Kain Colter. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
(CBS) That didn’t take long.
One day after Vanderbilt canceled a home-and-home series with Northwestern for 2013 and 2014, the Wildcats filled the vacancy by adding Western Michigan to their 2013 schedule.
The Broncos will visit Ryan Field Sept. 14, 2013, giving Northwestern a seventh home game. The ‘Cats were previously scheduled to visit Vanderbilt on that date, but the Commodores dropped the game by sending Northwestern a letter in the mail. The Wildcats beat Vanderbilt earlier this season at Ryan Field and also topped the Commodores in Nashville in 2010.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming Coach Bill Cubit and the Broncos to Ryan Field for the first time next September,” Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald said in a statement. “Coach has been a great friend for a long time and he runs a very successful program we have the utmost respect for.”
Western Michigan is also set to open the 2016 season against Northwestern.
NU’s 2013 non-conference now includes the season-opener at California and three consecutive home games against Syracuse (Sept. 7), Western Michigan (Sept. 14) and Maine (Sept. 21). The Big Ten opener at Ryan Field against Ohio State (Oct. 5) means Northwestern will play four straight home games after opening up on the road.
