Pat Fitzgerald, Kain Colter Have Northwestern 7-2

Oct 27, 2012; Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Kain Colter (2) rushes the ball against Iowa Hawkeyes linebacker Christian Kirksey (20) during the second half at Ryan Field. Northwestern defeats Iowa 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-US PRESSWIRE

Northwestern isn’t quite undefeated at October’s end, but Pat Fitzgerald and Kain Colter have led the Wildcats to a surprising 7-2 after handling Iowa today, 28-17. Fitzgerald reached the Rose Bowl as a Northwestern player; he has the opportunity to lead his alma mater to the Rose Bowl as a coach, too.

A one-point loss to Nebraska last week was Northwestern’s second defeat in Big Ten Conference play, so the road from Evanston to Pasadena must be detour-free the rest of the way for Fitzgerald’s Wildcats. But with Colter as its engine, Northwestern looks capable of making that trek.

Colter’s perseverance is one of the more inspiring stories of the season. Since suffering an injury midway through the Wildcats’ Week 1 defeat of Syracuse, Colter has fulfilled any and all duties Fitzgerald has asked of him. That has included sharing quarterbacking duties with Trevor Siemian. Fitzgerald seemingly turned the keys over to Colter exclusively for this defining, final stretch, and Colter responded with an outstanding effort: a passing touchdown on just nine attempts, 166 yards rushing and three scores.

The almost rush-exclusive philosophy Northwestern employed was a deviation from the Wildcats’ identity much of the last half-decade. Bear in mind, this program hosted Garrick McGee (now at UAB) and Kevin Wilson (at Indiana), two coaches known for airing out the pass. The ground game wasn’t about ball control, though — Iowa dominated time of possession. Rather, Colter’s natural abilities were accentuated.

Colter isn’t Mike Kafka or Dan Persa, so running a system that those quarterbacks thrived in doesn’t necessarily translate to success for Colter. He’s a dynamic playmaker with his feet, and today gashed a defense typically known for its ability to stop the run.

Northwestern has divisional rivals Michigan and Michigan State coming up after a bye week, though it’s hardly a break — the Wildcats are taking exams. But today, they passed one crucial test.