Northwestern University Athletics
Post-Game Notes
10/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 3, 2009
Northwestern played the contest without starting RB Stephen Simmons (ankle), backup RB Scott Concannon (head) and backup DT Jack DiNardo (shoulder). The Wildcats opened the game on offense with two superbacks starting, Josh Rooks and Drake Dunsmore.
Northwestern improved to 3-2 overall (1-1 Big Ten) and has now won three consecutive Big Ten road games. The Wildcats, who have now won four of their last five Big Ten road contests, return home to Ryan Field next Saturday, entertaining Mid-American Conference foe Miami University at 11 a.m. CT (Big Ten Network).
NU now owns a 20-6 record in its last 26 games decided by seven points or less.
The Wildcats have won two in a row against Purdue and four of the last six versus the Boilermakers.
S Brad Phillips forced two fumbles and recovered one to lead Northwestern's season-high six takeaways. Last year, the Wildcats posted five takeaways against Purdue (a 48-26 homecoming victory for NU).
The six takeaways are two short of the school record (NU had eight vs. Wisconsin in 1958 and 1963) and the most since the Wildcats had seven takeaways vs. Wisconsin in 1995 (35-0 win for NU on Oct. 21, 1995). Northwestern also had six takeaways (four interceptions, two fumbles) in a 37-20 win over Illinois in 2003.
LB Quentin Davie led the Northwestern defense with nine tackles (seven solos), a sack, another 0.5 TFL, a forced fumble and a pass breakup. His sack and forced fumble (which was recovered by NU's DE Corey Wootton) on Purdue QB Joey Elliott with 6:28 to play in the game set up NU's game-winning drive.
Northwestern's first scoring drive totaled a season-most 20 plays. The Wildcats were stopped at the 1-yard line on third-and-goal and settled for an 18-yard field goal from PK/P Stefan Demos. (NU had a 19-play drive last week vs. Minnesota that was capped with a 26-yard field goal from Demos.)
Two series later, Northwestern came back for a second 20-play drive, only to be stopped short on a fourth-and-goal play from 1/2-yard line. On Purdue's ensuing play from scrimmage, CB Sherrick McManis notched his second interception in as many games (he missed the Eastern Michigan and Syracuse games with a leg injury). Northwestern turned that takeaway into its first score of the game, a 5-yard TD run by RB Arby Fields, his team-leading fourth TD of the year.
Northwestern forced two more turnovers (fumbles) on back-to-back kickoff returns by Purdue. The Wildcats turned both of those takeaways into successful field goals by Demos.
Demos finished the first half with three field goals-18, 35 and 25 yards. The last NU player to hit three field goals in a half was Amado Villarreal, who hit three in a half on back-to-back Saturdays versus Southern Illinois (Sept. 13, 2008) and Ohio (Sept. 20, 2008). He added another field goal, this one a 39-yarder, to finish the game with a career single-game best four field goals. Demos is now 8-of-8 for the season.
Northwestern's three first-half takeaways were more than they had in any of their previous four games (two vs. Towson, two vs. EMU, two vs. Syracuse and one vs. Minnesota).
The Wildcats, who came into the game averaging a Big Ten-best 73.8 offensive plays per game, ran 55 offensive plays in the first half to Purdue's 19. Northwestern finished the contest with a season-high 88 plays.
For the third consecutive game, WR Zeke Markshausen led the Wildcats in receptions, finishing the game with a career-high 10 catches (previous career single-game best was nine vs. Syracuse).
QB Mike Kafka, who came into the game completing a Big Ten-best 72.2 percent of his passes, completed 28-of-44 passes for 224 yards and has now thrown for 923 yards in his last three games. Kafka finished with 39 rushing yards for 263 yards of total offense.
Kafka scored the Wildcats' game-winning touchdown on a 2-yard rush with 2:09 to play.
WR Sidney Stewart totaled a single-game career best 51 yards on four catches.
RB Arby Fields finished the game with a team-best 43 rushing yards and one TD.
Northwestern notched three sacks in the game, with one each by DT Adam Hahn, LB David Arnold and LB Quentin Davie.
Recap | Box Score
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