Cats show their resolve time and again in monumental upset of Penn State
STATE COLLEGE, Pa.—Deep in the bowels of Beaver Stadium, a hoarse David Braun, barely audible over the drums of the passing Penn State matching band, tried to explain how his Northwestern Wildcats, 21.5-point underdogs at kickoff, had just stunned Penn State, 22-21.
It wasn’t easy for him. Braun doesn’t necessarily wear his emotions on his sleeve. He speaks in the same cliches that most other coaches do. He was talking to the small knot of reporters – four of us in all – in a makeshift press tent next to the team’s locker room that had erupted just minutes before.
The team trainers’ equipment was in the back of the makeshift area. It wasn’t the kind of environment befitting an achievement like the Wildcats had just pulled off. But it was gritty, and maybe appropriate for a program that doesn’t get a lot of fanfare and often toils in the shadows.
“What I can tell you is it feels really good right now,” he said so softly the reporters had to lean over in their chairs to hear him. “That football team was ranked whatever they were at the beginning [No. 2 in the AP poll] for a reason.
“This is a talented, talented football team. And for us to be able to do it on the road in a hostile environment and overcome adversity through it and not be fluky and us just showing up as ourselves, the best versions of ourselves. I’m just really proud of our entire program…”
If there was one defining characteristic of this win, it was resiliency. It wasn’t like Northwestern went out there and dominated the Nittany Lions. No, they got punched in the mouth time and time again. And each time, they got off the deck and responded.
They came back from a blocked punt on their first possession, when cornerback Ore Adeyi came up with his first career interception to thwart a Nittany Lions’ drive in the end zone.
“It was a huge play,” said defensive end Aidan Hubbard. “They score there, it’s easy to get down as a team, and the morale. I think Ore’s interception was a critical play in this game and it definitely gave us momentum on both sides of the ball.”
Three times over the next three quarters, Penn State took the lead, often after plays that could have spelled doom for a less confident, less determined team.
Once came after a Drew Wagner muffed punt gave the Lions the ball at the NU 9-yard line and turned into a PSU touchdown. Another came after a 67-yard catch-and-run by Penn State’s Devonte Ross set up another Lion TD.
But each time, the Wildcats fought back to regain the advantage. The last time, when Caleb Komolafe ran for a 9-yard touchdown with 4:51 left, provided the final margin.
As Braun said, “ You don’t win games like this unless you know who you are as a football program.”
Braun credited his players for the ability to stare adversity in the face multiple times and beat it back with a stick.
“[It’s] our leadership, our maturity,” he said. “Like truly a unified team and group that just trust one another, and then truly a unified team.”
GAME RECAP: Northwestern shocks Penn State in Happy Valley, 22-21
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That team, in the season opener, looked anything but unified. The Wildcats went out and fell flat on their face in an ugly 23-3 loss at Tulane in its last road game. A game, by the way, that was played at Yulman Stadium, which holds 30,000 people, or less than a third of what Penn State’s cathedral holds.
Celebrated grad transter quarterback Preston Stone had the worst game of his life that day, throwing four interceptions and losing a fumble. Against Penn State on Saturday, he threw for an efficient 163 yards and a touchdown before kneeling out the clock in victory formation late in the game — in the same place and against the same team that ended his season at SMU the year before.
Braun had a simple explanation for how that team pulled off this win on the biggest stage of the season.
“It’s not the same football team,” he said. “I mean, these guys have made a commitment to just get to work and get better each and every single day. And then secondly, it’s a reflection for all of us within the program.”
One of those within the program is middle linebacker Mac Uihlein, a hard-nosed, no-nonsense sort who led all players with 10 tackles, eight of them solo stops.
After the game, while Northwestern’s players were celebrating and running off the field as victors, Braun and Uihlein hugged. The coach wouldn’t share everything the two of them said, but did allow this.
“There’s a lot of guys that have put so much effort into coming off a 4-8 season, and getting to work and re-establishing the standard and identifying what we need to be moving forward.
“But Mac has been an absolute ringleader in all of it. His willingness to step outside his comfort zone, hold himself and others accountable. It was a moment for Mac and I talk about like, ‘This is what we’ve worked for, this is what this program’s worked for.’”
Braun then added that this was not a singular achievement. In his mind, they have a lot more work to do.
“…We’re not done yet,” he said. “Great win. Let’s get back to work tomorrow.”
It’s a tomorrow that suddenly looks a lot brighter for the Wildcats.
