yahoo
Northwestern will be without starting quarterback Aidan Chiles for its crucial Big Ten game against Ohio State, as reported by On3 college football insider Pete Nakos. Nicco Marchiol is slated to take the reins for the Wildcats in Chiles' absence, according to Nakos' post on X (formerly Twitter).
Head coach David Braun and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will rely on Marchiol, who spent his first four seasons at West Virginia in the Big 12. The Chandler, Arizona native never exceeded 720 passing yards in a single season with the Mountaineers, but his running ability should allow Kelly to maintain a similar offensive scheme without Chiles.
Key Analysis
Despite the quarterback change, Northwestern sees a prime opportunity to hand Ohio State another loss. The Buckeyes have already suffered three defeats and are on a two-game skid after falling to USC and Oregon in consecutive weeks. Both the Trojans and Ducks have re-entered the College Football Playoff conversation, while Ohio State dropped to No. 20 in the latest CFP rankings—its lowest position ever in the playoff poll era. Northwestern, though unranked, shares a 6-3 record with the Buckeyes and is looking to snap its own two-game losing streak, which includes a loss to USC.
Originally reported by yahoo.