde said. “Every week we need to be a better team because we're not a finished product by any means, and we have a lot of work to do. It's just exciting that we're playing how we are with so much work to still do.”
The Wildcats’ defensive captains have also contributed to the team’s strong start. Graduate student linebacker Braydon Brus recorded four tackles for loss against Ball State, the most by a Big Ten player this season. His nine tackles for loss through five games are the most by a conference player over that span since 2020.
