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Caleb Komolafe rushed for 188 yards and a touchdown as Northwestern opened the new Ryan Field with a 34-13 win over Penn State on Friday, October 2, 2026. Joseph Himon II added 162 rushing yards and two touchdowns, helping the Wildcats pile up 413 yards on the ground and control the game from start to finish.
Komolafe and Himon powered Northwestern’s ground game
Komolafe carried 25 times for 188 yards and one touchdown, and added 14 receiving yards for 202 yards from scrimmage. Himon needed 10 carries to gain 162 yards and score twice. Together, the pair produced 350 rushing yards. Northwestern reported they were the first Big Ten teammate pair to each top 100 rushing yards in the same game.
The Wildcats finished with 413 rushing yards and 506 total yards. Northwestern said its rushing total was the program’s highest in a game since gaining 444 yards against Illinois on November 22, 2003, and the most by a Big Ten team against FBS competition that season through this game. Northwestern’s game recap provides the team’s statistics and historical comparisons.
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How Northwestern built its lead
Northwestern struck first with a 50-yard Jackson Kleather field goal, then made it 10-0 on an Aidan Chiles rushing touchdown. Penn State answered with Carson Hansen’s eight-yard rushing score, but Himon scored twice before halftime to put the Wildcats ahead 24-7.
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Komolafe’s third-quarter rushing touchdown pushed the lead to 31-7. Penn State’s Chase Sowell caught a late touchdown, and Kleather’s second field goal set the final score at 34-13. Northwestern never trailed.
The first half showed how the Wildcats established control: they outgained Penn State 278-139 and held a 237-26 edge in rushing yards, according to the official Northwestern recap.
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Northwestern’s defense limited Penn State on the ground
Penn State finished with 291 total yards and just 48 rushing yards, a season low according to Northwestern. The contrast between Northwestern’s 413 rushing yards and Penn State’s 48 helps explain the result beyond the final score: the Wildcats consistently generated offense on the ground while restricting the Nittany Lions’ run game.
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A winning debut for the new Ryan Field
The game was the first at the new Ryan Field in Evanston. Northwestern’s head coach David Braun described the occasion as “something that dreams are made of — a night like tonight.” He added, “We have the opportunity to dream bigger than we ever have before. Why wouldn’t you when you get to call this place your home?” The remarks were reported in Northwestern’s postgame account; Braun was reflecting on the stadium and the night, not making a comment specifically about Komolafe.
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The Associated Press report republished by ABC News also identifies the matchup as the new stadium’s first game. Immediately after the game, Northwestern was 3-1 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play, while Penn State was 2-2 overall and 0-2 in the conference, according to Northwestern’s October 2 recap.
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