Versus an FCS opponent in Western Illinois, the ’Cats ran the same number of plays, tallying just a single yard more and finding a near-identical level of success. NU even improved on some of those high-water marks in Saturday’s game, possessing the ball for over 40 minutes for just the second time since 2013 and tallying over 300 passing yards for the first time this year. The uptick in passing volume allowed sophomore wide receiver Hayden Eligon II to shine. The 6-foot-4 receiver set new career-highs with seven catches and 127 yards on the afternoon the latter being the most by a sophomore pass-catcher at NU since 2001. Paired with an equally impressive outing from junior receiver Griffin Wilde, who posted season-highs of 11 catches and 111 yards, the two became the first tandem since 2013 to both hit the century mark for the ’Cats. After not having a 100-yard receiver on the year, NU got two in the same game. Wilde said that Eligon’s performance made it easier for him to find success against Minnesota. “Hayden Eligon is a great player, and to have someone like that on the opposite side of you, it helps yourself out a lot. when you have two guys that have the ability to do that and are working off of each other, it’s going to be really complicated for a defense to cover you,” Wilde said. “Hayden Eligon, man, I don’t have enough good things to say about him.” Although the ’Cats’ offense leaned more into its aerial attack against the Golden Gophers, redshirt sophomore running back Caleb Komolafe remained its engine, and regained his footing after a difficult day on the ground against Michigan, where the Wolverines held him to a season-low 31 rushing yards on 12 attempts. Itching for a better performance, Komolafe gashed Minnesota for a career-high 129 yards on Saturday, becoming the first ‘Cat since 2005 to put up over 100 yards on the ground and bring in both a rushing and receiving touchdown in the process. Komolafe credited the culture cultivated in the locker room for his and his teammates’ ability to right the ship following last week’s loss. “We’re a very resilient team,” he said. “That’s something that we pride ourselves on bouncing back no matter who we’re going against. We’re a team that’s always gonna fight back. No matter how many blows we take, we’re going to be punching back.” With NU securing a bowl game bid, the sophomore running back is on track to become the sixth underclassman in program history to rush for 1, 000 yards in a season, needing to average 57 yards per game in his next two outings to do so a mark he’s hit in seven of his nine starts this season. The ’Cats’ offensive line also turned in one of its best performances, largely neutralizing a Minnesota front that ranks first in the Big Ten in sacks and second in tackles for loss. The team’s success in the air, on the ground and in the trenches compounded upon each other, and that impact was felt greatly by the man under center. “I think this might be the most complete offensive game I’ve been a part of in college football,” Stone said during the postgame press conference. “The O-Line kept my jersey clean all day. Receivers were making plays. The Beast and (redshirt junior running back Joseph Himon II) were toting the ball just super grateful to come out and play with these guys.” With a rivalry battle versus Illinois on the horizon, NU’s offense will look to repeat the synchronicity of this week’s performance and bring the Land of Lincoln Trophy back to Evanston. Fortunately for the ’Cats, they enter the quest on one of the highest notes of the season. “Today, I feel like we were a very balanced team,” Komolafe said. “We have (Preston), Griff, Hayden balling out early on in the game. It just makes our job easier. It helps our O-Line out, and it just goes back to us playing together. It’s a brotherhood. When everybody’s doing their job, and we’re flying around, I feel like we could beat anybody.” Email: [email protected] X: @aboyko_nu Related Stories: Football: Braun shores up second bowl bid in 3 seasons Rapid Recap: Northwestern 38, Minnesota 35.
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