College football programs kick off Fall camps in less than a month. With the sport returning soon, BadgerBlitz.com dives into who Wisconsin will face on the field during the 2021 season.

Each preview breaks down an upcoming opponent, including a review of last year's stats and who's back (and not back) on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Plus, we receive insight from those who cover the respective programs.

*Sept. 4 -- vs. Penn State

*Sept. 11 -- vs. Eastern Michigan

*Sept. 18 -- BYE

*Sept. 25 -- vs. Notre Dame (at Soldier Field)

*Oct. 2 -- vs. Michigan

*Oct. 9 -- at Illinois

*Oct. 16 -- vs. Army

*Oct. 23 -- at Purdue

*Oct. 30 -- vs. Iowa

*Nov. 6 -- at Rutgers

*Nov. 13 -- vs. Northwestern

*Nov. 20 -- vs. Nebraska

*Nov. 27 -- at Minnesota

For the second time in three seasons, Northwestern reached the Big Ten championship game in 2020. On top of that, top Wildcats -- offensive lineman Rashawn Slater and cornerback Greg Newsome II -- heard their names called in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Now, winds of change blow in Evanston with significant players departing on both sides of the ball and one of its longtime coordinators retiring. Northwestern will need its returning student-athletes -- along with new additions -- to emerge to stay competitive within the Big Ten West.

*Record: 7-2

*Points per game: 24.7

*Opponents points per game: 15.9

*Rushing yards per game: 162.8

*Opponents rushing yards per game: 145.9

*Passing yards per game: 197.9

*Opponents' passing yards per game: 195.3

*Third-down conversions: 39.3%

*Opponents' third-down conversions: 29.9%

*Total turnovers created: 19 (14 interceptions, five fumble recoveries)

*Total turnovers given up: 15 (eight interceptions, seven fumbles)

*Sacks: 14

*Sacks allowed: 13

Northwestern will need to replace some key contributors on offense. That includes its QB1 from 2020, Peyton Ramsey, along with two running backs in Drake Anderson (transferred to Arizona) and Isaiah Bowser (UCF). The wide receiver position will also need others to step up as Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman, Kyric McGowan and Riley Lees all left the program. Chiaokhiao-Bowman and Lees will compete for spots in the NFL, while McGowan moved on to Georgia Tech.

Leading rusher Cam Porter (333 yards, 4.1 yards per carry, five touchdowns) and former four-star offensive lineman Peter Skoronski return for the Wildcats. Skoronski claimed second-team All-Big Ten honors by the media last year.

There will be an influx of new talent that could contribute this season, highlighted by South Carolina transfer Ryan Hilinski. The former four-star quarterback completed 58.1% of this passes for 2,357 yards and 11 touchdowns to five interceptions in 2019. However, he only threw six passes in two games last year as two different Gamecock signal callers started (Collin Hill started eight games; Luke Doty two).

Key returners: RB Cam Porter, OL Peter Skoronski (2020 PFF Grade 81.4), OL Sam Gerak (2020 PFF Grade 67.9)

Key additions: RB Andrew Clair (Bowling Green grad transfer), QB Ryan Hilinski (South Carolina), WR Calvin Johnson II (true freshman), WR Jordan Mosley (true freshman), WR Stephon Robinson Jr. (Kansas), RB Anthony Tyus III (freshman)

Key departures: RB Drake Anderson (Arizona), RB Isaiah Bowser (UCF), WR Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman, WR Kyric McGowan (Georgia Tech), TE John Raine, QB Peyton Ramsey, OL Rashawn Slater (opted out of 2020 season), WR Riley Lees, OL Gunnar Vogel (2020 PFF Grade 66.6)

*Why Northwestern has had the fewest transfers during the portal era

Former Wisconsin assistant and Northwestern defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz retired after last season, and head coach Pat Fitzgerald named Jim O'Neil to that position.

The Wildcats' linebacking corp will need to replace longtime starters Blake Gallagher and Paddy Fisher (combined 173 tackles, 14 tackles for loss in 2020), though Chris Bergin (78 tackles, four tackles for loss) comes back for 2021.

Change will also come on the defensive line with Earnest Brown IV being drafted and Eku Leota -- the team's leader in sacks in 2020 -- gone as well.

Though Newsome is off to lock down opposing receivers in the NFL, safety Brandon Joseph returns. The defensive back led the team in interceptions (six) and registered 52 tackles on way to first-team All-America honors by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), the Associated Press and Sporting News.

*Key returners: LB Chris Bergin, S Brandon Joseph, DB A.J. Hampton, DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, DB Cameron Mitchell, DL Samdup Miller (opted out in 2020)

*Key additions: DT Jeremy Meiser (Old Dominion), DE Jeffery Pooler Jr. (West Virginia), S/LB Trent Carrington (Presbyterian)

*Key departures: CB Greg Newsome II, LB Blake Gallagher, LB Paddy Fisher, S JR Pace, DL Earnest Brown IV, DB Cameron Ruiz (Temple), DL Eku Leota (Auburn)

Michael Fitzpatrick from Wildcat Report of the Rivals.com network answered a few of our questions before fall camp awaits Fitzgerald’s program.

What is the position to watch during fall camp?

Linebacker. Paddy Fisher and Blake Gallagher have left massive shoes to fill on Northwestern's defense. Chris Bergin is back, but he will be joined by two guys with limited experience. Redshirt freshman Cullen Coleman, redshirt junior Khalid Jones and redshirt sophomore Bryce Gallagher (Blake's brother) will likely compete for the job in the middle, and fifth-year senior Peter McIntyre likely will finally get a chance to start on the weak side.

Entering fall camp, who could be a surprise for the team?

Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Bryce Kirtz. Kirtz only had six catches in 2020, but he was buried behind three seniors on the depth chart. All three of those starters have now moved on, creating a golden opportunity for Kirtz. He dealt with some injuries in 2020 but he was fully healthy in the spring and reports were encouraging for the Brownsburg, Ind., native; he can play both on the outside and in the slot and showed an ability to create yards after the catch in the spring.

This season goes well if ...

The offense improves. The Wildcats' offense ranked 92nd in scoring and 107th in yards per play in 2020. Evan Hull's 50-yard run against Illinois was their longest play of the year. Only UMass, which went 0-4 and was outscored 161-12 last season, had a shorter longest play from scrimmage. Northwestern added speed with graduate transfer wide receiver Stephon Robinson Jr. from Kansas and incoming freshmen Jordan Mosley and Calvin Johnson II. Hilinski can really push the ball down the field with his arm, so on paper Northwestern's offense should be more explosive in 2021. It's a matter of putting the pieces together. It will be almost impossible for NU's defense to replicate their dominance from 2020, and it is crucial that the offense be able to win the team a game or two in 2021, instead of always relying on the defense to bail them out.

This season goes off the rails if ...

They can't replace Ramsey. Northwestern's last three seasons have been: West Division Championship, 3-9 season, West Division Championship. The difference between 2018/2020 and 2019 was quarterback play. Ramsey wasn't a superstar last year, but he consistently made the right play, was efficient and was named third-team All-Big Ten. With Ramsey moving on, Northwestern finds themselves in a similar spot to the one they were in in 2019 when Clayton Thorson graduated. Northwestern's 2019 passing offense was so abysmal that they averaged fewer passing yards per game than Air Force, who runs the triple option. Hilinksi will compete with Hunter Johnson and Andrew Marty in fall camp, but the South Carolina transfer will win the job in all likelihood. How he plays is really the deciding factor as to how the 2021 season goes for Northwestern.

*Thanks to Michael Fitzpatrick from Wildcat Report on confirming the key returners, additions and departures -- which were initially put together looking at last year's stats and PFF grades, along with the aforementioned linked articles.