Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Try To Avoid Letdown, End Losing Ways Against Buckeyes
10/2/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 2, 2001
Northwestern was in this situation last season, and it cost the Wildcats a trip to the Rose Bowl.
The 14th-ranked Wildcats (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) look to avoid the mistakes of a year ago when they travel to Columbus to take on Ohio State on Saturday.
Northwestern is coming off a dramatic 27-26 victory over Michigan State on Saturday. The Wildcats allowed a kickoff and a punt return for touchdowns in the final 4:42, but a 47-yard field goal by David Wasiewleski as time expired gave coach Randy Walker's team its first 3-0 start since 1962.
The week following a similar victory proved devastating for the Wildcats in 2000. After a 54-51 win over Michigan last Nov. 4, Northwestern faced what should have been an easy game against Iowa, but lost 27-17. The Wildcats ended up sharing the Big Ten title.
"Trust me, we got back down to business last night," Walker said Monday. "We weren't Chuckles the Clown around here. ... This isn't going to be Hyenaville around here. We are getting back to work."
This time around, Walker has made it a priority to get his team focused on the task at hand, something that shouldn't be too tough considering that the Wildcats have lost 21 straight to Ohio State (2-1, 1-0) since 1971.
"When I was talking to them last night about how to respond, where we go from here, where are we at on this journey, I was looking around, making eye contact," Walker said. "I sensed a real purpose. I didn't see that faraway look in their eyes like, 'Oh, here he goes again."'
Northwestern hopes tailback Damien Anderson returns to his usual level of efficiency. Anderson was held to 78 yards on 25 carries - ending a streak of seven straight 100-yard games - in Saturday's victory after gaining 302 yards in his first two contests.
Ohio State opened its Big Ten schedule with a 28-17 victory at Indiana last week. Steve Bellisari bounced back from a poor game in a loss to UCLA by completing 15 of 21 passes for 194 yards against the Hoosiers.
"We were all pretty disappointed in what happened last week and we told ourselves we weren't going to do it again," he said. "The offensive line was the reason we could do what we did."
The Buckeyes also will try to establish their ground game behind tailback Lydell Ross. The freshman had 25 carries for 124 yards and two touchdowns last week after entering the game with six rushes for 20 yards on the season.
"I definitely knew I was going to get the ball," Ross said. "Coach (Jim Tressel) informed me to be ready to carry the ball. The offensive line blocked their hearts out."
Northwestern, which has not been 4-0 since winning its first six games in 1962, has lost 11 in a row at Columbus by an average of 37.9 points. Ohio State leads the all-time series 52-13-1.
