The Northwestern football team is 1-1 to begin the season. Northwestern started with a 23-3 loss to Tulane and responded with a 42-7 win over Western Illinois. However, Northwestern was dealt a crushing injury blow on Monday.

Starting running back Cam Porter is officially out for the season, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

“Northwestern HC David Braun announced that RB Cam Porter will miss the remainder of the 2025 season with an injury sustained against WIU. Porter led the Wildcats in rushing the last two full seasons, and this year was leading the team in rushing through two games with 137 yards,” Thamel wrote.

Braun also had some strong words for Porter, via Matthew Shelton of Wildcat Report.

“All of us are crushed for Cam. There's no one that's worked harder, invested more in our program…there is no one more suited and prepared to have a profound impact on their team. He understands his purpose is bigger than football.”

Porter returned for a sixth season, and the two-time captain led Northwestern in rushing yards in 2024 and was expected to be a big piece of the offense once again. In the win over Western Illinois, he had 12 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown.

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While Northwestern football has commonly been predicted toward the bottom of the Big Ten this year, losing Porter is a massive blow for the offense. In Week 2, Caleb Komolafe had 11 carries for 63 yards, and the sophomore figures to be the next man up with Porter now out for the year.

Cam Porter decided to return for a sixth season, so seeing his season end early is a devastating blow for everybody involved.

Northwestern begins Big Ten Conference play with a home game against Oregon on Saturday before a bye and then games against UCLA and Louisiana-Monroe, both of which will be at home.