The first meeting between Northwestern and UL Monroe on Saturday in Evanston, Ill., pits teams coming off uplifting victories paved by their success on the ground.
In their 17-14 Big Ten win over UCLA last Saturday, the Wildcats (2-2) got a career-high 119 yards rushing from Caleb Komolafe.
Meanwhile, UL Monroe (3-1) snapped a 15-game losing streak against Sun Belt rival Arkansas State by dominating the line of scrimmage. The Warhawks rushed for 199 yards and, thanks to seven sacks, limited the Red Wolves to 12 yards on the ground.
“They’re stout up front, good personnel,” said Northwestern coach David Braun. ” … We’re gonna have to be at our best on Saturday.”
Northwestern perhaps is getting a tougher opponent than it expected when it agreed to play UL Monroe, which owns just one winning season since 1981.
The Warhawks, picked to finish last in the seven-team Sun Belt West, have taken strides under second-year head coach Bryant Vincent. More proof came by finally taking care of Arkansas State, with UL Monroe averaging 6.2 yards per rush while the defense amassed 13 tackles for loss.
“Our philosophy is you’ve got to be able to run the football to win games, in any league at any level,” Vincent said. “You’ve got to be able to stop the run and run the ball.”
The Warhawks have a trio of backfield threats, all transfers. Braylon McReynolds (South Alabama) has carried for 309 yards, averaging 6.4 per rush. Dorian Lewis (New Mexico) averages 9.4 yards per carry while Zach Palmer-Smith (Richmond) averages 5.2 yards per jaunt.
Northwestern answers with Komolafe, a redshirt sophomore who is blossoming in his first chance to be a starter. The Wildcats needed help after sixth-year running back Cam Porter suffered a season-ending injury.
“That young man has turned himself into a very well-rounded back in the Big Ten,” Braun said.
Northwestern could get a boost with the potential return of starting defensive backs Damon Walters, who has yet to play this season, and Josh Fussell, who missed the UCLA game.
“We’re really excited about where not only those two, but the entire team is trending,” Braun said. “I feel like we have an opportunity to be back at full health.”
