Nov. 20, 2010
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ILLINOIS at RV/25/RV NORTHWESTERN
Illinois 48, Northwestern 27
Nov. 20, 2010
Allstate Wrigleyville Classic
Wrigley Field - Chicago, Ill.
Attendance: 41,058 (sellout)
TEAM NOTES
This was the 104th meeting between the two schools. NU, which owned a two-game winning streak
in this instate rivalry, fell to the Illini for just the second time in the past eight years. Northwestern and
Illinois have played one another every year since 1927.
NU and Illinois played their second game at Wrigley Field with the first meeting coming 87 years ago,
in 1923. Today's football game at Wrigley Field was the first football game at Wrigley since Dec. 13,
1970 when the Bears played their final season at the Friendly Confines. It was the first college football
game at Wrigley Field since 1938.
This was the first time in the past 12 meetings, and just the second time in the last 18 contests, that the
team with the lesser record won the game.
For the second straight week, Northwestern recorded a sellout with a crowd of 41,058 on hand for the
2010 Allstate Wrigleyville Classic. With today's attendance, Northwestern finished the 2010 home season
with a final average season figure of 36,449, the highest season average for Northwestern since 1998.
Northwestern's 2010 attendance increased 50 percent over last year's average figure (24,190). The 50-
percent increase (from one year to the next) is the biggest spike in Northwestern football history.
The last time NU had consecutive home sellouts was in 1998 (versus Michigan and Ohio State, on Oct.
17 and 24).
Northwestern has now scored in double figures in 45 straight games.
Northwestern, which came into the game ranked 31st nationally in most passes intercepted, added two
more to its total today, giving them 14 for the season. NU is six interceptions shy of its single-season
record, set in 1948 and 2005.
Northwestern suffered a season-high three turnovers today after recording just a combined three
turnovers in its previous four games. The Wildcats ranked 13th nationally for fewest turnovers per game.
Northwestern's string of either leading or having been tied in the second half of 26 straight games
(dating to November 2008) ended today.
Northwestern ran a season-low 48 offensive plays today. The Wildcats ranked first among all Big Ten
teams with 75.4 per game when the day began.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
Redshirt freshman QB Evan Watkins and redshirt freshman LB Damien Proby made their first
collegiate starts versus Illinois.
Four Northwestern players established season and career-single-game best marks:
RB Mike Trumpy' s 80-yard run from scrimmage and longest rushing touchdown as well
WR Venric Mark' s 58-yard punt return
S Brian Peters' 59-yard interception return
P Brandon Williams' 61-yard punt
With his career-high 129 rushing yards (also the most by a Wildcat in a game in 2010), RB Mike
Trumpy led the Wildcats in rushing for the fifth time this season. Trumpy averaged 9.9 yards a carry.
He scored both Northwestern offensive touchdowns, doubling his total scores this season to four. After
failing to have a 100-yard rusher in 20 straight games, Northwestern has touted a 100-yard rusher three
times in its past four games.
Trumpy's 129 yards is the best NU single-game rushing performance since Mike Kafka gained 217
yards against Minnesota on Nov. 1, 2008.
Trumpy's 80-yard touchdown was the longest NU run from scrimmage since 1986, when Stanley
Davenport rushed for 89 yards against Iowa. Trumpy's run is tied as the eighth-longest in Wildcat history
with Ricky Edwards (80 yarder vs. Northern Illinois in 1982) and Ollie Hahnenstein (80 yarder vs.
Michigan in 1940).
In his first start, QB Evan Watkins completed 10-of-20 passes for 135 yards. He gained 15 yards on
the ground, including a 24-yard scamper, for a career-best 150 yards of total offense. Watkins' longest
completion was to WR Tony Jones for 32 yards.
Jones led all receivers with 51 yards on 2 catches (25.5 per catch average).
With two catches today, WR Jeremy Ebert continues to lead Northwestern in receptions (56 for 876
yards). He needs 124 yards to become the third different player in NU history to notch 1,000 receiving
yards in a season.
S Brian Peters led Northwestern' s defense with a career-best 18 tackles and his two interceptions (one
for a 59-yard interception return). In addition, one of his stops went for a loss of yardage. Peters now has
three interceptions in his last two games.
Peters recorded NU' s second " pick-six" of the season. LB Quentin Davie notched an interception for TD
against Rice earlier this season.
Peters became the second NU player to record multiple interceptions in a game. Quentin Davie had a
pair against Rice on Sept. 18. Peters now has six career interceptions.
With his two made field goals, PK Stefan Demos upped his season field goal percentage to .667 (14-of-
21). He now has 32 career field goals.
P Brandon Williams averaged a single-game career-best 45.2 yards per punt on four kicks, including a
career-long of 61 yards. Today' s average tops his previous best of 43.7 against Iowa last week.
WR Venric M ark's 58-yard punt return was the longest NU punt return since Marquice Cole returned
one 81 yards (for a TD) against Northern Illinois on Sept. 10, 2005. 
