Northwestern looked downright miserable last weekend, trailing Nevada, likely one of the 20 worst FBS teams, at home. They capped off an 11 play drive with a 1 yard Thorson run to take the lead, and then added another in the final minute to make the score look a little more respectable than it actually was. The Wildcats outgained the Wolfpack by about 150 yards, ran 25 additional plays, and won TOP by 17 minutes. But they missed a field goal, and the allowed a couple solid returns to set Nevada up. The positive is Clayton Thorson has gone from liability to game manager to threat in his third year under center. I know it's Nevada, but 352 passing yards from him was unthinkable a couple years ago. David Cutcliffe has rarely struggled to put up points, but he may have a defense to go alongside it. The Blue Devils scored a 98.4 on defensive efficiency in Week 1, 2nd only to Mississippi State. Granted it was NC Central, but Duke only surrendered 158 total yards and 8 first downs, scoring a defensive touchdown along the way. Over half of those 158 yards were surrendered on one 81 yard run as well. The game was already 40-0 midway through the 2nd quarter, so I have to imagine that was reserves playing a key chunk of that game. Cutcliffe is rarely left wanting at quarterback, and he's got the big 6'5" sophomore Daniel Jones. Jones put up over 2,800 yards a year ago, eclipsing 300 yards on four occasions. The Wildcats defense will certainly be tested more than it was last week, when they held Nevada to only 43.2% completion percentage, 2nd best in the Big Ten to Michigan State's 32.3%. Northwestern should be a little concerned about running it at only 3.1 per carry last week, but were not dissuaded, sticking to the ground 50 times. Justin Jackson is too established a back to think that will continue if Northwestern stays committed to it, which they clearly seem to be. With 4/5 of the offensive line returning from 2016, there's no reason to expect it to continue.
NORTHWESTERN 34, DUKE 27
