Northwestern football gears up for fast-paced Iowa matchup

Northwestern has its hands full with Wisconsin senior running back Tavi Walker, but he faces another big test Saturday.

The Wildcats will take on Iowa at Kinnick Stadium, and the Hawkeyes boast the top offense on their home field.

Junior running back Caleb Johnson has emerged as one of the top running backs in the country this season. Johnson’s 1,035 rushing yards rank second in the country behind Boise State’s Ashton Ginty and first in the Big Ten. He also tied for a Big Ten-best 13 rushing touchdowns.

Last Saturday, Johnson broke free for a 75-yard rushing touchdown in Iowa’s 32-20 loss to Michigan State, his longest attempt of the season.

The running back poses a serious threat to any team he faces, but the ‘Cats are confident in their ability to remain strong on defense.

“Everyone is just doing their job on our defense,” redshirt junior defensive lineman Najee Story said. “There are no selfish players. If we are ahead, the defense works. (Defensive coordinator) Tim McGarigle has been calling a great defense all year.”

NU’s rushing defense ranks 17th in the country, and the Cats are currently allowing just 103.4 yards per game. Prior to the Wisconsin game, NU had not allowed 100 yards rushing.

However, Walker rushed for 126 yards against the Cats on Saturday. NU also rushed for a season-high 199 yards, 68 of which came in the fourth quarter.

“I think they just wore us down a little bit at the end,” redshirt junior defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard said. “They had the ball almost the entire second half.”

Defensive mistakes allowed Walker to capitalize on his opportunities at Martin Stadium, Storey said.

“We didn’t do a good job,” Story said. “They had one big try that put us on poor defense, but other than that we just need to fight better.”

The play between Walker and Wisconsin exposed holes on defense. But Hubbard said he was proud of how the defense held up.

Hubbard added that the defense’s actions reflect a “bend, don’t break” mentality.

“We didn’t give up any points (in the fourth quarter), which we’re proud of,” Hubbard said. “We don’t worry too much about how many yards we give up until we score points.”

Despite a tough week on defense, Wildcat defensive linemen said they are going to stick to what they do best.

If the Cats want to limit Johnson and Iowa’s rushing offense, Story said they need to focus on the fundamentals.

“This week in particular, footwork is going to be a big deal just because of the offense that Iowa runs,” he said.

NU certainly recognizes the danger Johnson poses in the field, but Hubbard said his position group’s overall approach doesn’t change from game to game.

According to Hubbard, the Cats should just play their flashy defensive brand of football.

“It comes down to being ourselves and not getting carried away by our opponent, trusting what we’re doing,” Hubbard said. “We can do what we do and win.”

Hubbard tallied three and a half tackles for his team and three sacks for the team. A defensive lineman’s ability to disrupt opposing backfields could play a big role in how a defense performs against the Hawkeyes.

He said much of his success — especially after a breakout redshirt sophomore campaign in 2023 — comes from the importance of staying in the moment.

“Stay focused and take it day by day. That’s what I’ve been doing up until now,” Hubbard said. “Continuing this will be critical going into this weekend.”

In a hostile environment where NU will once again be a double-digit underdog, the defense will rely on itself and its preparation—regardless of the star power at the line of scrimmage.

“If we just manage our defense and be in our gaps, (with) the plays that coach McGarigle (cq) is calling, you’re going to be okay,” Story said. “If we do a good job, pick ourselves up and run, we’ll be in a good position on Saturday night.”

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