Northwestern
Minnesota (HC)
Northwestern Knocks Off Minnesota, 23-17
10/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct 13, 2001
Coach Walker Postgame Audio: (Requires Real Player)
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Video Courtesy of ESPN
Zak Kustok hits Sam Simmons out of the backfield for a 29-yard TD
reception.
Damien Anderson slices his way into the end zone for a Wildcat touchdown.
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By RICK GANO
AP Sports Writer
EVANSTON, Ill. - Sam Simmons returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown and caught a 29-yard pass for another score as Northwestern beat Minnesota 23-17 on Saturday.
After an early offensive surge on a rainy day at Ryan Field, the Wildcats (4-1, 2-1 Big Ten) sputtered, but Simmons gave them a spark just before half.
Minnesota (1-4, 0-3) moved the ball on the ground throughout the game and got close when Travis Cole hit Ron Johnson on a fourth-down, 35-yard TD pass with 32 seconds left.
Northwestern's Kunle Patrick then recovered an onside kick and the Wildcats ran out the clock.
Simmons gathered the game-swinging punt at the 29, threaded his way through the Gophers by sidestepping four tacklers and then cut inside to complete the electrifying return with 2:46 left in the second quarter. That put the Wildcats ahead 20-10.
Northwestern's quick-working, no-huddle offense scored on its first two possessions, driving 95 yards in just under four minutes and 66 yards in just under 20 seconds.
Zak Kustok was 8-of-9 on the first drive with Damion Anderson going 1 yard for the TD. Simmons, playing with a broken finger, hauled in his 29-yarder to put the Wildcats ahead 13-3 in the first quarter.
Minnesota, behind quarterback Asad Abdul-Khaliq - starting for the first time since the opener - and running back Tellis Redmon moved the ball early against the Wildcats.
A 17-yard run by Marion Barber set up Abdul-Khaliq's 1-yard run that made it 13-10 in the second quarter. The Gophers also moved to the Northwestern 21 on their first possession before the Wildcats' Marvin Brown intercepted at the 5. On their next drive, the Gophers reached the NU 11 but had to settle for Dan Nystrom's 25-yard field goal.
Abdul-Khaliq completed only 4 of 17 first-half passes but rushed for 56 yards. When he threw his third interception, he was replaced in the third quarter by Travis Cole.
Cole completed a 39-yard pass to Antoine Burns to the NU 1 late in the third, but the play that could have changed the game was called back because of a holding penalty. The Gophers were pushed back and then Northwestern held on downs.
Anderson gained 86 yards on 22 carries, and his rushing TD was the 36th of his career, a school record that moved him one ahead of Darnell Autry.
Redmon finished with 143 yards on 25 carries for the Gophers.
