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After keeping Auburn out of the end zone on opening drive in Citrus Bowl, Northwestern’s defense accomplishes impressive feat

Kristian Dyer

By Kristian Dyer

Published:

The buzz about Northwestern’s defense is for real.

As if the Wildcats didn’t prove last month in the Big Ten Championship Game that they were a legitimate defense, holding No. 3 Ohio State to a season low 22 points, they’ve emphasized that point again on Friday. And while the offense’s start to the game is the talk of the Citrus Bowl so far, it was the defense making a statement on Auburn’s first drive that is quite the accomplishment.

The Wildcats defense is filthy stingy. Like Ebenezer Scrooge before the three ghosts visited him and he went to visit Kermit’s house.

Kermit is in the Charles Dickens version, right?

Anyway, it shouldn’t be a shock to the faithful readers of Saturday Tradition that Northwestern is that good at stopping other teams. They have a defense that had multiple selections to the All-Big Ten teams and safety Brandon Joseph was the conference’s freshman of the year.

Northwestern allowed 15.5 points per game and 12 touchdowns, both numbers the lowest in the Big Ten.

Oh, and Ohio State’s previous offensive low was in a 38-25 win at Ohio State on Oct. 25. In the conference championship game, they scored just six first half points.

So, SEC nation, this isn’t a surprise at all.

Kristian Dyer