Northwestern and head coach Chris Collins picked up a big home win on Sunday night as the Wildcats knocked off in-state rival No. 23 Illinois 49-43 as Collins earned his first Big Ten victory and first win over a ranked opponent as a head coach.
Then the Wildcats and Collins celebrated. There were shoulder bumps, dancing, yelling and a lot of smiles on the face of Northwestern’s team.
I particularly enjoy Northwestern assistant coaches Armon Gates and Pat Baldwin shoulder-bumping many of the players and how the team ambushes Collins when he arrives in the locker room for the first time to greet his team after the win.
It’s a definite rebuilding year in Evanston, but this is a huge win for Collins in his first year as Northwestern’s head coach.