Aidan Chiles wasn’t just good on Saturday, he was an absolute cheat code, throwing for three touchdowns and running in two more as No. 24 Northwestern crushed Rutgers 42-14. This wasn’t some fluke show either, it was Chiles’ third time this season hitting that three TD pass mark, leading his Wildcats to their fourth straight victory.
Chiles Leads The Charge, Rutgers Can’t Keep Up
Seriously, Chiles was a problem for Rutgers all afternoon. He racked up 219 passing yards and added another 83 yards on the ground. He spread the ball around too, hitting Griffin Wilde for a score, who ended up with 133 receiving yards on the day. Alex Honig and Drew Wagner also caught TD passes. But it wasn’t just the air attack. Caleb Komolafe was a beast on the ground, rushing for a whopping 150 yards himself, including a monstrous 56-yard dash. This dual threat offense meant Northwestern jumped out to a commanding 28-3 lead late in the first half. It all started with Wilde’s 13-yard TD catch from Chiles just over five minutes into the game, a play that capped a 10-play drive keyed by Komolafe’s 30-yard run.
Rutgers’ QB Nightmare Paves Way For Wildcats’ Defense
Rutgers’ day took a nosedive early when starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan was forced out of the game after taking a blow to the head just six and a half minutes into the first quarter. He didn’t return, leaving AJ Surace to step in, who later got replaced by third-stringer Sean Ashenfelder late in the third. Northwestern’s hard-nosed defense made sure Surace had a terrible time, sacking him three times. One of those sacks led to a costly fumble that Northwestern’s Jamaal Johnson recovered, setting up a pivotal Wildcats touchdown that made it 21-3. Chiles then connected with Honig for an 8-yard TD pass right off the next snap. Ashenfelder also became a victim of the Wildcats’ defense, getting sacked for their fourth of the day. Rutgers did find some life late in the third, with Antwan Raymond rushing for a 46-yard touchdown, cutting the lead to 28-14 after a two-point conversion. Raymond ended the day with 150 yards on 18 carries, but it was set up by Chiles’ first interception of the season. Rutgers’ Dane Pizzaro also managed to kick a pair of field goals, a 43-yarder in the first and a 35-yarder right before halftime.
Northwestern’s performance to get to 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten, ranked 24th nationally, really puts them in a strong position. They’re on a four-game win streak and clearly feeling it. With Chiles playing like this and the defense stepping up, these Wildcats are definitely a team to keep an eye on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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