EAST LANSING, Michigan — No. 8 Northwestern (5-1) was quickly awoken from its dream-like season Saturday night when unranked Michigan State (2-3) stunned the Wildcats in a 29-20 upset. The loss brought an abrupt end to NU’s aspirations of reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history and delayed its clinching of the Big Ten West by at least another week.
While the upset was a crushing blow to a Wildcat squad that had finally begun earning the national attention and respect it deserves, it puts the season back in perspective as NU still has the chance to achieve greatness in the final few weeks despite the bump in the road.