CHAMPAIGN — After a season in which it seemed nothing would go right, Northwestern got just the boost it needed heading into the offseason, defeating its rival Illinois for the fifth consecutive year by a final score of 30-10.
A usually anemic Northwestern offense exploded by way of a run-heavy scheme that featured a unique group of backs and a heavy dosage of Andrew Marty carries. In his first start, the Ohio native ran for 111 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the first NU QB since Clayton Thorson in 2015 to cross 100 yards, while the team as a whole picked up 378 yards on the ground.