Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
2-1
Duke -- Take a Kid to the Game Night
1-2
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Northwestern | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Northwestern Drops Heartbreaker To Duke, 20-14
9/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 15, 2007
game highlights from the Big Ten Network.
Video from post-game press conference
Watch Northwestern's post-game press conference on NUsports.com all-access.
Coach Fitzgerald's opening statement.
Fitzgerald talk about penalties in the game.
Fitzgerald talk about his team getting ready for next week.
quarterback C.J. Bachér talk about his scramble on the final drive.
EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the second straight week, it appeared that Northwestern was going to pull out another stunning come-from-behind victory at Ryan Field.
After scoring with 21 seconds last week to record a win over Nevada, Northwestern seemed poised to do the same thing to Duke Saturday night.
Instead, Duke, trying to snap the nation's longest streak at 22 games, stopped the Wildcats on four straight plays from the Duke 7-yard line and held on for a 20-14 victory.
The loss came despite a career night from quarterback C.J. Bachér, who established career highs for completions (30), passing yards (368) and total offense (403).
Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns for the Blue Devils, whose last win came on Sept. 17, 2005 against Virginia Military Institute.
Jomar Wright, Ronnie Drummer and Brandon King each caught touchdowns for the Blue Devils, who led 20-7 after three quarters and never trailed.
Bachér opened the fourth quarter with a 1-yard touchdown run to pull Northwestern (2-1) within 20-14.
He later ran 35 yards to give the Wildcats a first-and-goal from the 7 with 38 seconds to go. But Duke put heavy pressure on Bachér, forcing him to throw four consecutive incompletions in the end zone.
Lewis, who entered the game with a 48.3 completion percentage, was 14 of 15 for 186 yards and three scores in the first half, with his lone incompletion coming on a heave to the end zone.
He finished 19 of 23, including a span of 15 straight completions.
After the teams traded touchdowns in the first quarter, Duke scored 13 consecutive points to close out the half. King's 7-yard score early in the second quarter capped a 10-play, 70-yard drive and gave Duke a 14-7 lead.
The Blue Devils then took over on their own 20 after Leon Wright intercepted Bacher's pass in the end zone, and marched 80 yards on seven plays to go up 20-7.
Drummer capped the drive when he hauled in Lewis' pass near the 35, turned toward the end zone and split Northwestern defenders for a score. Joe Surgan missed the extra-point attempt.
Amado Villarreal's 34-yard field goal would have pulled Northwestern within 20-10 with 1:40 left in the first half. But the Wildcats accepted a Duke offsides and failed to convert on the ensuing fourth-and-3 when Omar Conteh dropped a pass.
With Northwestern starting running back Tyrell Sutton sidelined with an ankle injury, backup Brandon Roberson ran for 80 yards and a score.
NU receiver Ross Lane finished with a career-high nine receptions for 128 yards.
(The Associated Press contributed to this story.)
Team Stats
DU 7, NU 0
DU - Wright, J. 4 yd pass from Lewis, T. (Surgan, J. kick) 11 plays, 86 yards, TOP 5:24
DU 7, NU 7
NU - Roberson, B. 5 yd run (Villarreal, A kick), 10 plays, 83 yards, TOP 3:02
DU 14, NU 7
DU - King, B. 7 yd pass from Lewis, T. (Surgan, J. kick) 10 plays, 70 yards, TOP 4:57
DU 20, NU 7
DU - Drummer, R. 56 yd pass from Lewis, T. (Surgan, J. kickfailed) 7 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:25
DU 20, NU 14
NU - Bacher, C.J. 1 yd run (Villarreal, A kick), 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 3:54
