Illinois vs. Northwestern

THE GOOD: Running game. Bowser and Hanaoka were able to find huge lanes to run through. This got the offense rolling and will be a huge key in the future.
THE BAD: Defense. Northwestern's defense gave up way too many yards. They were able to do a nice job of forcing field goals after long drives, but giving up that many yards is a recipe for disaster in the future and must be corrected.
THE UGLY: Pat Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald pulled the starters way too early and nearly cost Northwestern the game. Northwestern will need great coaching from Fitzgerald in order to have success in the future.

Northwestern vs. Minnesota

THE GOOD: Clayton Thorson. Thorson rebounded nicely in this one. He made a ton of great throws to keep drives moving and make the offense work. He also had a couple key runs to keep the defense honest. Northwestern will need Thorson to keep leading the offense if they want to have success down the stretch.
THE BAD: Adjustments. Northwestern didn't seem to adjust very much on defense. Turnover bailed them out multiple times, but Northwestern really failed to stop the slant route. Northwestern's coaching staff will need to get better at recognizing patterns in the future. Northwestern gave up too much success on the same route. Adjustments will need to made in the future in order to continue to have success.
THE UGLY: Running game. Northwestern started the game running the ball well, but struggled mightily as the game went on. The offensive line began to get pushed around, and there was little room for the running backs to work with. The running game will be a key for Northwestern in the future, so this will need to turn around. The offensive line will need to toughen up and become the ones doing the pushing in order to open up lanes to run. It all starts with physicality up front, and Northwestern's offensive line needs to rekindle that.

Northwestern vs. Iowa

THE GOOD: Big Ten West champions. Northwestern did it. They clinched the Big Ten West. They've played hard all season and have achieved one of their biggest goals. This is a huge step in the right direction for them program, but they still have to continue to perform well to continue achieving their goals.
THE BAD: Clayton Thorson. Thorson struggled to make plays down field for most of the game. He held onto the ball too long sometimes and struggled to be accurate when hitting receivers for big plays. He will need to find consistency if Northwestern wants to achieve their goals.
THE UGLY: Receivers. Flynn Nagel is the only Northwestern receiver who can consistently get separation from defenders. Now that defenses are focusing on him, the rest of Northwestern's receivers cannot seem to get open. This has greatly hindered the passing game, and needs to be corrected by running different route concepts to scheme receivers open or giving new guys a chance to play.

Notre Dame vs. Northwestern

THE GOOD: Isaiah Bowser. For the third game in a row, Bowser ran with a purpose and was able to have great success. He has done a great job of taking advantage of his opportunity and has really changes Northwestern's offense for the better.
THE BAD: Pass rush. Northwestern generated almost no pass rush. This forced the secondary to cover for long periods of time and they could not maintain tight coverage for extended periods of time. This led to some big plays being given up through the air. Northwestern will need to generate pass rush in order for their defense to be effective in the future.
THE UGLY: Adjustments. Northwestern failed to adjust on defense. They continuously put their corners ten years off the line and were content to give up big plays on flat routes. They crashed down on the middle on run plays, but failed to account for the quarterback run on multiple occasions. Northwestern will need to make adjustments to what their opponent is doing in the future if they hope to have success.