Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Faces First 2009 Road Test, Traveling to Syracuse
9/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 14, 2009
NU FB Game Notes (vs. Syracuse) 
For Openers
• After notching a pair of home nonconference victories to open the 2009 season, Northwestern travels to Syracuse, N.Y., to face Big East foe Syracuse University (0-2) at 6 p.m. CT this Saturday, Sept. 19. UPDATE: On Tuesday the BIG EAST announced the game will be televised by Time Warner Sports and available nationwide on ESPN GamePlan and ESPN360. Contact your television provider for availability and ordering information.
• Northwestern is seeking its eighth-straight regular-season nonconference victory and its seventh straight September win. The Wildcats' nonconference victory string (excluding bowl games) dates to Sept. 15, 2007 and its September winning streak dates to Sept. 29, 2007.
• The Wildcats improved to 2-0 following a 27-24 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday. Junior place-kicker Stefan Demos (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) provided the heroics, booting a 49-yard field with six seconds left to give the 'Cats the win. Northwestern built a 21-0 lead in the second quarter after linebacker Ben Johnson (Trevor, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) returned an interception 70 yards for a score and NU was seemingly in command. Eastern Michigan did not quit, however, and came back to tie the game at 24-24 with 2:40 remaining. Northwestern then used a strong kick return from Stephen Simmons (St. Louis, Mo./SLUH) to begin its game-winning drive on its own 42-yard line. The Wildcats, who overcame a couple penalties on their last drive, were forced to kick the field goal when they faced a fourth-and-17 from the EMU 32-yard line with 11 seconds left.
• Northwestern is one of seven Big Ten teams to start the season 2-0. The other four Big Ten schools are 1-1, giving the league an 18-4 composite mark.
• Syracuse is playing its third Big Ten opponent in as many weeks, after opening the year with a 23-20 overtime home loss to Minnesota, and then dropping a 28-7 decision at Penn State on Saturday. The Orange are under the guidance of first-year head coach Doug Marrone, a 1991 Syracuse graduate.
• Syracuse's offense has been re-charged with the addition of starting quarterback Greg Paulus, the two-time Duke basketball team captain who enrolled in graduate school at Syracuse this fall, and wide receiver Mike Williams (6.0 rpg, 74.0 ypg), who sat out the 2008 season due to an eligibility issue. Williams enters Saturday's game vs. the Wildcats with 96 career catches. Paulus has completed 33-of-51 passes (64.7 percent) for 272 yards, 2 TD's and 3 interceptions. Running back Delone Carter leads the Orange ground attack with 128 yards (3.4 ypc) and a TD in two games.
• Lombardi Trophy candidate Arthur Jones, Syracuse's starting nose tackle, and senior linebacker Derrell Smith, are two of the top defensive players for the Orange. Jones has totaled seven tackles, including a TFL, through two games while Smith is Syracuse's defensive leader with 16 tackles, including 1.5 TFL's, two pass deflections and a fumble recovery. After facing the 2008 Big Ten co-champ Penn State and 2008 bowl team Minnesota, the Orange rank 42nd nationally in run defense, having allowed just 95.0 rushing yards per game.
The Broadcasts
Radio -- WGN (720 AM) will carry the game live with its radio broadcast beginning at the conclusion of the 3:10 p.m. Chicago Cubs-St. Louis Cardinals game. The entire broadcast can be heard live via the internet at wgnradio.com. Dave Eanet (play-by-play) and Ted Albrecht (analyst) call the action. WNUR (89.3), NU's student radio station, also will carry the game.
Television -- UPDATED INFORMATION: The BIG EAST has announced Time Warner Cable Sports will televise the game, with Mark Larson (play-by-play), Danny Liedka (analyst) and Chris Watson (sideline reporter) calling the action. The telecast will be available nationwide on ESPN GamePlan and ESPN360. Contact your television provider for availability and ordering information. SUathletics.com will also provide live video of the game (via Orange All Access) for $5.95. Fans need to register and sign up for the 24-hour pass to watch the game.
Kickoff Time Announced for Sept. 26 Game vs. Minnesota
Northwestern and Minnesota will kick off at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Ryan Field. The Big Ten Network is televising the contest.
(For a complete set of game notes, download the PDF above.)
