Northwestern Post-Game Notes

Nov. 15, 2008

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With the win, Northwestern (8-3, 4-3) now has eight wins in 2008. It is NU's first eight-win season since 2000 when it won a share of the Big Ten championship, and its fourth since 1995. It is also just the fifth eight-win season since 1948 and the 10th eight-win campaign in program history.

Northwestern's victory against Michigan assures the 'Cats of a .500 or better record in Big Ten play for the fourth time in the last six years.

Michigan now leads the overall series 52-15-2. This is the first win for Northwestern in the series since a 54-51 victory at Ryan Field in 2000 and its first win at Michigan Stadium since 1995. Northwestern won at the "Big House" for just the sixth time. The Wildcats will not meet the Wolverines again until Nov. 19, 2011 in Evanston.

NU finished the road portion of its schedule with a 4-1 record, the first time it has won four road games in a season since 2003. NU's 4-1 road record (.800) is its best away winning percentage for a season since the Wildcats went 5-0 in 1995.

Northwestern managed to shut out the Wolverines in the second half, marking the fourth time this year the Wildcats have blanked a team in the last two quarters. NU held Michigan to just 102 yards of total offense in the second half and 264 for the game.

QB C.J. Bachér returned to the starting lineup after sitting out the past two games with a right hamstring injury, which he suffered Oct. 25 against Indiana. He tossed a pair of TD passes, including a season-long 53-yarder to Eric Peterman, and finished 17-of-29 for 198 yards. He now has 38 career TD passes. With his 183 yards of total offense (198 passing yards), Bachér passed the 7,000-yard mark for his career and now has 7,036 yards, which ranks fourth all-time.

RB Stephen Simmons, making his second career start in place of injured RB's Tyrell Sutton and Omar Conteh, scored his first career TD in the first quarter on a 25-yard run. Simmons set a career-high with 56 rushing yards on 22 carries (previous highs: 34 yards on 14 carries vs. Ohio State last week).

DE Corey Wootton blocked a 23-yard FG attempt by Michigan early in the first quarter, his first of the year and third of his career. It was the Wildcats' third blocked field goal/PAT of the season.

Wootton notched another sack in the third quarter when he forced Michigan QB Nick Sheridan into a fumble (that was recovered by U-M). Wootton now has a team-leading 8.5 sacks in 2008 and 14.0 in his career, good for fourth all-time at Northwestern.

With five receptions today, WR Eric Peterman extended his string of consecutive receptions in a game to 27. Peterman caught a 53-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter for NU's longest scoring and longest pass play of the season. It was the third longest reception of his career.

WR Ross Lane moved into a four-way tie for sixth place on NU's career receiving TD list with his 17-yard TD reception in the third quarter, his first of the year. Lane, who now has 11 TD catches, is tied with Teddy Johnson, Brian Musso and Steve Craig on the all-time NU list. Lane caught a team-best seven catches for 77 yards against Michigan.

Lane also moved into third place on NU's career receiving yardage list with his 77 yards. He now has 1,934 career yards, leaving him 66 yards shy of 2,000. Only D'Wayne Bates and Richard Buchanan have totaled more receiving yards than Lane. Peterman, who totaled 79 yards, moved into seventh place on NU's all-time receiving yardage list. He has 1,817 career yards.

CB Jordan Mabin picked off his third pass of the season-midway through the fourth quarter (in the end zone)-for his team-leading third interception of the year.

Five Wildcats racked up seven tackles against the Wolverines: DT John Gill, DE Kevin Mims, S Brian Peters (career high), S Brad Phillips and LB Nate Williams. Last year against Michigan, Gill recorded a career-high 10 tackles.

Northwestern closes out the regular season at home next Saturday, entertaining Illinois (5-6, 3-4) in the battle for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Trophy. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT. The Big Ten Network is televising the game.

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