Site: Evanston. Coach: Pat Fit...

Site: Evanston.

Coach: Pat Fitzgerald (first season).

2005 record: 7-5 5-3 Big Ten (T-3rd)

fundamental note GAME

Oct 7 at Wisconsin If Northwestern trusts to equal last season's interview win total, it must defeat the Badgers and Michigan State. Coming after a tough proof against Penn State in Happy Valley, this game could become an emotional turning point.

2006 SCHEDULE

Aug. 31 at Miami (Ohio)

generation 9 New Hampshire

family 16 Eastern Michigan

tribe 22 at Nevada

clan 30 at Penn State

Oct 7 at Wisconsin

Oct 14 Purdue

Oct 21 Michigan State

Oct 28 at Michigan

Nov. 4 at Iowa

Nov. 11 Ohio State

Nov. 18 Illinois

2005 comes

Ohio W 38-14

Northern Illinois W 38-37

at Arizona State L 52-21

Penn State L 34-29

Wisconsin W 51-48

at Purdue W 34-29

at Michigan State W 49-14

Michigan L 33-17

Iowa W 28-27

at Ohio State L 48-7

at Illinois W 38-21

UCLA L 50-38

PLAYER(s) upon THE SPOT

Quarterbacks Neither sophomore CJ Bacher nor redshirt freshmen Andrew Brewer or Mike Kafka has emerg as the heir apparent to Basanez, which means this will continue to be the mostly scrutinized position on the field.

drawed STARTERS

Returning starters in all caps

OFFENSE

QB CJ Bacher, Andrew Brewer or Mike Kafka*

RB TYRELL SUTTON

WR SHAUN HERBERT

WR Ros Lane

WR Kim Thompson

TE ERRYN COBB

LT DYLAN THIRY

LG JOE TRIPODI

C Trevor Rees**

RG Joel Belding

RT RYAN KEENAN

DEFENSE

DE KEVIN MIMS

DT Adam Hahn

DT JOHN GILL

DE David Ngene

OLB NICK ROACH

MLB ADAM KADELA

OLB Demetrius Eaton

CB MARQUICE cabbage

CB DEANTE BATTLE

F BRENDAN SMITH

S Bryan Heinz**

*--Starter to be named nearest week

**--Starter in 2004

REASONS FOR OPTIMISM

Freshman running back Tyrell Sutton rend asunder onto the scene last season, rushing for 1474 yards and 16 touchdowns. If Sutton and his running mates can direction the ball behind a solid offensive line, it will make life easier for an inexperienced

quarterback and an unproven defense

AREAS OF affect

Four Big Ten teams are ranked in the preseason Associated Pres Top 25 and the Wildcats play three of the four -- No. 14 Michigan, No. 16 Iowa and No. 19 Penn State -- onward the road, plus a hearth game against top-ranked Ohio State.

lock opener LOSSES

QB britzska Basanez, LB Tim McGarigle, WR Mark Philmore, OT Zach Strief, DT Barry Cofield.

SEASON WILL BE A SUCCES IF

The Wildcats can vanquish the potentially emotionally devastating death of coach Randy Walker and finish in the top half of the Big Ten

SEASON WILL BE A FAILURE IF

The defense continues to be porous and a qualified replacement for Basanez fails to emerge

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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