Northwestern Looks to Take Next Step in 2013

Kain Colter and Northwestern are looking for a Big Ten title

As goals are accomplished, bigger goals are established. So it is with the Northwestern football team as they prepare for the 2013 campaign after exorcising the bowl-game demons with a 34-20 Gator Bowl victory over Mississippi State to cap last season. It ended the Wildcats' streak of nine consecutive bowl game losses, which is tied for the longest streak of all-time. With that mountain climbed and conquered, Northwestern can set their sights on something bigger this season -- like a Big Ten conference title.

Make no mistake about it, winning the Big Ten title this season won't be a walk in the park, but the Cats have the talent to pull it off. Start with the backfield of Venric Mark and Kain Colter. Northwestern finished 19th in the nation with 225.5 rush yards per game and Mark racked up 1,366 yards on the season. Eight times Mark rushed for 100+ yards in a game and he found the endzone 12 times. The senior may find it difficult to duplicate those numbers, but Colter will provide assistance.

The dual-threat quarterback, or whatever you want to call his position, does just about everything. Last season he threw for eight touchdowns and ran for 12 more. Oh, and he he also caught 16 passes for 169 yards. He's the type of player that can do whatever needs to be done, but Northwestern hopes his passing will improve this season. He completed 67.8 percent of his passes, but he's now completely healed from a shoulder injury he suffered back in high school and that may make him more comfortable at quarterback.

No matter where he lines up, the bottom line is that Colter will have an impact, and the Cats need him to because their schedule is anything but easy. Road games at Wisconsin and Nebraska plus home contests versus Ohio State and Michigan highlight the schedule. It's a far cry from 2012 when Northwestern went 10-3, but didn't play a Top 25 team. Barring a host of disappointments, that is impossible this season as all four of those teams, plus Northwestern, are in the USA Today Preseason Top 25. Michigan State will also probably also see time in the polls and they will come to Evanston on November 23rd.

However, despite the increased strength of schedule, not to mention the target that comes with going 10-3, this is the kind of season where good teams become great teams. Will Pat Fitzgerald and the Wildcats improve, stay the same or fall? Anything less than nine wins and a New Year's Day bowl game would and should be considered a drop off from last year. Sure, the schedule is tougher, but this team has been knocking on the door for a few years and now it's time to bust through.

It's time for Northwestern to become a mainstay in the Top 25 and the top of the Big Ten standings. While many outside of Big Ten country may not know about the Cats they could know fairly soon. When the Buckeyes travel to Evanston on October 5th the ESPN-televised game will be in primetime at 8:00. That would be a great time to introduce the nation to Northwestern football.