Total Yards
Northwestern312
Howard331
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Data sourced from NCAA game stats archive (2023)
Game Center
Howard at Northwestern
Oct 7, 2023 • Completed
Season 2023RegularWeek 6
Away
Howard
Road profile
Final Score
20 - 23
HN
Home
Northwestern
Big Ten
Game Pulse
Immediate edge indicators from the box score.
Passing Yards
Northwestern131
Howard169
Rushing Yards
Northwestern181
Howard162
Turnovers
Northwestern0
Howard0
Game Conditions
ConditionCloudy
Temperature58°F
Wind14 mph NW
Humidity
37%
Precipitation
0.00 in
Player Game Leaders
Top individual performers and full player box data.
Full Player Box
Box Score Comparison
Northwestern vs Howard box score comparison chart
Possession Split
Possession split chart
Northwestern30:26
Howard29:34
Stat Dominance
Team comparison across key performance areas
Radar chart comparing team performance across key metrics
Game Story
Northwestern edges Howard 23-20
Northwestern defeated Howard 23-20 in Week 6 of the 2023 regular slate, finishing with a 312-331 edge in total yards, and scoring 2 passing touchdowns and 1 rushing touchdowns.
Northwestern set the terms early in a game that finished 23-20. Xander Mueller Safety came with {'seconds': 53, 'minutes': 8} left in the first quarter, giving Howard the first major swing.
Northwestern's box score carried the story: 312 total yards, 181 rushing yards, and 131 passing yards. Howard finished with 331 total yards, including 162 on the ground and 169 through the air.
Northwestern converted 7-13 on third down, went 0-1 on fourth down, the turnover count was 0-0, Northwestern led 16-0 at halftime. The explosive highlight was Brendan Sullivan run for 35 yds for a TD (Jack Olsen KICK).
Key Moments
Safety
Xander Mueller Safety (Howard led 0-9 over Northwestern).
Rushing Touchdown
Brendan Sullivan run for 35 yds for a TD (Jack Olsen KICK) (Northwestern led 7-0 over Howard).
Passing Touchdown
Brendan Sullivan pass complete to Bryce Kirtz for 4 yds for a TD (Jack Olsen KICK) (Northwestern led 16-0 over Howard).
Rushing Touchdown
Ja'Shawn Scroggins run for 1 yd for a TD (Dylan West KICK) (Howard led 7-16 over Northwestern).
Passing Touchdown
Brendan Sullivan pass complete to Cam Johnson for 35 yds for a TD (Jack Olsen KICK) (Northwestern led 23-7 over Howard).
Rushing Touchdown
Eden James run for 64 yds for a TD (Two-Point Conversion failed) (Howard led 13-23 over Northwestern).
Stat Callouts
Final score
23-20
Northwestern defeated Howard.
Total yards
312-331
Northwestern held the yardage advantage.
Rushing yards
181
Northwestern averaged 3.9 yards per rush attempt.
Passing yards
131
Northwestern averaged 7.3 yards per pass attempt.
Third downs
7-13
Northwestern's conversion rate helped sustain possessions.
Opponent third downs
7-15
Howard's offense worked through that conversion rate.
Turnovers
0-0
Turnover totals are listed winner first.
Analysis
Game Breakdown
| Statistic | Northwestern | Howard |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 312 | 331 |
| Passing Yards | 131 | 169 |
| Rushing Yards | 181 | 162 |
| First Downs | 21 | 18 |
| Third Down Efficiency | 7-13 | 7-15 |
| Fourth Down Efficiency | 0-1 | 1-3 |
| Total Penalties (Yards) | 8-46 | 8-52 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 0 |
| Completions / Attempts | 13-18 | 18-30 |
| Rushing Attempts | 46 | 36 |
| Passing TDs | 2 | 0 |
| Rushing TDs | 1 | 3 |
| Kicking Points | 3 | 2 |
| Possession Time | 30:26 | 29:34 |