This was such a winnable football game. And that’s what stings so much.
This wasn’t the type of game familiar to so many Northwestern fans — like when the 5-0 2015 ‘Cats suffered back-to-back 30-point losses to No. 18 Michigan State and No. 17 Iowa, or when the No. 18-ranked 2000 ’Cats were bashed 66-17 in the Alamo Bowl by No. 9 Nebraska. It wasn’t a game where a hopeful Wildcat team went on the road for a prove-it game against a top team just to get knocked on its back.
Rather, David Braun’s squad affirmed in a lot of ways what Northwestern fans have been cautious about believing all season long: that this is a great football team.