By Charlie Spungin, NUSports.com
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern closes out nonconference play with its 115th Homecoming game in program history, hosting Ball State at Ryan Field on Saturday, Oct. 10. Kickoff is set for 11:30 a.m. CT.
“After we had a chance to review the tape with our players on Penn State, our sole focus is on Ball State,” Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun said. “Do not let the record distract you from a really well-coached football team. Coach Uremovich is someone that I hold in incredibly high regard.”
The game will air on Big Ten Network, with Chris Vosters doing play-by-play, Anthony Herron as the analyst and Dannie Rogers reporting on the sidelines. It can be heard on WGN Radio 720 and SiriusXM Channel 175 or 231, with The Voice of the Wildcats, Dave Eanet, in his 37th season calling Northwestern football, and 33-year analyst Ted Albrecht.
Stay tuned to Northwestern football's X and Instagram channels for live highlights, photos, and reactions throughout the Homecoming game.
LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten) dominated Penn State, 34-13, in the New Ryan Field opener on Friday night (Oct. 2). Northwestern recorded its second-largest margin of victory over the Nittany Lions in program history and notched its first home victory over Penn State since 2015. The Wildcats’ +21 margin of victory marked their largest margin in a conference game at home since defeating Maryland 43-3 (+40) on Oct. 24, 2020.
Northwestern’s rushing attack amassed 413 yards on the ground, its most in a game since logging 444 yards against Illinois on Nov. 22, 2003. Fourth-year running back Caleb Komolafe took 25 carries for 188 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown, while fifth-year running back Joseph Himon II registered 162 rushing yards and two rushing scores on 10 carries. Komolafe and Himon II became the first Big Ten duo to both post 160+ rushing yards against a conference opponent since Michigan’s Donovan Edwards (173) and Blake Corum (166) did so in 2022. The Wildcats’ 413 rushing yards on the ground marked the most by any Big Ten team against an FBS opponent this season.
Fifth-year linebacker Braydon Brus, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, led the way for the Northwestern defense, which held the Nittany Lions to their fewest points in a game since 2024. Brus recorded nine tackles, one sack, one interception and one pass breakup, as he forced one of two Penn State turnovers. Fifth-year defensive back Robert Fitzgerald also snagged an interception, coming late in the fourth quarter. Fitzgerald, who finished with four tackles, an interception and a pass breakup, made the PFF Big Ten Team of the Week. Fifth-year defensive lineman Brendan Flakes, who earned PFF National Team of the Week honors with four tackles and one pass breakup, was integral to holding the Nittany Lions to just 48 rushing yards. Fifth-year linebacker Kobie McKinzie led the team with 10 tackles.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
The Wildcats are one of eight teams nationally that are yet to throw an interception in the 2026 season. This marks the second time since 1995 that Northwestern has thrown zero interceptions across the first four games of a season, joining 2012.
It has been 11 seasons since the Wildcats went undefeated in nonconference play, excluding the shortened 2020 season that featured no nonconference action. With a win over Ball State, Northwestern would secure its first undefeated nonconference record since 2015.
The Wildcats received 59 points in this week’s AP Poll, their most in a poll since the final AP poll of the 2020 season. Northwestern finished that campaign ranked No. 10 nationally, receiving 893 points.
Saturday’s contest will be the 115th Homecoming game in program history. The Wildcats have hosted a Homecoming game each season (except 2020) since 1911, one year after Illinois hosted the first-ever Homecoming game. Northwestern is 3-0 in nonconference Homecoming games and is looking to win consecutive Homecoming games for the first time since 2008-09.
Through the first four games of the season, the Wildcats have totaled 132 points. That is tied for the fourth-most points across the first four games of a season in program history with 2009, while trailing 2013 (165), 2000 (134) and 1962 (134).
PLAYERS TO WATCH
- Braydon Brus: Brus’ performance against Penn State made him just the third Big Ten player in the past 10 seasons to post 9+ tackles, 1+ interception, 1+ sack and 1+ pass breakup in a conference game and the first to do so since 2020. The fifth-year linebacker, who is the first Wildcat to win Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week since 2023, ranks tied for sixth in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (5.0), and his three sacks are tied for the most among Big Ten linebackers.
- Caleb Komolafe: The fourth-year running back’s career day against the Nittany Lions will not be forgotten. Komolafe’s 188 rushing yards were the most by a Northwestern player in a Big Ten contest since Justin Jackson had 188 against Michigan State on Oct. 15, 2016. After the outing, his 72.5 rushing yards per game rank ninth in the Big Ten, and he is one of six players in the conference with 250+ rushing yards and 75+ receiving yards this season.
- Joseph Himon II: The leader in career scrimmage yards in the Braun era, Himon’s performance versus Penn State was the first 150+ rushing yard, 2+ rushing touchdown performance by a Wildcat against a Big Ten team since Justin Jackson against Michigan State on Oct. 15, 2016. The fifth-year running backs’ 16.2 yards per carry were the most by a Northwestern player (min. 10 carries) since at least 1995 and the most by a Big Ten player against a conference opponent since Minnesota’s Demry Croft had 18.3 yards per carry against Nebraska on Nov. 11, 2017
- Robert Fitzgerald: Fitzgerald’s interception last Friday made SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays, landing at the No. 4 slot. Fitzgerald’s 10.5 tackles per game this season are the fourth-most nationally and the most among Power conference players. Additionally, he leads all Power conference players in tackles over the past two seasons (157). The fifth-year defensive back is one of four players nationally to have 40+ tackles, 1+ interception and 1+ fumble recovery this season.
- Brendan Flakes: Against the Nittany Lions, Flakes posted a 87.5 defensive grade, the second-highest among FBS defensive linemen with a minimum of 15 snaps, and a 90.3 pass-rushing grade — the highest in the Power Four. The fifth-year defensive lineman has posted 12 tackles, two pass breakups and one sack this season, already becoming the first Wildcat defensive lineman to reach these numbers in a season since Sean McLaughlin in 2023.
WHAT BRAUN’S SAYING
On the faith in Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly’s innovation…
- “Just knowing that we hired the right guy. I think something I’ve had to lean into is [being] really proud and thankful for the level of collaboration and communication that we have as an entire football staff, but especially with our coordinators. It’s my job to have a pulse of it and understanding of it, know what’s going on. There have been moments where I’ve been tempted to [say], ‘Oh gosh, this is different. I’m a little uncomfortable with this.’ You, almost as a head coach or leader or manager, start to box some things in so you feel like you got more control over it. The clarity that’s come to me is you don’t hire one of the most creative football minds in college football history and try and box that in. You let that creativity flow, and I think we see that momentum around that creativity really starting to build right now.”
On how to keep the team focused amid the wins, AP votes…
- “It’s being committed to the controllables. We don’t control any of the [AP Top 25 votes]. That’s bait. Those are things that just turn into a distraction. If you asked any of our players about the message this morning, I was very direct on all of that. We have a special group of young men that have done a great job of staying focused on what they can control, and why would that ever change? Just because we found a little bit of success and a little bit of momentum should not change how we operate. That’s not easy, but we have to commit to being focused on what we control.”
On Braydon Brus’ ascension…
- “It’s been really neat to see. His maturity, his confidence, his leadership [are] all things that continue to grow, especially here in the last 12 months at an exponential rate. I think you see a young man that, especially in the second half of the season last year, really started to blossom, and sometimes when that happens, guys can start to put an undue pressure on themselves. I think you see a guy right now that prepares in a way that puts him in a position that when it’s time to go play in the arena, he just lets it rip. He’s playing confident, he’s playing free, he’s playing fast, and [I’m] so proud of his leadership. As a captain on this football team, he’s one of those guys that makes everyone else around him better because he’s out there with him.”
SCOUTING BALL STATE
The Cardinals (1-4, 0-2 MAC) come to Evanston on a three-game losing streak, dropping contests to Liberty, Kent State and Toledo. Ball State’s lone victory on the season came on Sept. 12, a 41-17 victory over FCS-foe Stony Brook.
Running back TJ Horton has 37 carries, 301 rushing yards (8.1 YPC) and four rushing touchdowns this season. His 8.1 yards per carry leads the MAC, and his four rushing scores rank third in the conference. Quarterback Keldric Luster’s 165.5 passing yards per game ranks sixth in the MAC.
The Cardinals rank fourth in the MAC with 4.8 tackles for loss per game, led by defensive back Anthony Pinnace III’s 3.5. Defensive back Kamron Chamble is one of 64 players nationally to have at least two interceptions this season.
SERIES HISTORY
Saturday’s contest will be the second-ever meeting between Northwestern and Ball State. The first contest came on Sept. 26, 2015, with the No. 17-ranked Wildcats defeating the Cardinals 24-19 after outscoring Ball State 17-9 in the second half. Quarterback Clayton Thorson threw for 256 yards and two touchdowns, with both scores going to tight end Dan Vitale, who tallied five receptions for 108 receiving yards. Running back Justin Jackson demanded 33 carries and logged 184 yards on the ground.
Braun is 2-0 against MAC teams, defeating Miami (Ohio) 13-6 on Aug. 31, 2024, and Central Michigan, 34-7, in the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl. Northwestern is looking to win three straight contests against MAC opponents for the first time since 2009-2013 (Miami (Ohio), Central Michigan, Western Michigan). Since 2000, the Wildcats are 16-7 against MAC opponents.
UP NEXT
The Wildcats resume Big Ten play when they travel to East Lansing, Mich., to face Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 17. Kickoff from Spartan Stadium is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on Peacock and WGN Radio 720.