Northwestern Wildcats vs. Colorado Buffaloes: Three Things to Expect
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Northwestern and Colorado will meet Saturday in one of the more intriguing nonconference matchups of the early college football season.
The Wildcats enter the matchup 1-0 after an impressive 34-18 victory over South Dakota State, while Colorado comes into Evanston undefeated at 2-0. With both teams looking to establish themselves early in the season, there should be plenty to watch when the Buffaloes and Wildcats take the field.
Here are three things to expect from Saturday's matchup.
An Aggressive Style From Both Teams
Expect both Northwestern and Colorado to play with plenty of aggression from the opening whistle.
For Northwestern, the matchup provides another opportunity to see how Chip Kelly's offense continues to develop with quarterback Aidan Chiles.
The Wildcats showed flashes of an explosive offense in Week 1, scoring 34 points and finishing with nearly 500 total yards against South Dakota State. Chiles' ability to make plays both through the air and with his legs adds another dimension to the offense.
Colorado will bring its own aggressive mentality into Evanston. With the game being played in front of a national television audience, both teams have an opportunity to make an early statement about what they can become in 2026.
Neither side has much reason to play conservatively. Northwestern wants to build off its opening-week victory, while Colorado wants to prove its 2-0 start is more than just a favorable opening stretch.
Expect Plenty of Offensive Production
The potential for points and explosive plays could make this one of the more entertaining games on Northwestern's early schedule.
The Wildcats showed how quickly they can create big plays in Week 1. Chiles connected with Griffin Wilde for a 71-yard gain on Northwestern's first offensive play before finding Alex Honig for an 11-yard touchdown on the very next play. Joseph Himon II later broke loose for an 80-yard touchdown run.
Colorado has also shown the ability to produce offensively while starting the season 2-0. The Buffaloes will look to challenge Northwestern's defense vertically and create the same type of explosive plays that the Wildcats produced in their opener.
That could make chunk plays one of the biggest factors Saturday. If either defense consistently allows explosive gains, the scoreboard could move quickly.
Northwestern's defense did show some vulnerability to big plays against South Dakota State, even while holding the Jackrabbits to only one touchdown on five red-zone trips. That bend-but-don't-break mentality could be tested again against Colorado.
A Battle Between Two Head Coaches
The matchup also features an interesting coaching storyline between David Braun and Deion Sanders.
Sanders brings plenty of national attention and experience to Colorado, while Braun has steadily built Northwestern into a program trending in the right direction. Braun led the Wildcats to a 7-6 record in 2025 and capped the season with a 34-7 bowl victory over Central Michigan. Northwestern also opened 2026 with a convincing win over South Dakota State.
For Braun, Saturday represents another opportunity to show how far the program has come. For Sanders, Colorado is looking to build on a 2-0 start after going 3-9 last season and undergoing significant changes heading into 2026.
Both coaches have something to prove, even if the circumstances are different. Sanders has the national spotlight that follows him wherever he goes, while Braun is trying to establish Northwestern as a consistent contender in the Big Ten.
With Northwestern favored entering the week, the pressure will be on the Wildcats to play like the team many expect them to be.
Saturday should provide the first real indication of what both programs are capable of this season.
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