Following a 31-7 loss to then fourth-ranked Penn State on Oct. 7, Northwestern sat at 2/3 and had yet to notch a conference win. Head coach Pat Fitzgerald said afterward that the team had backed "itself into a corner."
Following a five-game win streak, which included an FBS record three consecutive overtime victories, the Wildcats sit 23rd in the College Football Playoff rankings, and are far from that proverbial corner.
While he likely did not expect five overtime periods over the course of three games, Fitzgerald is not surprised by his team's resilience.
"Sometimes, you'll go through it, and embrace it, and you won't get the results," Fitzgerald said.