Northwestern holds off South Dakota State rally in Chip Kelly's debut
Northwestern opened Chip Kelly’s era with a 34-18 win over FCS South Dakota State, generating explosive plays on offense (Aidan Chiles: 273 passing yards and a rushing TD) and a stingy defense. The Wildcats’ balanced attack featured a 71-yard first-play connection to Griffin Wilde, an 80-yard late standout by Joseph Himon II, and strong performances from a healthy lineup as they moved to 1-0 in the 2026 season.
Sports · 9 sources · Sep 6, 2026Read itThe journal
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About Chip Kelly
Charles Edward Kelly is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for Northwestern. He came to prominence as a college football head coach for the University of Oregon from 2009 to 2012, leading them to the 2011 BCS National Championship Game. Kelly's success led to a stint in the NFL, where he coached for four seasons, three with the Philadelphia Eagles (2013–2015) and one with the San Francisco 49ers (2016). After the NFL, Kelly returned to college in 2018 as the head football coach for UCLA, coaching for six seasons before leaving in 2024 to join Ohio State as their offensive coordinator. Kelly was hired by the NFL team, the Las Vegas Raiders, to be their offensive coordinator in 2025, but was fired after Week 12 following a 2–9 start to the season. He returned again to the collegiate ranks in 2026 with Northwestern.
Everything about Chip Kelly →- Occupation
- American football coach
- Citizenship
- United States
- Born
- November 25, 1963