Northwestern Postgame Notes

Oct. 17, 2009

Recap | Box Score | Quotes

Today's contest marked the 50th meeting between Michigan State and Northwestern.
Northwestern was aiming to win its third straight game at Spartan Stadium, something it had never done before. The visiting team had won the previous four meetings in this series.
NU had its three-game Big Ten road winning streak and a two-game overall winning streak snapped with the loss. Northwestern also had won four of its last five Big Ten road games, dating to Sept. 27, 2008.
Northwestern safety and co-captain Brendan Smith (38 career starts) sat out the game with a hand injury. Midway through the first half, NU lost its other starting safety, Brad Phillips, with an upper-body injury. DE Corey Wootton (43 career starts) played sparingly in the game, but did not start for a second straight week.
QB Mike Kafka began the day leading the Big Ten in fewest interceptions thrown (1.92 percent of his 208 attempts) and completion percentage. He went 17-of-22 for 154 yards, one TD and no interceptions in the first half. He finished the game 34-of-47 (72.3 percent) for 291 yards and two TD's. Kafka also totaled 42 rushing yards, giving him 333 yards of total offense for the game.
It was the third time this season that Kafka had completed 72 percent or more of his passes in a single game.
Kafka lowered his Big Ten-leading interception percentage to 1.57 percent (4 interceptions in 255 attempts).
WR Zeke Markshausen, who came into today's game having caught 30 passes in his previous four games, caught a career-high 16 passes for 111 yards. He also caught his first career TD pass, a 1-yarder early in the fourth quarter. In conference games only, Markshausen entered today's game ranked first in receptions with 8.0 per game. He now has 32 catches in three Big Ten games (10.7 per game).
Markshausen's 16 catches marked the second-best single-game reception performance in school history, one shy of the single-game school record held by tight end Jon Harvey, who had 17 vs. Michigan in 1982. The 16 catches is also the fourth most in a game in Big Ten history (tied with five other players).
WR Andrew Brewer caught his team-leading fourth TD of the season, a 15-yard strike from Mike Kafka in the second quarter. Brewer finished the game with eight catches for 104 yards.
Markshausen and Brewer both topped the 100-yard mark for receiving yardage, giving the Wildcats' two 100-yard receivers in the same game for the first time since Oct. 13, 2007, when Eric Peterman totaled 114 yards and Ross Lane had 108 vs. Minnesota.
Northwestern's defense recorded two more scoreless quarters (first and second quarters), giving it seven shutout quarters in its last eight. When Michigan State scored early in the third quarter, those seven points were the most allowed by Northwestern in its last 136 minutes and 44 seconds of action (dating to early in the second quarter of the Purdue game). Northwestern allowed just six points during that stretch (six points to Miami).
Michigan State reached the red zone twice in the first half, and both times came away with no points (MSU turned it over on downs and lost a fumble). That marked the fourth straight trip by an opponent inside the red zone where they came away with no points (dating to the last drive of the game by Purdue). That streak came to an end when Michigan State converted a 28-yard field goal with no time remaining in the third quarter.
Northwestern, ranked sixth nationally in turnovers gained, notched one takeaway today.
Northwestern held its third opponent of the season to less than 100 yards rushing for the game. The Wildcats limited Michigan State to 94 rushing yards. Northwestern lowered its defensive rushing average to 115.7 yards per game.

Northwestern University Athletics

Northwestern University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Andrew Brewer

Mike Kafka

Ross Lane

Zeke Markshausen

Eric Peterman

Brad Phillips

Brendan Smith

Corey Wootton

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