Arr matey! Northwestern be bowl worthy, despite parting ways with Pat Fitzgerald 'mongst a scandalous haze, arr!
2023-11-18
Avast ye scurvy dogs! The Northwestern Wildcats, havin' suffered a woeful 1-11 last year, did cast their treacherous head coach overboard fer his dastardly hazing deeds. But, by the grace of Davy Jones himself, they be defyin' the odds and have made themselves worthy of a bowl! Ahoy!
The Northwestern football program faced uncertainty when Pat Fitzgerald was fired in July due to accusations of hazing among players. However, four months later, the Wildcats have become bowl eligible. They secured their spot in a bowl game for the first time since 2020 after defeating Purdue with a score of 23-15. This achievement came just days after interim coach David Braun was named the program's head coach. Most sportsbooks had predicted Northwestern's win total at over/under 3½ following their 1-11 record last season. Saturday's victory marked their sixth win of the season. Braun expressed his excitement, stating that it had been an incredible week and that they had accomplished something special.In the game against Purdue, Xander Mueller intercepted Ryan Browne's pass, preventing a potential game-tying drive. This interception allowed the Wildcats to take a knee and end the game. It appears that the team has put the controversy surrounding Fitzgerald behind them. Fitzgerald has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the university and its president, seeking more than $130 million in damages and lost earnings. Fitzgerald's attorney claims that an oral agreement had been reached with Northwestern, stating that there would be no further penalty beyond his two-week suspension.
Fitzgerald had a successful tenure as Northwestern's head coach, becoming the winningest coach in the university's history with a record of 110-101 in 17 seasons. He was also a legendary player for the program, earning national defensive player of the year honors twice. The Wildcats will conclude their regular season against the Fighting Illini next Saturday.