Northwestern University Athletics
Postgame Notes
9/18/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 18, 2010
NORTHWESTERN at RICE
Northwestern 30, Rice 13
Sept. 18, 2010
Rice Stadium • Houston, Texas
Attendance: 15,562
Northwestern Post-Game Notes
TEAM NOTES
- This was the sixth meeting between Rice and Northwestern, and the first since 1998. It is the fourth time the Wildcats have visited Rice. It was the second successive series win by the Wildcats.
- Northwestern notched its fourth straight true road victory, its longest such streak since 1995 when the Wildcats won five straight road contests.
- Northwestern ran its regular-season winning streak to six games.
- NU improved its regular-season road record (dating to the 2008 season) to 9-3 with the win over Vanderbilt. NU also has won 11 of its last 12 nonconference games.
- Northwestern has started 3-0 for the second time in three years.
- Rice's first-half field goal, which came on the final play of the second quarter, ended NU's shutout string at 79 minutes 1 second. NU surrendered one field goal against Illinois State-with 4:01 left in the first quarter. Rice's touchdown with 14 seconds remaining in the game was the first TD scored against the NU defense in 122 minutes 11 seconds.
- For the third straight game, Northwestern scored on its opening possession-a 42-yard field goal from PK Stefan Demos. In its first two games, Northwestern tallied a field goal at Vanderbilt and a touchdown vs. Illinois State on its initial possession.
- Northwestern limited Rice to 35 rushing yards (on 16 attempts) through the first three quarters. The Owls finished the game with 86 yards.
- The Wildcats recorded four takeaways (two interceptions and two fumbles) for the game, upping their season total to nine. NU started the night ranked 15th nationally in turnover margin.
- Northwestern notched 12 TFL's for a total of 40 yards.
- Northwestern has now scored in double figures in 37 straight games.
- For the fifth time in its last six games, Northwestern totaled 400 or more yards of total offense. The Wildcats finished with a season-high 451 yards.
- LB Quentin Davie scored his first career touchdown on an 11-yard interception return in the second quarter. His score was the only touchdown of the first half. It was Davie's third interception in two games, and the fourth of his career. It was NU's first "pick-six" since LB Ben Johnson returned an interception for TD last year against Eastern Michigan (Sept. 12, 2009).
- Davie finished with a game-high 10 tackles, which included 1.5 TFL's (0.5 sack). He also added a QB hurry to go along with his interception.
- DE Vince Browne totaled seven tackles (six solos). Three of his seven tackles were TFL's (10 yards). One of the TFL's was a 4-yard pass sack. Browne also forced a fumble, which was recovered by DE Quentin Williams.
- QB Dan Persa threw for a career-high 307 yards on 24 of 32 passing. He threw 1 TD pass (27-yarder) with no interceptions. Persa has thrown six TD passes and zero interceptions through three games this season. Persa also ran for 34 yards and a TD (18-yard run), giving him a career-high 341 yards of total offense.
- PK Stefan Demos, a Lou Groza Award candidate, hit a pair of field goals in the first half, a 42-yarder and a 28-yarder. Demos added a 21-yarder in the fourth quarter for a 12-point night. He has now converted 5-of-7 field goal attempts this season.
- WR Demetrius Fields set a pair of single-game career bests with six catches and 55 yards.
- WR Jeremy Ebert registered his second TD of the season on NU's first offensive play of the second half. The play covered 27 yards. Ebert finished the game with four receptions for 82 yards.
- Northwestern's first score of the second half was set up by a 33-yard punt return from S Hunter Bates, the longest of his career. The 33-yard return was the longest by an NU player since Brendan Smith had a 51-yard punt return against Illinois on Nov. 22, 2008. Bates later notched his first career interception, picking off Nick Fanuzzi in the fourth quarter.
- SB Drake Dunsmore finished with six catches for a game-high 87 yards.
- P Brandon Williams averaged 38.8 yards per punt, but three of his six punts landed inside the Rice 20-yard line.
Players Mentioned
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