Northwestern Opens Season with 13-6 Victory

Northwestern University opened its football season with a narrow 13-6 victory over Miami (Ohio) at their new temporary lakefront stadium, Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Quarterback Mike Wright completed 18 of 30 passes for 178 yards and rushed for a touchdown, contributing to the Wildcats' win despite struggling offensively. The game featured strong defensive performances from Northwestern, limiting Miami to just 267 total yards and only 33 rushing yards, while intercepting quarterback Brett Gabbert twice. This victory marks a positive start for coach David Braun's second season after a surprising 8-5 record last year. The atmosphere of the stadium, with a capacity of 15,000, provided a unique backdrop for the season opener, although it is significantly smaller than the previous Ryan Field. With two fumbles from Wright raising concerns, the Wildcats will need to refine their offense moving forward against tougher opponents.