Aidan Chiles throws for 273 yards and a touchdown in his debut as Northwestern rallies to defeat FCS opponent South Dakota State 34-18 on Saturday night. Chiles, a transfer who previously made 20 starts at Michigan State, helps Northwestern pull the game into a two-possession difference late with a 14-yard draw-play touchdown with 4:34 remaining.
Northwestern’s offense and defense are both central to the result. The Wildcats’ defense allows 438 yards but limits South Dakota State’s scoring, keeping the Jackrabbits out of the end zone on most of their late opportunities. Reports note the Jackrabbits fail to reach the end zone on six of seven trips inside their 25-yard line, a key factor as Northwestern turns the contest from a rally into a final-margin win.
Across the sources, the main points align on Chiles’ debut performance, the final score, and Northwestern’s late separation backed by red-zone defense, with emphasis varying between the touchdown sequence and the yardage and red-zone figures.
