Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
TCU
Wildcats Fall To TCU, 48-24
9/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept 7, 2002
NU/TCU Postgame Notes
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By NANCY ARMOUR
AP Sports Writer
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern looked like it was off and running Saturday afternoon in its football home opener against TCU, when Jason Wright collected the opening kickoff and proceeded to rip off a school-record 100-yard return for a touchdown.
It turned out to be false hope, though, as the Horned Frogs recovered to defeat the Wildcats, 48-24.
Wright set another mark with 191 yards on kick returns for the day.
One of NU head coach Randy Walker's mantras is winning the turnover battle in each game, but on Saturday the Wildcats were their own enemy, fumbling the ball six times and setting up two TCU touchdowns.
All three quarterbacks played, with true freshman Alexander Webb standing out. But Webb played just four series before getting sandwiched between two defenders and having the wind knocked out of him.
Webb was 2-of-6 for 45 yards. Brett Basanez, who started the game, was 6-for-17 for 74 yards. Tony Stauss, the starter last week, was 8-of-12 for 50 yards.
After getting off to a quick start with Wright's return -- the first allowed by TCU since Oct. 8, 1986 -- Northwestern got sloppy. The Wildcats had the ball at the TCU 1-yard line on their next possession but had to settle for David Wasielewski's 22-yard field goal. Then, punting from their own 25 midway through the first, they gave up a safety when the ball was snapped over Brian Huffman's head and through the end zone.
TCU got its first touchdown off a punt during its first series of the second quarter. Northwestern freshman Mark Philmore tried to avoid the ball as it came down, but it hit him and was recovered by a TCU's LaTarence Dunbar at NU's 11-yard line. On the next play, quarterback Sean Stilley ran in for the score. Stilley then hit Kevin Brown for the two-point conversion, giving TCU a 13-10 lead.
On Northwestern's next possession, Basanez was scrambling at his own 24 when he got hit by LaMarcus McDonald and the ball popped up in the air. John Turntine recovered it at the 21 and ran it in for another touchdown to give TCU a 20-10 lead.
Gunn, Connally and Dunbar all rushed for touchdowns as TCU took a 41-10 lead. It was midway through the third quarter before Northwestern finally got back on the board.
Wright had another long return, taking a kickoff 74 yards before finally being run out of bounds at the TCU 20. Three Jeff Backes carries left Northwestern with fourth-and-2 at the 12. The Wildcats were then called for a false start, pushing them back to the 17, but they decided to go for it anyway. Good thing, too, as Backes scrambled around left end and ran it in for the score.
The Wildcats' final score of the day came on a seven-play, 71-yard drive midway through the fourth quarter and ended when Kunle Patrick caught a 13-yard TD pass from Basanez.
NU is back at home next Saturday, taking on Duke at noon.
