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Northwestern football is charging forward toward the opening of its new stadium, the new Ryan Field, next weekend against coach Matt Campbell's Penn State Nittany Lions and hoping for its third win in four tries.

The Wildcats fell short of a monumental upset Friday night in Bloomington, Indiana, losing 29-23 to the defending national champion Hoosiers after a late 70-yard run by running back Lee Beebe Jr. set up a touchdown to make the score 29-20. 

Following the game, Northwestern's Tim McGarigle-led defense was analyzed after giving up nearly 300 rushing yards and failing to give Chip Kelly's offense a chance to take the lead. 

NU Run Defense Shredded

Northwestern's run defense was shredded for 271 yards by the Hoosiers in a game where the Wildcats only rushed for 32 yards. 

Beebe Jr. ran for 203 yards on 24 carries with one touchdown to lead coach Curt Cignetti's team while Turbo Richard added 6 carries for 68 yards. Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover was held to one yard on six carries but added a rushing touchdown. 

The Hoosiers' rushing success continued a worrisome trend for McGarigle's defense that reporter Kamran Nia said could be Northwestern's "Achilles heel." 

The Wildcats have now given up 147, 180, and 271 yards rushing in their first three games of the season, a 6.2 yards per attempt average that ranks 131st in the country, near the bottom of the Division-I rankings. 

Penn State Will Challenge NU Defense

October 2's new Ryan Field opener will bring Matt Campbell's Nittany Lions to Evanston, Ill. for a game that will provide another challenge for McGarigle's defense. 

The Nittany Lions have piled up an average of 205 rushing yards per game on 5.1 yards per carry so far this season, ranking in the top 40 nationally. Penn State has four players with over 100 yards rushing so far this season including Carson Hansen, Quinton Martin Jr., James Peoples (a former Ohio State transfer) and Cam Wallace. 

Northwestern has the rushing attack to perform far better than they did against the Hoosiers, led by Joseph Himon II, a versatile weapon in the running and passing games, Caleb Komolafe, a preseason Maxwell Award candidate, and Gavin Sawchuk. 

Northwestern's offense experienced first half jitters against Indiana, falling behind 12-0 in the first half of the game before recovering to score on its last four drives. 

If Northwestern and its manic Ryan Field crowd can bring the fight to the Hoosiers next weekend, a different result could unfold. The Wildcats must address their Achilles heel, the run defense, before an otherwise promising season gets out of hand. 

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