As the Ohio State Buckeyes and Northwestern Wildcats prepare to face off on Saturday, both teams unequivocally know that NU’s defense is what could determine the outcome (AKA severity of the spread, let’s be honest).
For years under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Wildcats’ defense has been their calling card. It makes total sense, given the coach’s background and storied career as an All-American linebacker. In fact, only twice in the past decade has Northwestern’s defense finished outside the top-50 nationally in points per game allowed. Many years they have finished in or around the top-25, with 2020 being Fitzgerald’s masterpiece (15.