(BCSNN) — Northwestern didn’t just win the GameAbove Sports Bowl - it delivered the most lopsided bowl victory in program history. Behind a ferocious defense, a turnover avalanche, and a career‑closing performance from quarterback Preston Stone, the Wildcats rolled past Central Michigan 34–7 on Friday afternoon at Ford Field.
The win pushed Northwestern to 7–6 and extended its bowl winning streak to six straight, the third‑longest active streak in the nation. For head coach David Braun, now 2–0 in bowl games, the result was a validation of a month’s worth of preparation.
“For us to win and win the way that we did today is a reflection of our seniors,” Braun said. “I couldn’t be more honored to send that group off the right way.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Northwestern detonated the game with 21 unanswered points in a span of just over three minutes - all of them coming off turnovers on three consecutive Central Michigan snaps. It was one of the most dominant defensive stretches the program has produced in years.
Junior wide receiver Griffin Wilde earned Bowl MVP honors after catching 10 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns - the most by a Wildcat in a bowl game since 2010. Wilde finished the season with 71 receptions and 880 yards, both top‑10 marks in program history.
Northwestern forced four turnovers and turned every one of them into touchdowns. Redshirt junior Braden Turner delivered two of the takeaways, including a 44‑yard fumble return for a touchdown to open the second half. Turner became the first Wildcat since 2012 to record an interception, forced fumble, and touchdown in the same game.
The Wildcats also posted a season‑high five sacks, led by graduate defensive lineman Aidan Hubbard, who returned from injury to tie his career high with three. Hubbard set a program bowl record for sacks and became just the fifth player in Northwestern history to reach 20 career sacks.
“It was frustrating missing those last two games,” Hubbard said. “But coming here and playing with my teammates was special.”
Stone, in his final collegiate game, threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns, guiding an offense that capitalized on every short field the defense created. His scoring strikes included a 23‑yard corner route to Wilde, a 23‑yard seam pass to tight end Lawson Albright, and an 11‑yard dart to Wilde in the third quarter.
“This has been one of the best years of my life,” Stone said. “These guys welcomed me, trusted me, and let me run this offense.”
Central Michigan threatened early, reaching the red zone on its opening drive before Hubbard’s third‑down sack forced a missed field goal. From there, the Chippewas never regained momentum. Northwestern held CMU to just 269 total yards - the fewest by any Wildcat opponent this season - and linebacker Braydon Brus led all defenders with 11 tackles.
The Wildcats’ second‑quarter takeover began with Turner’s interception, which set up Stone’s first touchdown to Wilde. On the next snap, Hubbard strip‑sacked quarterback Joe Labas, and Carmine Bastone recovered. Caleb Komolafe punched in a 2‑yard touchdown on fourth‑and‑goal to make it 14–0.
One play later, Labas fumbled again, and Michael Kilbane recovered. Stone immediately found Albright wide open for a 23‑yard touchdown and a 21–0 lead.
Turner’s scoop‑and‑score early in the third quarter pushed the margin to 27–0, and Wilde’s second touchdown made it 34–0 before CMU finally scored midway through the fourth.
Braun now joins Pat Fitzgerald as the only Northwestern coaches with multiple bowl wins, and the Wildcats’ six‑game bowl streak stands as one of the sport’s most quietly impressive postseason runs
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