Postgame Notes

Sept. 26, 2009

Coaches on both sidelines wore the "Coach to Cure MD" patches in order to raise awareness for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Northwestern had its two-game winning streak vs. Minnesota snapped with today's 35-24 loss. Minnesota now leads the series 50-30-5. Since 1995, however, Northwestern holds a 6-5 edge versus the Golden Gophers. Minnesota last won in Evanston in 2003. Today's meeting was the 85th between the two schools-a rivalry that only trails Illinois (102 games) and Wisconsin (92) in terms of all-time meetings.

Northwestern now has lost back-to-back games for the first time since late in the 2007 season when it dropped successive games to Purdue and Iowa.

Northwestern's 19-play, 76-yard first-quarter scoring drive, which ended with a 26-yard field goal from Stefan Demos, consumed 8:46 for the Wildcats' longest TOP drive this year.

Northwestern's four scoring drives covered 76, 75, 79 and 79 yards-an average of 77.3 yards per drive.

Demos attempted one field goal today and converted it (26 yards) to remain perfect on the season in field goal tries-4-of-4.

For the second consecutive game, Mike Kafka threw for over 300 yards. His 309-yard passing day gave him back-to-back 300-yard games (he threw for a career-best 390 at Syracuse last week). The last time an NU quarterback had back-to-back 300-yard games was in 2007 when C.J. Bachér did it against Minnesota (470 yards) and Eastern Michigan (361). At the start of the day, Kafka ranked second in the Big Ten with 246.7 passing yards per game. He is now averaging 262.2 ypg and owns a pass efficiency rating of 146.33.

Kafka started the day as the Big Ten leader in completion percentage at 74.4 percent. Against Minnesota, he completed 68.1 percent of his throws (32-of-47) and now has a 72.2 completion percentage (96-of-133) for the season.

In his two career starts vs. Minnesota, Kafka has totaled 656 yards of total offense with four touchdown passes and two touchdown runs.

Kafka's 47 passing attempts are a single-game career high. He completed 32 passes (second only to the 35 he completed against Syracuse last week), with nine different players making receptions.

Zeke Markshausen led all Northwestern players with six catches for 70 yards. In his last two games, Markshausen has grabbed 15 passes for 156 yards. Through four games, the former walk-on leads Northwestern in receptions with 19 and he is second in receiving yardage with 224. (He was awarded a full athletic scholarship earlier this month.)

Arby Fields scored his third touchdown of the season and the first since he tallied two in the first quarter versus Towson.

Arby Fields' nine rushing attempts are a career-most. He gained a team-best 43 rushing yards.

Andrew Brewer's yards per catch average now stands at 18.7 after totaling three receptions for 44 yards. He scored his third TD of the season in the third quarter on a 24-yard play.

Brendan Mitchell, who has now played in 39 career games, doubled his number of career catches with a career-best four receptions for 38 yards today. He also doubled his career TD reception total after making a sensational 13-yard grab on a fourth-and-two play late in the third quarter. That score gave NU a brief 24-21 lead. Mitchell now has eight career catches for 72 yards and two TD's. (He caught his first career TD vs. Purdue last year.)

Jeravin Matthews' team-leading 108 all-purpose yards are a career high. Before today, Matthews had 150 all-purpose yards as a Wildcat.

After missing the past two games with a leg injury, Sherrick McManis returned to the lineup and intercepted his fifth career pass and the first of the season. He also added a pass breakup to go along with a season-high nine tackles.

Brendan Smith led the Wildcats with 10 tackles, marking his fifth career game (and second time this season) he has had double-digits in stops.

Corbin Bryant picked up his second career quarterback sack.

Quentin Davie registered three of Northwestern's six quarterback hurries. He also added nine tackles, which upped his team-leading total to 30 this season. Davie also is the team's leader in QB hurries this season with four.

After missing the past two games with an illness, Sidney Stewart returned to the lineup to catch five passes for 43 yards.

Northwestern University Athletics

Northwestern University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

C.J. Bachér

Andrew Brewer

Corbin Bryant

Quentin Davie

Stefan Demos

Arby Fields

Mike Kafka

Zeke Markshausen

Jeravin Matthews

Sherrick McManis

Brendan Mitchell

Brendan Smith

Sidney Stewart

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