Records are amazing feats accomplished by a team or an individual to mark a momentous occasion. On Oct. 7, Homecoming weekend, the Northwestern Raiders football team accomplished an amazing achievement that would go down in school history. The team broke the record for most consecutive football games won, 19 wins in a row from last season to this season. The game between the Raiders and the Broncos was the last piece needed to make this worth wild goal a reality with a winning score of 45-7. The last set record for most games won in a row was set in the 1981-1982 football season of 18 wins.
This has not been an easy path to getting to this point, it has taken a lot of hard work and determination from both the team and coaching staff. When asking Head Coach Matthew McCarthy how it felt to break this record that was set 41 years ago, he answered, “NW has an outstanding tradition in football. What makes a record like this so special is the consistency it takes to accomplish a feat like this. Proud of how our team has been able to consistently prepare and play their best week in and week out.” The teams only lost in the past two years were to the two-time national NAIA champions of 2019 and 2021, the Morningside Mustangs in the very first game of the season. After this close loss, the team has been fighting nonstop to get to this point. There have been close calls. The most recent being their upset win again the D1 school, Drake University, the second game of the 2023 season, with an ending score of 27-24. “Beating Drake was a lot of fun. Looking forward to making some better moments in the coming weeks,” said junior quarterback Jalyn Gramstad.
What does it take to become such a successful team? “I believe culture is so important. Our players have done a tremendous job of buying into our culture of pursuing excellence daily and have built a great culture within our program. Our players deserve a ton of credit for the work they have put in and the culture they have built,” said Coach McCarthy. This is an amazing accomplishment, and the team should be proud of what they have been able to achieve so far.
