Northeastern at-a-Glance

2006 Record: 5-6
Head Coach: Rocky Hager (103-46-1 career; 12-21, fourth season at Northeastern)
Series: First meeting

Kickoff: 11 a.m. Central, Ryan Field
Line: None
TV: Big Ten Network


Scouting Report

Northwestern's sister school, Northeastern, is from the mysterious-sounding Division I Football Championship Series, which is what they call Division I-AA now. The Wildcats, of course, found out all about that lower division last season when New Hampshire came into Evanston like rude guests and left muddy footprints all over the living room carpet while thumping the Wildcats, 34-17.

But Northeastern, which finished 5-6 in 2006, is no New Hampshire. They're better. Believe it or not, one of the Huskies five wins last season was against those same UNH Wildcats, which Northeastern knocked off in overtime, 36-35. So, if you're a believer in the transitive property of football, Northwestern could have its hands full.

In its history, Northeastern has played five teams from the Football Bowl Subdivision - that's what the old Division I or BCS is now called - winning two. Last year they moved up in class just once and were pummeled by heavyweight Virginia Tech, which put up 21 points in the first quarter and rolled to a 38-0 thrashing.

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