Northwestern Football Season Outlook

Northwestern's Nov. 20 game against Illinois should be one to watch—it'll be played at Wrigley Field.

And with the Northwestern Wildcats looking for their third consecutive postseason appearance, here's a look at what to expect in 2010.

Offense

• After only rushing for 302 yards last year, running back Arby Fields now sits atop the Wildcats' depth chart. Recent reports indicate that Fields is having a solid spring and should improve on his 3.7 yards-per-carry average. Yet if Fields falters, Scott Concannon and Jacob Schmidt are ready and waiting.

• Quarterback Dan Persa has the monumental task of replacing Mike Kafka, who led all Big Ten passers last year with 3,430 yards. Persa has the double threat ability to make plays with both his arm and legs. And with Northwestern's spread offense, many experts say the situation suits his strengths well.

• Senior Sidney Stewart will most likely be the No. 1 receiver this year. Last year, he finished with 42 catches for 470 yards and two scores, but will need to take his game to another level to help Persa ease into the starting role.Perhaps the brightest spot on the Wildcat's offense is tight end Drake Dunsmore, who led all NU receivers with 523 yards and three touchdowns in 2009.

• And finally, let's give some credit to the offensive line.With two sophomores – left guard Brian Mulroe and right tackle Patrick Ward fighting for starting roles – veterans on the Wildcat's o-line now have to earn their starting positions.

Defense

• The linebacker corps is a big strength, going two-deep at each position. Senior Quentin Davie, who had 90 tackles and five sacks in '09, should be one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten this year. Cornerback Jordan Mabin is one of the few returning players in an unproven secondary that should improve on his stellar performance last year. Yet the biggest question mark lie with the safety position, as both the free and strong spots are up in the air.

• The defensive line took a big hit with senior leader and defensive end Corey Wootton departing (to the Bears, of all NFL teams). DE Vince Browne and defensive tackle Corbin Bryant have continued to improve from their modest '09 campaigns, and either one would do well to step up in Wootton's absence.

Special Teams

• Last year, kicker Stefan Demos had the responsibility of punting and kicking field goals. Now, he'll have to only focus on one as redshirt freshman Brandon Williams takes over punting duties.

While Demos had two big misses in last year's Outback Bowl, he finished 18-25 in field goals for the year. He's also a preseason candidate for the Lou Groza best kicker award, and should be among the nation's elite.

• Converted running back-into-cornerback Jeravin Matthews should once again assume kick- and punt-return duties.

Outlook

"We've got to get over a few more of those hurdles," head coach Pat Fitzgerald told the Daily Northwestern. "But our program is moving in the right direction."

Yet even with unproven faces at some of the skill positions, this is a team that can easily finish among the top six in its conference. Last year, the Wildcats were 8-5 overall - 5-3 in the Big Ten. Hopefully, they improve with a better record this year.

The mark of success will be finding that elusive postseason victory. A big part of that will be seeing who the Wildcats play come bowl season, but they certainly have the talent to record their first postseason win since 1949.

Full Schedule

Additional information gathered from Yahoo! Sports, rivals.com and nusports.com.