Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern vs. Indiana Post-Game Notes
10/24/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 24, 2009
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• Northwestern recorded its biggest comeback in school history, scoring the final 26 points to erase a 25-point Indiana lead (28-3). Indiana moved in front 28-3 on Ray Fisher's 93-yard kickoff return with 7:32 to play in the second quarter. Northwestern then began its historic rally with a 1-yard TD run from Mike Kafka with 4:07 left in the first half. The Wildcats overcame 21-point margins against Minnesota in both 2000 and 2007 (both 35-14 deficits).
• Northwestern improved to 5-3 overall (2-2 in the Big Ten) and won for the third time in the last four games (3-1 in October). The Wildcats also improved their all-time series mark against the Hoosiers to 43-34-1. NU has won five of the last six meetings between the two schools.
• The last six games in this series have been decided by 3.8 points per game. The largest margin of victory in the past six years was two overtime games--37-31 in 2003 and 31-24 in 2004.
• Northwestern improved to 4-1 at Ryan Field this season.
• Northwestern is now 21-6 in its last 27 games decided by seven points or less.
• PK Stefan Demos kicked his second game-winning field goal of the season, booting a 19-yard field goal with 21 seconds left to give the Wildcats the 29-28 win. His 49-yard field goal with six seconds left on Sept. 12 gave NU a 27-24 win over Eastern Michigan.
• Demos is now 11-of-12 on field goal tries for the season and his career.
• Under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, NU won for the fifth time when entering the fourth quarter with the opponent leading.
• QB Mike Kafka totaled 377 yards of total offense, six yards shy of his career high (383 vs. Syracuse). Kafka notched his third 300-yard passing game (312 yards) and added 65 rushing yards for his 377. Kafka threw two TD passes and ran for another. Kafka began the day ranked second in the Big Ten in total offense behind Purdue's Joey Elliott.
• Kafka is now 8-6 as NU's starting quarterback.
• Kafka moved into 12th place on NU's career list for total offense. He now has 3,700 career yards of total offense. Darnell Autry ranks 11th on NU's all-time list with 3,793 yards.
• Kafka moved into 14th place on NU's single-season passing yardage list. He now has 2,067 yards in eight games. (NU has had a quarterback eclipse the 2,000-yard mark in single-season passing yardage 15 times.)
• Kafka's second-quarter rushing TD was his fifth of the season--a team best. He now has eight rushing TD's for his career.
• Kafka attempted 46 passes today, the fifth time this season he has thrown 40 or more passes in a game. Kafka came into the game leading the Big Ten in fewest interceptions thrown. Kafka had three interceptions today after having thrown just four in his first seven games.
• WR Zeke Markshausen shared game-high receiving honors with teammate and WR Andrew Brewer -- both players had eight receptions. Markshausen now has caught 40 passes in four Big Ten games and 54 passes in his last six games. Markshausen is now on the cusp of NU's top-10 single-season list with his 58 single-season receptions. He is one reception shy of 10th-place Eric Peterman (2008), who had 59 catches last year.
• Northwestern nearly had two receivers finish with 100-plus receiving yards for a second straight week. Brewer notched his second straight 100-yard game (135 yards) and his third of the season while Markshausen totaled 94 yards after having 111 yards last week vs. Michigan State. Brewer caught a 51-yard TD pass from Kafka, the second-longest of his career. The 51-yard TD pass was a career-long for Kafka. Brewer now has caught the Wildcats' four longest TD passes of the season (72 vs. Towson, 51 vs. Indiana, 39 vs. Syracuse and 24 vs. Minnesota).
• Brewer's eight receptions equaled a career high (set last week vs. Michigan State).
• Brewer now leads the Wildcats with five TD receptions this season. One more TD catch moves him into a 10th-place tie on NU's single-season list.
• RB Scott Concannon led Northwestern in rushing today with 73 yards on 16 carries, both career single-game bests.
• DE Corey Wootton notched his first sack of the season, giving him 16.5 for his career, 0.5 behind Dwayne Missouri (1997-2000).
• Northwestern's defense held Indiana scoreless in the second half, giving the Wildcats nine shutout quarters in their last four games. In all four games, Northwestern has shut out its opponent for an entire half (Purdue, second half; Miami, first half; Michigan State, first half; and Indiana, second half).
• Northwestern has scored a season-most 95 points in the second quarter, 51 points more than the next closest quarter (44 points in both the first and fourth quarters). NU has outscored its opposition 95-45 in the second quarter.
• Eight different Wildcat players caught passes today. WR Sidney Stewart had his best game since the Purdue contest with four receptions for 41 yards.
• Andrew Brewer totaled a game-high 159 all-purpose yards (135 receiving, 24 return yards). Brewer's 135 receiving yards were 10 shy of his career high (set against Towson in the 2009 season opener).
• Walk-on CB Ricky Weina recorded two tackles, blocked a punt and had a pass breakup in the most extensive playing time of his career.
• S Brian Peters, making his second career start, recorded a team-high seven tackles to go along with a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
•Northwestern, which came into the game averaging a Big Ten-best 75.9 offensive plays per game, ran 87 plays today to Indiana's 56.
• Northwestern started the day with the seventh-best third-down conversion percentage (50.9) in the country. The Wildcats converted 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) third downs today.
• Northwestern, ranked 25th nationally in red-zone offense, was 4-for-4 on red-zone opportunities today (two TD's, two FG's).
• Northwestern's 162 rushing yards are the third-most in a game this season (NU had 221 vs. Towson and 185 vs. Eastern Michigan).
• Northwestern gave up a 70-yard TD run to Darius Willis on the first offensive play of the game. After that, NU surrendered just 63 rushing yards on 26 carries for a 2.4 yards per carry average.
• Northwestern did not allow Indiana's defensive front to record a sack. The Wildcats also surrendered just four TFL's. Indiana ranked 35th nationally in pass sacks and 23rd in TFL's.
