Nov. 10, 2007
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INDIANA at NORTHWESTERN
November 10, 2007
Ryan Field - Evanston, Ill.
Northwestern Post-Game Notes
With the victory, Northwestern (6-5; 3-4 Big Ten) became bowl-eligible and with a win at Illinois (11 a.m. or 2:30 p.m., time TBA Sunday, Nov. 11) next week, can greatly enhance its chances of playing in a postseason bowl game.
NU defeated Indiana for the fourth consecutive time and is 7-2 vs. the Hoosiers since 1995. The Wildcats lead the overall series, 42-33-1, and are 27-16-1 against IU in Evanston. NU's winning streak vs. Indiana dates to 2002.
Northwestern improved to 14-3 in its last 17 games decided by seven points or less. Eleven of those 14 victories have come at Ryan Field (dating to 2004).
The Wildcats converted 12-of-17 (.706) third-down chances today. Northwestern came into the game, ranked 28th nationally in third-down conversion rate (44.8%). NU has converted 53 of its last 99 third downs (53.5%).
The Wildcats converted 12-of-17 (.706) third-down chances today. Northwestern came into the game, ranked 28th nationally in third-down conversion rate (44.8%). NU has converted 53 of its last 99 third downs (53.5%).
NU, which held Iowa to 12 yards in the first quarter last week, limited Indiana to seven first-quarter yards. The Wildcats possessed the ball for 13:12 during the quarter and out-possessed IU 36:47 to 23:13 for the game. NU came into the game ranked 17th nationally in time of possession (31:27).
LB Eddie Simpson's 41-yard interception return for TD was NU's first interception return for a score in 24 games. NU last returned an interception for TD against UCLA in the 2005 Sun Bowl (Dec. 30), when it returned two (Kevin Mims and Nick Roach) in the first quarter. The interception was the second of Simpson's career.
QB C.J. Bachér now has 3,346 passing yards this season is 276 yards shy of eclipsing the single-season NU record of 3,622 (12 games) set by Brett Basanez in 2005.
Bachér (301 yards of total offense today) moved into second place on NU's single-season total offense list with 3,389 yards, passing Zak Kustok, who had 3,272 yards in 2001 and Brett Basanez (3,096 in 2004).
Bachér, who threw one touchdown pass today (to WR Ross Lane), has 17 this season, which ties him for fourth place NU's single-season TD pass list with Steve Schnur in 1996. Bachér has 23 touchdown scores in 16 career starts.
Bachér threw for 276 yards to seven different receivers. He has six consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass and has now thrown for 200 yards or more in 15 of his 16 career starts.
Lane has seven touchdown receptions this season to lead Northwestern, tying him for sixth place on NU's single-season list. Lane, who has 10 career TD's, has caught three TD's in the final seconds for game-winning scores (vs. Iowa, 2005; vs. Nevada, 2007; vs. Indiana, 2007). Lane also has 1,428 career receiving yards, which ranks 13th on NU's all-time list.
With his third-quarter touchdown, RB Tyrell Sutton moved into a share of ninth place on NU's career scoring list with 168 points, tying him with Noah Herron.
Sutton's 141 rushing yards today is his season high. He has three 100-yard games in 2007 (in four full game appearances) and 12 for his career.
Sutton led the team in both rushing yards and receptions (along with WR Kim Thompson with six catches) for the second consecutive game. Thompson's six catches are a single-game career best.
Sutton's 46-yard run in second quarter is his longest gain from scrimmage this season.
RB Brandon Roberson's 15-yard scoring strike to WR Kim Thompson marks his second halfback option scoring pass. He threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to WR Shaun Herbert vs. Michigan State in 2006. Thompson now has 24 receptions for 375 yards in his last five games.
LB Adam Kadela led Northwestern in tackles for the sixth time this season with seven stops. He has paced the Wildcats in tackles for a fifth straight game.
For the second consecutive game, DL David Ngene had two quarterback sacks. He has 7.5 for his career, which leads all active NU players. NU has totaled nine sacks in its last two games.
PK Amado Villarreal booted his 12th field goal of the season, which is now tied for eighth-best on NU's single-season field goal list with Tim Long (1999), Ira Adler (1990) and John Duvic (1984).
Northwestern, which entered today's game ranked 28th nationally in fewest fumbles, had no miscues on the ground.
Northwestern has scored a field goal (two times) or touchdown (four times) on six of its initial offensive drives this season. NU is 4-2 when scoring on its opening drive.
Northwestern's offensive line did not allow a sack today against Indiana, which ranked fourth nationally in sacks per game (3.8 per game) and had the Big Ten's leading sack man, Greg Middleton (1.35 per game).
C Trevor Rees started a team-best 43rd-career game today.
Indiana Post-Game Notes
James Bailey returned the kickoff following Northwestern's field goal on the opening drive of the game 91 yards for a touchdown. It was the first Indiana kickoff return for touchdown since Oct. 7, 2006 when Marcus Thigpen ran 98 yards against Illinois.
Bailey's return was the fourth return for touchdown this season for the Hoosiers (two fumbles, an interception and a kickoff).
Tracy Porter's interception on Northwestern's second drive of the game was his fifth of the season and 15th in his career. The interception was Indiana's 15th interception as a team this season, the most since the 1998 season when IU picked off 19 passes. The school record for interceptions in a season is 22 set in 1945.
Porter returned his first interception 13 yards, giving Indiana 347 return yards on interceptions to set a single-season record, breaking the old mark of 340 yards set in 1945.
The pick also meant the Hoosiers have forced a turnover in every game this season and 24 of their last 25 games overall.
With his third down catch in the second quarter, wide receiver James Hardy tied the school record for career receptions with 170 (Courtney Roby, 2001-04). He would set the record two plays later with a 10-yard reception over the middle. Hardy finished the game with seven receptions, giving him 176 for his career.
Austin Thomas picked up his first career interception in the second quarter by getting his hands on a deflected pass in the end zone. The interception also gives IU its sixth multi-interception game of the season and was the 16th by the Hoosier defense this year.
James Hardy broke the Indiana career receiving yards record with a six-yard reception just before halftime to give him 2,525 yards, passing Courtney Roby's mark. Hardy finished the game with 107 yards receiving to give him 2,603 yards in his career.
Hardy also set the single-season touchdown reception record with his 14th receiving touchdown in the third quarter. The touchdown catch also gave him 102 yards on the day, the 14th time he has surpassed 100 yards receiving in a game in his career.
Hardy extended his record to 15 with his second touchdown catch of the season with less than six minutes remaining in the game to give IU a 28-24 lead. It gives him ten games with two or more touchdown receptions in his career, four coming this year. He has also caught two touchdown passes in three of the last four games.
Indiana would add their 17th interception of the year in the fourth quarter, with Porter doing the honors again in the end zone. It would be Porter's second multi-interception game this season and fourth of his career. He has a career-high six interceptions this year, tying him for third on the all-time single-season list. The last Hoosier to record six picks in a season was Mark Sutor in 1982. 
