EVANSTON, Ill. — Aidan Chiles threw for 273 yards and a touchdown in his Northwestern debut as the Wildcats rallied past South Dakota State 34-18 on Saturday night. Chiles, who previously made 20 starts at Michigan State, scored a 14-yard touchdown with 4:34 remaining to put Northwestern ahead by two possessions.
South Dakota State’s Josiah Johnson scored with 8:16 left, cutting Northwestern’s lead to 20-18, but a two-point conversion attempt failed. Northwestern then drove down the field, utilizing almost four minutes of clock before Chiles’ touchdown. Joseph Himon II added an 80-yard touchdown run with 1:14 left to seal the victory. Despite allowing 438 yards, the Wildcats’ defense prevented the Jackrabbits from scoring on six of seven drives that reached inside the 25-yard line.
Chiles began the game with a 71-yard pass to Griffin Wilde and later connected with Alex Honing for an 11-yard touchdown less than four minutes into the game, giving Northwestern a lead they would not relinquish. Caleb Komolafe also contributed a short touchdown run in the third quarter. Northwestern has now won four consecutive home openers.
Chase Mason was 23 of 48 for 285 yards with one interception for South Dakota State. Johnson rushed for 79 yards on 19 carries, and Tristan Alvano kicked four field goals. The Jackrabbits drove deep into Northwestern territory twice in the second quarter but were limited to field goals, trailing 10-6 at halftime. The Jackrabbits are now 2-12 against FBS opponents.
Northwestern’s new offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, oversaw a unit that amassed almost 500 yards on Saturday. The Wildcats have one more game before a September 25th matchup against the reigning national champion Indiana. South Dakota State will host New Haven on September 12th, while Northwestern will welcome Colorado on September 19th.
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