The reigning MAC champs experience their second-straight opener without scoring a touchdown.
Saturday afternoon in Evanston, IL presented an atmosphere unlike one we’ve seen before.
Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is a temporary venue the Northwestern Wildcats will utilize for home games during the 2024 and 2025 seasons while awaiting the construction of their future home stadium. The intimate 15,000-seat stadium resting on the shore of Lake Michigan is typically used for soccer and lacrosse, and it’s a far cry from Ryan Field, the Wildcats’ former venue which housed 47,000.
Martin Stadium opened its gates Saturday for Northwestern’s home opener against Miami (OH). Two years ago, the opponents battled in a low-scoring bout at Ryan Field, where the RedHawks emerged over the Wildcats in an unaesthetic, defensive-driven rock fight, 17-14. But the rematch on the lake presented even fewer points and fewer offensive highlights. This time, the result changed as Northwestern defended its new home against the reigning MAC champions, 13-6 — marking the lowest scoring game of Week 1.
The two teams traded punts on their opening possessions, setting the tone for a game where generating anything on the scoreboard seemed like an arduous task. Each of the teams notched field goals on their respective second drives, but the scoring for the remainder of the first half was put on hold after the 43 and 45-yard kicks.
Miami’s defense created opportunities via turnovers, but the offense couldn’t capitalize in a tangible form. Northwestern starting quarterback Mike Wright fumbled on his own 38-yard line and Miami defensive end Brian Ugwu recovered. However, the RedHawks were unable to cash in, taking a vital sack from the Northwestern defense to force a 50-yard field goal attempt — Miami’s first missed regular season field goal attempt since November 2022.
Later in the second quarter, Wright attempted to score on a QB keeper from the 1-yard line. However, after a lengthy review, it was determined he coughed up the ball and reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year Matt Salopek recovered for a significant twist of events. That crucial recovery by Salopek prevented Northwestern from earning a first half touchdown, but that touchdown eventually came to fruition in the third quarter.
Wright, making his first start as a Wildcat after stints at Vanderbilt and Mississippi State, redeemed himself after his two first half fumbles. He produced a game-high 65 rushing yards but more importantly, he was the source of the game’s only touchdown — a 13-yard scramble on a broken passing play to hand Northwestern a 10-3 edge.
Northwestern extended this advantage to 13-3 on a Jack Olsen field goal in the early fourth quarter, but Miami responded later in the frame with its second successful kick of the afternoon. Trailing 13-6 with three minutes left, Miami received one opportunity at the tie. The drive initiated in promising manner as sixth-year starting quarterback Brett Gabbert completed three consecutive first down strikes to position the RedHawks inside the Northwestern 40. But that’s where everything came to a halt.
Gabbert targeted wide receiver Reggie Virgil, who picked up the latter two of the three-straight RedHawks’ first downs. However, Northwestern’s Robert Fitzgerald jumped the route and intercepted the pass to seal the contest in the home team’s favor. It was Gabbert’s second interception of the fourth quarter in Wildcat territory as Evan Smith picked off a previous attempt with 12:45 remaining.
Northwestern’s defense didn’t allow anything easy for Miami. The Wildcats produced four sacks, six tackles for loss, and batted down six passes in addition to those aforementioned interceptions. Northwestern dominated the trenches against an experienced offensive line, and that was the defining matchup at Martin Stadium on Saturday. With the Wildcats’ front proving their potency, no Miami running back picked up more than 33 rushing yards and the team was limited to 1.7 yards per attempt in a day full of offensive futility.
Only managing two fields goals, the RedHawks were held without a touchdown in their second consecutive season opener, similarly struggling to cross the goal line in the 2023 Week 1 contest at Miami (FL) — a 38-3 defeat. Miami similarly started 0-1 last season but quickly reversed its fortunate, claiming 11 victories and a MAC championship in its most prolific season in the 10 years of the Chuck Martin era.
Miami receives an extra week to learn from this result, taking an early bye week before reigniting the Victory Bell rivalry with Cincinnati for the 128th installment.