Northwestern vs. Western Illinois Gamethread

Following back-to-back losses to open the season, Northwestern finds itself at a potential turning point early in the 2014 campaign. On paper, the Wildcats should handle Western Illinois, a 2-1 team with wins over Drake and Valparaiso. But Northwestern has yet to put together a complete football game and frankly, the team hasn't done much to inspire much confidence.

Even if Northwestern does win today, it will be important for to put together a complete performance in order to build momentum heading into the Big Ten slate. Especially on offense, Northwestern has looked out of sync so far this season with inconsistency running rampant.

For Western Illinois, the Leathernecks' offense leans on senior running back J.C. Baker. Baker is a small, quick running back that's hard to locate behind the line of scrimmage and has a solid burst through the hole. This season, he is averaging just over 5.5 yards per carry.

Barring thunderstorms later in the afternoon, it should be a great day for football at Ryan Field. Please feel free to join us talking about the game below, we'll be here all day.