NU HAS PAYBACK ON ITS MIND
Wildcats seek to avenge loss at MSU last year in season opener tonight
All-American safety Brandon Joseph remembers what happened when Northwestern visited Michigan State last season.
Getting some payback sure would be a sweet start to this season.
The Wildcats will have their opportunity when they open at home Friday (8 p.m., ESPN, 720-AM) against the Spartans in what they hope kicks off a run toward their third Big Ten West championship in the last four seasons.
‘‘I did not forget the fact they handed us our one [regular-season] loss last season, and I don’t think anyone has,’’ Joseph said. ‘‘Just like every Big Ten opponent, we know what they are and the capability that they have . . . . But there’s still a vengeance there. We’ve still got some making up for that loss last year.’’
NU bounced back in a huge way after going from winning the division in 2018 to finishing last in 2019. The Wildcats jumped from 3-9 to 7-2 in the pandemic-shortened season and pushed Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game, only to come up short. They finished by beating Auburn in the Citrus Bowl.
NU’s only other loss was at Michigan
State. The Wildcats rolled into that game ranked 11th in the Associated Press poll and eighth in the College Football Playoff rankings. They were coming off a victory against Wisconsin that was their first against a top-10 team since 2011.
Michigan State came in with a 1-3 mark on the way to a 2-5 record in coach Mel Tucker’s first season. But the Spartans ran for a season-high 195 yards in a 29-20 victory that seriously dented NU’s playoff hopes.
‘‘It’s going to be about what we do on Friday, and then we’ll see,’’ Tucker said.
Tucker wouldn’t say who will start at quarterback for Michigan State, opting to leave the Wildcats guessing. The Spartans’ choices are former Temple quarterback Anthony Russo — one of 20 transfers on the team — and sophomore Payton Thorne of Naperville Central.
A 6-4 pocket passer, Russo played in 31 games and made 26 starts for the Owls from 2017 to 2020. He completed 60% of his passes and ranks third all-time at Temple with 6,292 yards to go with 44 touchdown passes and 32 interceptions.
The 6-2 Thorne made one start and played in four games last season. He was 48-for-85 for 582 yards with as many touchdown passes (three) as interceptions (three).
While Tucker wouldn’t say whom his starting quarterback would be, Hunter Johnson will get another shot for NU. Coach Pat Fitzgerald announced two weeks ago that he had won the job over former South Carolina starter Ryan Hilinski and Andrew Marty.
Johnson started five games and played in six in 2019 after transferring from Clemson, completing 50 of 108 passes for 432 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and four interceptions and was replaced during the season by Aidan Smith.
With graduate transfer Peyton Ramsey starting for the Wildcats last season, Johnson played in only two games and didn’t try a pass.
‘‘I just think he’s more confident,’’ Fitzgerald said.
NU lost leading rusher Cam Porter to a season-ending lower-body injury during camp. He ran for 333 yards — 4.1 yards per carry — and five touchdowns as freshman last season.
With Porter out, the Wildcats will turn to transfer Andrew Clair (5.1 yards per carry last season at Bowling Green) and sophomore Evan Hull (seven yards per carry, 495 yards, six touchdowns over two seasons).