By Zain Bando
Just two days before Christmas, newly-minted Northwestern coach David Braun made his mark on the college football landscape.
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“It’s huge,” Braun said. “You know, we talked about [how] we had unfinished business. This team wasn’t just satisfied getting to this point. So proud of what they’ve done up to this point, but we wanted to make sure we finished it off the right way.”
The Wildcats (8-5) opened the Big Ten’s bowl spree in Las Vegas, Nev., Saturday night against the Utah Utes (8-5) in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl with a 14-7 upset victory. Thanks to five sacks and key forced turnovers, including two interceptions from Jaheem Joseph, Northwestern did the impossible.
Just typing those sentences five months ago seemed like a crazy illusion, but here we are.
Northwestern underwent a tumultuous offseason, which included the firing of long-time beloved coach Pat Fitzgerald after the university deemed hazing had occurred within the program on his watch.
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Despite media backlash, a near no-show at Big Ten Media Day where Braun was the only person to represent Northwestern in Indianapolis, Ind., and severely low expectations, the Wildcats defied all odds.
A 1-11 2022 season may have been college football’s version of rock bottom. Even sniffing three wins seemed like an afterthought in 2023, but the Wildcats rallied to exceed all expectations.
David Braun’s growth mindset entering the bowl game against Utah
After clinching a bowl berth in Northwestern’s final home game, they went to Champaign and reclaimed the Land of Lincoln Trophy from Illinois, snapping a two-year skid and knocking the Illini out of bowl contention.
Shifting his focus to the bowl game, Braun said he is pleased with how his team has responded as the season progressed.
“This is an incredible opportunity,” Braun said Friday at his media availability at Allegiant Stadium. “It starts with the fact that we’ve had an opportunity to have additional weeks of practice [to prepare for Utah]. Additional weeks with a really special group of young men. An opportunity to develop our entire roster. And, to be honest with you, just an opportunity to continue a season with an incredible group of people“
The SRS Distribution Bowl was Northwestern’s first bowl appearance since 2020 and the Wildcats’ second bowl meeting in five years against the Utes. Despite the previous history between the two programs and Braun’s recent coaching accolades, he is only focused on what his team can control.
“I was not aware, but, you know, everything that this team has achieved is a reflection of the character of this group,” Braun said. “The character of these players. The two young men [Ben Bryant and Bryce Gallagher] that are sitting next to me up here. I was asked yesterday, you know, how we did this, and it’s the leadership. It’s the leadership from our student-athletes. It’s a staff faced with an incredible amount of adversity [who] find a way to pull together. A locker room that did the same, and that honor is simply a reflection of everyone who’s part of this program.”
Northwestern entered as a seven-point underdog and was arguably one missed Iowa kick away from a berth in the conference title game just two weeks ago. Nonetheless, it’s a story that will be remembered for years to come especially with the history that occurred.
With the victory, Braun became the first Big Ten coach to take over a program that had one or fewer wins the previous year and secure a bowl win and eight victories tfollowing season.
