Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Host Fifth-Ranked Ohio State Saturday Night at Ryan Field
9/30/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 30, 2002
Complete Game Notes in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
GAME 6
No. 5/5 Ohio State (5-0, 1-0) at Northwestern (2-3, 0-1)
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct. 5, 2002/6 p.m. CDT
Site: Ryan Field, Evanston, Ill.
Capacity/Surface: 47,130/Natural Grass
Television: ESPN2
Radio: WGN 720 AM (Dave Eanet, play-by-play; Ted Albrecht, analyst)(also on wgnradio.com); WNUR 89.3 FM)
The Game
After opening the Big Ten season with a 39-24 loss at Michigan State, Northwestern returns to Ryan Field this Saturday, Oct. 5 for a rare night game against fifth-ranked Ohio State. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CDT. This is just the eighth night game to be played in the 76-year history of Ryan Field.
ESPN2 will telecast the game nationally with Dave Barnett (play-by-play), Bill Curry (color analyst), Mike Golic (color analyst) and Michele Tafoya (sideline reporter) describing the action. WGN (720 AM) and WNUR (89.3 FM) will provide live radio coverage.
The Buckeyes enter Saturday's game with a perfect 5-0 record after defeating Indiana 45-17 in their conference opener last week. OSU is ranked fifth in both major national polls this week. Led by freshman sensation Maurice Clarett, the Buckeyes are beating teams with a running game that averages 232.0 yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry. Clarett, who returned to action against Indiana after sitting out the Cincinnati game with a knee injury, averages 143.8 ypg and a whopping 6.8 ypc. He has scored 10 touchdowns, including nine on the ground. Clarett ran for 104 yards and three scores in the win over IU. Quarterback Craig Krenzel complements the OSU attack, throwing for 132.0 ypg. He is completing 62.7 percent of his pass attempts and has tossed four TD passes. Overall, OSU averages 401.0 ypg in offense.
Defensively, OSU hangs its hat on stopping the run. The Buckeyes surrender just 73.2 ypg and 2.7 ypc. The Wildcats are averaging 165.8 ypg and 4.2 ypc. OSU, which has not allowed an opposing player to rush for 100 yards in nine straight games, has outgained its first five opponents 1,160 to 366 yards. Linebacker Matt Wilhelm and safety Mike Doss lead the Buckeye defense, which is holding opponents to 16.2 ppg. OSU's special teams play has been solid. The Buckeyes are averaging a Big Ten-best 44.8 yards per punt and are perfect in field goal attempts (9-for-9) and PATs (22-for-22).
Tickets can still be purchased for the game by calling 847-491-CATS or Ticketmaster, or purchasing online at NUsports.com. Saturday is "LaSalle Bank Day" at Ryan Field.
The Series with Ohio State
Series Record: OSU leads 53-13-1
At Evanston: OSU leads 24-5-1
At Columbus: OSU leads 29-8
Current Win Streak: Ohio State, 22
Last Meeting: Oct. 6, 2001 (Ohio State 38, Northwestern 20)
First Meeting: 1913 (Ohio State 58, Northwestern 0)
Series Notes: The NU-OSU series dates to 1913, the first year the Buckeyes played Big Ten contests ... The Wildcats and Buckeyes have met each year since 1913, with the exception of these seasons: 1918 to '26, 1959-60, 1965-66, 1975-76, 1987-88, 1995-96 and 1999-2000 ... Ohio State last visited Ryan Field on Oct. 24, 1998. The Buckeyes were the nation's top-ranked team on that date.
The Last NU-OSU Meeting
Oct. 6, 2001-Unable to get its offense on track against a formidable Ohio State defense, Northwestern suffered its first loss of the year, falling 38-20 to the Buckeyes in front of an Ohio Stadium-record 104,042 spectators. Northwestern put together an impressive drive on its first possession, marching 80 yards in 13 plays. The drive was capped with an 8-yard scoring run from Damien Anderson. That tied the game at 7-7. Following its first offensive series, however, the Wildcats failed to cross midfield on their next nine possessions. And while the NU offense was grounded, the Buckeyes were rolling, building a 38-7 advantage toward the end of the third quarter. The Wildcats did not quit and came back with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to cut the margin to 18 points. Quarterback Zak Kustok scored on a 2-yard run before tossing a 4-yard pass to receiver Jon Schweighardt. Time was not on the NU side, though, and the Wildcats were unable to reach the end zone again. Northwestern finished with 306 yards in total offense. Ohio State, meanwhile, gained 287 of its 396 yards on the ground. Jonathan Wells led all rushers with 179 yards. Anderson led NU with 80 yards on 21 carries. Kunle Patrick had seven catches for 69 yards.
The NU-Michigan State Recap
Sept. 28, 2002 -- Northwestern slowed down Heisman Trophy candidate Charles Rogers, but it was not enough as the Wildcats fell to the Spartans, 39-24, in the Big Ten opener for both teams. NU senior cornerback Raheem Covington (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) led the defensive effort on Rogers, holding the Big Ten's leading receiver to just three catches and 53 yards. One of his receptions, however, did go for a touchdown, an NCAA-record 13th-straight game with a TD. That score, with 6:10 to play in the first half, snapped a 10-10 tie and gave MSU the lead for good.
Trailing 20-10 at halftime, the Wildcats seized the second-half momentum after cutting the lead to three points on a 6-yard TD run by Noah Herron (Mattawan, Mich./Mattawan). On the ensuing kickoff, Brian Huffman (Schaumburg, Ill./Schaumburg) squibbed the kick and freshman Terrell Jordan (Clarkston, Ga./Tucker) recovered the ball, giving the 'Cats a first-and-10 on the MSU 32. Northwestern, however, was unable to move the ball. That left NU with a 50-yard field goal attempt, which was just wide to the right. Two series later, MSU swung the momentum back its way when Ziehl Kavanaght returned a punt 88 yards for a touchdown and a 27-17 lead. The Spartans would go on to score 12 more points for a 39-17 advantage with just over five minutes remaining.
Jason Wright (Diamond Bar, Calif./Diamond Bar) recorded his third straight 100-yard rushing game with 134 yards on 22 carries. Covington finished the game with a career-best two interceptions, six tackles and two pass deflections.
Northwestern Head Coach Randy Walker
Randy Walker is in his fourth season at Northwestern after spending the previous nine years (1990-98) at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. In just his second year with the Wildcats, Walker directed a stunning turnaround. After a 3-8 season in 1999, he engineered a complete overhaul of the Wildcat offense and the result was an 8-4 record, an Alamo Bowl berth and a share of the 2000 Big Ten championship.
Walker was recognized for his 2000 efforts by both his peers and the media, as he was named Dave McClain Big Ten Coach of the Year and the Region 3 Coach of the Year by the AFCA. Walker owns a 76-57-5 career record in 13 seasons and a 17-22 mark at Northwestern. Prior to gaining his first head coaching job at Miami in 1990, Walker spent one year as an assistant at Miami (1977), 10 years as an assistant at North Carolina (1978-87) and two years as an assistant at Northwestern (1988-89).
Walker came to Evanston with an impressive coaching resume already intact. The 48-year-old Walker departed Oxford as the winningest head coach in school history. His mark at Miami of 59-35-5 (.621) is even more impressive when you consider the coaching greats that Miami has produced: Paul Brown, Woody Hayes, Ara Parseghian, Bo Schembechler ... and the list goes on.
Northwestern Receives AFCA 2002 Academic Achievement Award
Northwestern University's football program is receiving the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 2002 Academic Achievement Award, which is presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Memphis. NU recorded a 100 percent graduation rate for members of its football squad when all members of its freshman class of 1996-97 earned a degree. Northwestern's win is the second for the school, and it has been honored every year it has been eligible for the award. The Wildcats also earned the honor in 1998 with a 100 percent rate. Northwestern earned honorable mention honors in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Prior to 1998, the award honored only members of the College Football Association. Since 1998, when the award was expanded to include all Division I-A conferences, Big Ten schools have been honored 23 times, with the Wildcats winning the award twice.
Freshmen Figures
With his third full recruiting class on board, head coach Randy Walker has a high percentage of young players on scholarship. This year, 45.8 percent of NU's scholarship roster is comprised of freshmen or redshirt freshmen.
More Youthful Facts
With the loss of Pat Durr (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles), just four seniors are in the Wildcats' starting lineup: three on offense (Jon Schweighardt, Austin King and Jeff Roehl) and one on defense (Raheem Covington). The rest of the lineup (offense and defense only) includes five juniors, seven sophomores and six freshmen. In 2000, when NU captured a share of the Big Ten crown, it had five seniors, 11 juniors, six sophomores and no freshmen in their starting lineup. Fourteen NU players have made their first collegiate start this year.
Nonconference Success
With its Sept. 21 victory over Navy, Northwestern maintained its string of winning at least two nonconference games every year since 1995. It is also the 10th straight year that NU has sported a .500 or better record in non-league action. (NU went 1-1-1 in 1994.)
King, Roehl Lead Offense
Center Austin King (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) and offensive guard Jeff Roehl (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg), who earlier this year were named to the FWAA All-America Watch List, have led NU to three straight games with 430 or more yards of total offense-the first time the Wildcats have done that since the seventh, eighth and ninth games (Purdue, Minnesota and Michigan) of the 2000 Big Ten championship season. After a slow start, the Wildcats are now averaging 389.6 yards of offense.
More Roehl and King
Senior Jeff Roehl has accepted an offer to play in the East-West Shrine Game, set for Jan. 11, 2003 in San Francisco's Pacific Bell Park. Roehl is slated to play for the East squad, which will be coached by Notre Dame's Tyrone Willingham. He was the second Big Ten player named to the East roster, joining Illinois' Walter Young. Roehl will be the 75th player to suit up for the Shrine Game, and the first since Eric Collier and KeJuan DuBose played in 1997. NU ranks fourth among Big Ten schools and 14th overall in all-time Shrine Game participation.
Classmate Austin King has accepted an invite to the Hula Bowl Maui Classic on Feb. 1, 2003. He has started 35 career games at center, including 29 in a row from 1999 to 2001. Earlier this season, King was named to the Rimington Award Watch List. Established in 2000, the Rimington Trophy honors the top NCAA Division I-A center each season.
Roehl and King also have been named to the Rotary Gridiron Classic initial watch list. The Rotary Gridiron Classic, a game that matches the top collegiate players from around the nation against those in Florida, will be played Jan. 25, 2003.
Injury Update
Two Northwestern players are out for the season. Freshman quarterback Alexander Webb (Dallas, Texas/Highland Park) lacerated his liver after taking a hard hit to the stomach in the Sept. 7 game against TCU. Webb was hospitalized for nine days, but the injury did not require surgery.
Webb will sit out the remainder of the season and apply for a medical hardship. He was one of three quarterbacks to play in NU's game vs. TCU. Webb rushed for 20 yards on four carries and completed 2 of 6 passes for 45 yards and one interception.
Middle linebacker Pat Durr (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles) underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Friday, Sept. 13. The surgery revealed a tear to his ACL, which was repaired. Durr is expected to apply for a medical hardship.
The Wright Stuff
With his 134-yard day at Michigan State, junior Jason Wright became the first NU running back in two years to rush for 100 or more yards in three straight games. The longest streak prior to Wright's current three-game streak is a five-game string by Damien Anderson in 2000. If Wright is to extend his streak to four games, he'll have to do it against an OSU defense that has not allowed a 100-yard rusher since Tellis Redmon totaled 103 yards on Nov. 3, 2001 (10 games ago).
Wright became the first Big Ten player to be honored on both offense and special teams in the same season since 1997 when he earned Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for a career-high 186 yards and three touchdowns at Navy. (Iowa wide receiver Tim Dwight was the last Big Ten player to accomplish the feat in 1997.) Two weeks prior to the offensive honor, Wright was the Big Ten's Special Teams Player of the Week for his 191 kickoff return yards and his Big Ten-record 63.7 yards per return mark vs. TCU. Wright becomes the first Big Ten player to be honored on both offense and special teams in the same season since Iowa wide receiver Tim Dwight accomplished the feat in 1997. Wright continues to rank second nationally in kickoff return average with a 40.4 yards per return average. He trails San Jose State's Charles Pauley, who owns a 42.8 ypr mark.
In the TCU game, Wright shattered NU's single-game marks for longest kickoff return (100 yards, for TD), yards per kickoff return (63.7) and total kickoff return yards (191). The kickoff return average was also a Big Ten record. Wright's 100-yard touchdown return was Northwestern's first kickoff return for a TD in 108 games. (NU's Lee Gissendaner returned a kickoff 90 yards vs. MSU on Oct. 31, 1992.) In addition, it was the first kickoff return for TD scored on TCU since Oct. 8, 1986 (175 games). Wright's performance also helped NU set a single-game team mark with 270 return yards.
What a Turnaround
Last year, the Wildcats ranked 11th in the Big Ten and 96th nationally in kickoff return average. Northwestern averaged 18.1 yards per return. This season, led by junior Jason Wright, the Wildcats are first on the Big Ten list and 16th nationally. As a team, NU is averaging 24.5 yards per return. San Jose State leads the nation with a 30.5 mark.
Century Receivers
Junior Kunle Patrick (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day) and senior Jon Schweighardt (Wheaton, Ill./Wheaton-Warrenville South) became members of NU's "Century Club" for career receptions on Sept. 14 against Duke. Schweighardt and Patrick, who lead Northwestern this season with 24 and 20 receptions, respectively, are seventh and eighth on the all-time list with 113 and 110 catches. The two are also moving up on the career yardage list. Schweighardt, who leads NU in receiving yardage this season, has 1,310 yards (11th place) and Patrick has 1,289 yards (12th place).
62-2-1
Throughout his coaching career, Randy Walker has proven to be nearly unbeatable when his teams carry a lead into the fourth quarter. In his 13 years as a head coach, Walker's teams have compiled a 62-2-1 record when leading at the end of the third quarter. At NU, Walker is 13-1 when taking a lead into the final quarter.
On This Date (Oct. 5) in NU History ...
Six years ago (1996): Northwestern made it two in a row over Michigan, defeating the Wolverines 17-16 with a thrilling come-from-behind win. The Wildcats trailed 16-0 at the start of the fourth quarter but rallied behind Brian Gowins' three field goals in the final 11 minutes. The game-winner, a 39-yarder, came with 13 seconds remaining.
56 years ago (1946): NU shut out Wisconsin 28-0 to begin the season 2-0. That was one of eight times the 'Cats held the Badgers scoreless in their all-time series.
NU-Minnesota Game Moved to Oct. 10
Due to Minnesota's lease at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Northwestern's game with the Golden Gophers is being moved from Saturday, Oct. 12 to Thursday, Oct. 10 because of the potential conflict involving the Minnesota Twins and the posteason playoffs.
'Cat Tails ...
* After coming up empty in the receiving department in their first three games, NU's tight ends and fullbacks combined for seven receptions and 84 yards against Navy. They had two catches for 50 yards at Michigan State. Eric Worley (Marshfield, Mass./Marshfield) led the way with a career-best four receptions for 57 yards at Navy. The four catches were one shy of his previous career total. Worley followed up the Navy game with a 48-yard TD catch at Michigan State. Four of his 10 career receptions have gone for touchdowns.
* True freshman Mark Philmore (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) ranks third in team receiving with 13 catches for a 9.5 ypr average. He is still seeking his first collegiate touchdown.
* Besides Philmore, four other Wildcats hail from the Columbus area, home of Ohio State: Jeff Backes (Upper Arlington), Chris Horton (Pickerington), Ikechuku Ndukwe (Dublin Coffman) and Ryan Pederson (Westerville). Overall, Northwestern has 12 players from Ohio on its roster.
* Ten of Northwestern's top 11 tacklers are freshmen (four) or sophomores (six). Junior Doug Szymul (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West), a co-leader in tackles with 56 and a first-year starter, is the "veteran" of the group. Sophomore John Pickens (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo) also has 56 hits.
Up Next
Northwestern has a short week, playing at Minnesota on Thursday (Oct. 10) night. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CDT. The game will not be televised.
