First Look: Northwestern Is 2-0 — and This Is Indiana’s First Real Test

Indiana accomplished what it needed to accomplish during the nonconference portion of its schedule.

The Hoosiers are 3-0. They’ve recorded consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1993. They’ve produced more than 500 yards of offense in consecutive games. Josh Hoover has thrown 10 touchdown passes without an interception.

Now the test changes.

Northwestern is coming to Bloomington Friday night, and anyone expecting another walk in the park probably needs to take a closer look at these Wildcats.

Northwestern is 2-0 after beating South Dakota State 34-18 and then putting together an impressive performance Saturday night — a 41-7 win over Colorado.

The Wildcats led 21-0 at halftime and finished with 423 yards. Their defense forced four turnovers. Most importantly, Northwestern looked like a veteran football team that understood exactly how it wanted to win.

That’s a different challenge for an Indiana roster incorporating plenty of new faces on both sides of the football.

Start With Aidan Chiles

The biggest difference between Northwestern and Indiana’s first three opponents begins at quarterback.

Aidan Chiles has played a lot of college football.

The former Michigan State quarterback arrived at Northwestern with Big Ten experience, and through two games we’re seeing what an experienced quarterback can become when paired with an offensive mind like Chip Kelly.

Through two games, Chiles has completed 31-of-46 passes (67.4%) for 514 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions. Add his rushing production and he has accounted for seven total touchdowns without a turnover.

Against Colorado, Chiles produced:

• 17-of-22 passing — 77.3%
• 241 passing yards
• 3 passing touchdowns
• 0 interceptions
• 2 rushing touchdowns
• 5 total touchdowns

Indiana already knows something about Chiles. He faced the Hoosiers while playing for Michigan State last season and completed 27-of-33 passes for 243 yards while adding 48 yards on the ground.

So Bryant Haines isn’t preparing for an unknown quarterback. He’s preparing for an experienced one who has seen Indiana’s defense before.

Now Add Chip Kelly

This is where Northwestern becomes considerably more interesting.

Chip Kelly is calling the offense.

That shouldn’t be treated as a footnote. Kelly has spent decades building offenses around spacing, tempo, numbers, quarterback run threats and forcing defenses to defend the entire field.

Just as important, Northwestern isn’t simply trying to recreate one of Kelly’s old offenses. The system is being adapted to the personnel in Evanston, including Chiles’ ability to create both as a passer and runner.

The early results are difficult to ignore. Northwestern has scored 75 points in two games.

Indiana has to defend the called offense and the play that occurs when Chiles takes it off script. His athleticism allows him to escape while keeping his eyes downfield, and that stresses every level of a defense.

Northwestern Has More Than a Quarterback

Chiles deserves the attention, but Indiana can’t allow him to obscure Northwestern’s other offensive pieces.

Against Colorado, Griffin Wilde caught all five of his targets for 85 yards. Running back Joseph Himon II caught three touchdown passes and produced 74 yards from scrimmage on seven touches.

The Wildcats also rushed for 182 yards as a team.

• Caleb Komolafe: 49 yards on 11 carries
• Gavin Sawchuk: 48 yards on 12 carries
• Aidan Chiles: quarterback-run threat
• Joseph Himon II: multidimensional back and receiving threat

That creates personnel and assignment problems. Indiana’s linebackers and safeties are going to have considerably more to process Friday than they did during the nonconference schedule.

The Defense Is Opportunistic — and That’s Important

Here’s another reason Indiana needs to respect this opponent.

Northwestern’s defense created four takeaways against Colorado — two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. The Wildcats also stopped Colorado on fourth down three times.

That means seven Colorado possessions ended without a punt, field goal or touchdown.

That’s game-changing defense.

Colorado accumulated 348 yards and rushed for 180, yet scored only seven points because turnovers and failed fourth downs repeatedly killed possessions.

That’s another reminder that yards aren’t points. Indiana absolutely cannot give Northwestern short fields Friday night.

David Braun Deserves Respect

We should talk about Northwestern’s head coach as well.

David Braun can coach football.

He inherited an extraordinarily difficult situation in 2023 and went 8-5 in his first season, earning Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. Northwestern has since extended Braun’s contract through 2031.

Pair Braun with Kelly and you have a coaching staff that isn’t going to arrive in Bloomington intimidated by Indiana’s ranking, its national championship or its 3-0 start.

They’ll have a plan. Indiana will have to beat that plan.

There Are Areas Indiana Can Attack

Respecting Northwestern doesn’t mean pretending the Wildcats are flawless.

Colorado rushed for 180 yards against them. Northwestern also committed eight penalties for 60 yards.

Those are meaningful points for Indiana. The Hoosiers just rushed for 233 yards against WKU, with Turbo Richard running for 149.

If Northwestern’s run defense provides similar opportunities, Indiana needs to make the Wildcats defend the run before allowing Kelly and Chiles to dictate the style of the game from the other sideline.

But Northwestern’s performance against Colorado also demonstrated something important:

You can move the football against this defense and still lose badly if you don’t finish possessions and protect the football.

Coach Griff’s First Look

This is the game where the evaluation of Indiana begins to change.

North Texas, Howard and Western Kentucky allowed Indiana to establish its identity, integrate new personnel and correct mistakes without paying the price that Big Ten competition can extract.

Northwestern represents something different.

• A 2-0 record
• A 41-7 win over Colorado
• An experienced Big Ten quarterback in Aidan Chiles
• An accomplished offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly
• A proven head coach in David Braun
• A defense coming off a four-takeaway performance
• Multiple offensive weapons
• Confidence

And Indiana brings something Northwestern hasn’t seen either.

The Hoosiers are 3-0. They’ve produced consecutive shutouts. They’ve scored 145 points in three games. Hoover has yet to throw an interception. The defense has not surrendered a point in eight quarters.

So this isn’t about being afraid of Northwestern.

It’s about respecting what changes Friday night.

Indiana is going from nonconference preparation to Big Ten football. From unfamiliar quarterbacks to an experienced one. From relatively straightforward offensive challenges to Chip Kelly. From September development to a conference game where every possession carries considerably more weight.

For a Hoosier team with new faces playing significant roles on both sides of the football, that’s exactly the kind of test Indiana needs.

And Friday night should tell us considerably more about this football team than the first three Saturdays did.

Northwestern isn’t coming to Bloomington to serve as Indiana’s fourth tune-up.

The Wildcats are coming to find out whether they’re ready to contend in the Big Ten, too.

And that’s what makes Friday night interesting.