Northwestern Post-Game Notes

Sept. 20, 2008

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery

Ohio won the toss and elected to receive. It was the second straight game that NU did not win the coin toss after winning it the opening two weeks.

Northwestern upped its series record with Ohio to 3-1, and recorded its third straight series win over the Bobcats. NU also won its sixth straight game vs. a Mid-American Conference foe and is now 13-8-1 vs. the MAC.

With the victory, Northwestern improves to 4-0, marking the first time since 1962 that the Wildcats have won their first four games. That year, the Wildcats opened the year 6-0 en route to a No. 1 national ranking. (NU earned its No. 1 ranking after defeating Notre Dame 35-6 in week five to move to 5-0.)

Northwestern has finished the non-conference portion of its season unbeaten. It is the first time since 1963 the Wildcats have recorded an unblemished non-league record. NU played just two non-conference games in '63.

Northwestern, which entered the game ranked 19th nationally in scoring defense, lowered its defensive scoring average to 11.2 ppg after holding Ohio to just eight points. It is the second straight game that NU has held its opponent to single-digit points, and the first time NU has accomplished that since Sept. 30, 1995, when the Pat Fitzgerald-led Wildcats held Air Force to six points (on Sept. 23) and Indiana to seven points (on Sept. 30). Northwestern also has allowed just 45 points in its first four games, marking its best defensive scoring start in 47 years. The last time NU allowed less than 45 points in its first four games was 1961, when it surrendered 27 points.

Northwestern limited Ohio to just 4 rushing yards (on 28 attempts), a single-game school record (previous best was 15 yards vs. Wisconsin in 1960). For the second straight week, NU racked up more than 13 tackles for loss, recording 14 hits behind the line of scrimmage (for a loss of 62 yards). Five of those 14 TFL's were pass sacks. Northwestern came into the game averaging 3.7 sacks per game, which ranked third nationally. NU has now recorded 15 pass sacks, three fewer than they recorded in 12 games a year ago. NU lowered its season rushing yards allowed to 97.2 per game.

Redshirt freshman DE Vince Browne led NU's defensive attack today, setting career highs for TFL's (4 for 25 yards) and pass sacks (3). He also totaled seven tackles, forced a fumble, recorded a QB hurry and blocked a field goal. His block was the Wildcats' second of the game. DT John Gill had NU's first blocked field goal of the day.

RB Tyrell Sutton became just the second player in NU history to achieve career totals of 1,000 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards. Sutton's first catch of the day, an 11-yard gain, pushed him over the 1,000-yard mark for receiving yards. Sutton, who later left the game late in the first half with a left leg injury, finished the first 30 minutes with 76 rushing yards (9 carries) and 27 receiving yards (3 catches) for a total of 103 all-purpose yards. Sutton's 31-yard run helped set up NU's only TD of the game. Ricky Edwards was the first NU player to surpass 1,000 yards for both rushing (1,369) and receiving (1,056).

Sutton increased his career rushing yardage total to 3,383 yards and remains in third place on NU's all-time list. He began the day as the Big Ten's active leading rusher and the fifth-leading active rusher among FBS players. Sutton also upped his career all-purpose yardage to 4,414, which is still third on NU's all-time list. (Damien Anderson holds NU's career all-purpose mark with 5,271.)

QB C.J. Bachér completed 18 passes to increase his career completion total to 495. With five more completions, he will pass Mike Greenfield (1984-87, 497) and become just the fifth player in NU history to total 500 or more completions. He upped his career passing yardage mark to 5,645, which is now sixth on NU's all-time list (he passed Steve Schnur, 5,612 yards).

For just second straight game and just the third time in Bachér's 21 career starts, he did not throw for over 200 yards. Bachér is now 12-9 in his career as NU's starting quarterback.

Bachér's first-quarter interception ended a string of 12 straight quarters without a turnover by Northwestern.

Northwestern remained perfect with its red-zone scoring opportunities, going three-for-three inside the 20-yard line (two field goals and one touchdown). NU, which was tied for first nationally with its perfect red-zone mark, has now come away with points on all 16 trips (9 TD's, 7 FG's) inside the 20-yard line.

Senior WR Eric Peterman led NU in receiving with a season-high seven receptions for 61 yards. He remains 14th on NU's career reception yardage list with 1,469 yards.

NU, which prior to the game ranked ninth nationally in fewest sacks allowed (0.3 per game), gave up one sack today and has now allowed just two sacks in four games (0.5).

Northwestern's secondary totaled six more pass deflections and snared two interceptions (S Brad Phillips and CB Jordan Mabin). The Wildcats, who did yield their first passing TD of the year, came into the game ranked 32nd nationally in pass efficiency defense. The interception for Mabin was the first of his young career.

Northwestern, which ranked 20th at the start of the day in defensive third-down efficiency, limited Ohio to 5-of-17 on third-down attempts today. NU is now holding its foes to 17-of-61 (27.9 percent) on third-down tries.

PK Amado Villarreal extended his perfect start to the 2008 season by booting three more field goals (33, 46 and 23 yards) to make him 8-for-8 this season. He has hit seven field goals in his last two games. For his career, Villarreal is 21-of-27 (77.8 percent) on field goal attempts. He has 111 career points.

LB Malcolm Arrington led NU's defense with 11 tackles (8 solos), a career single-game best (he had 10 vs. Syracuse). He also added a career-best three TFL's, which included a pass sack, and a forced fumble.

Northwestern plays its Big Ten Conference opener next Saturday at Iowa (3-1). Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT. The Big Ten will announce television plans (ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN Classic) for the game later this weekend. The Hawkeyes fell to Pittsburgh, 21-20, today.

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