Postgame Notes

Sept. 25, 2010

Recap | Box Score | Quotes | Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

Team Notes

This was the first meeting between Central Michigan and Northwestern. NU now has won nine straight games versus Mid-American Conference foes and is 16-8-1 all-time against MAC teams.
Northwestern improved to 4-0 for the second time in three years. The Wildcats also won their eighth straight nonconference home game, their longest such streak since the late 50s and early 60s. Northwestern also has won 12 of its last 13 nonconference games.
The Wildcats are now 26-7 in their last 33 games decided by seven points or less. Under current head coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Wildcats are now 16-6 in games decided by seven points or less.
NU scored 30 or more points for a third consecutive week. The last time the 'Cats did that was during the middle of the 2005 season when NU scored 51, 34 and 49 in wins over Wisconsin, Purdue and Michigan State (Oct. 8-22), respectively.
NU has won seven consecutive regular-season games dating to Nov. 7, 2009 (17-10 win over Iowa).
Northwestern has now scored in double figures in 38 consecutive games.
Northwestern's attendance figure for today, 30,075, marked just the second time since Sept. 12, 1998 that NU has had 30,000-plus for a nonconference home game. Today's attendance was a 56-percent increase over last year's second home game.
The Wildcats limited the Chippewas to 76 rushing yards (3.3 ypc) after they came into the game averaging 160.0 yards per game. Northwestern has held its last three opponents to less than 100 yards rushing.
Northwestern won the turnover battle for the third straight game, notching three takeaways while suffering two of their own turnovers. NU now has forced 12 turnovers and owns a +7 advantage for the season.
For the sixth time in the last seven games, NU totaled 400-plus yards of total offense.
Northwestern extended its string of games with at least one interception (defensive takeaway) to eight.
After notching 12 TFL's last week against Rice, NU had seven TFL's (for a loss of 33 yards) against Central Michigan.
NU is now 9-0 since the start of the 2009 season when it outrushes its opponent. The Wildcats outgained the Chippewas in rushing yards, 149-76.
Northwestern converted 11-of-17 third-down conversions to up its season percentage to 48 percent (29-of-61). The Wildcats have ranked among the nation's leaders in third-down conversion percentage the past three years.
With its strong third quarter (NU outscored CMU 10-0 and held the Chippewas to one first down), NU now has a 31-9 scoring advantage this season in the third frame.
Northwestern led in time of possession for a fourth straight game and now is averaging 33:14 for the season.

Individual Notes

QB Dan Persa completed 23-of-30 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns. Persa did throw his first interception of the season after opening the year with 92 consecutive pass attempts without one. He totaled 323 yards of total offense, his second-highest single-game total. Persa now has completed 80.2 percent of his pass attempts (85-of-106) this season and owns a 186.34 pass efficiency rating. Persa entered the weekend as the nation's leader in pass completion percentage. He has completed 75 percent or more of his passes in all four games this year.
Junior WR Jeremy Ebert led the Wildcats with five receptions for 83 yards and two TD's, his first multiple-TD game. He now has four TD receptions this season, and all four have covered 20 yards or more. Ebert had touchdown catches of 24 and 25 yards today. He leads NU in both receptions (17), receiving yards (331) and TD's (4) through four games.
Redshirt freshman RB Mike Trumpy rushed for a game- and career-high 53 yards as he totaled all 53 of his yards in the second half. He averaged 4.4 ypc and had a long run of 11 yards.
RB Jacob Schmidt totaled 32 rushing yards (team-best 5.3 ypc) and scored a pair of rushing TD's, the second and third ones of his career. He also caught four passes for 33 yards, giving him 65 all-purpose yards.
DT Jack DiNardo blocked a PAT and a field goal in the first half.
Backup MLB David Nwabuisi notched his first career interception today. Reserve DE Quentin Williams recorded his second career interception.
LB Quentin Davie notched his fifth career forced fumble, which was recovered by senior DT Corbin Bryant.
S Hunter Bates, who made his second straight start in place of the injured Jared Carpenter (back), led the NU defense with a career-high 11 tackles. Ten of his eleven hits were unassisted tackles. One of his 11 tackles went for a 3-yard TFL.
P Brandon Williams had two of his four punts land inside the opponents' 20-yard line. Nearly half of his 19 punts-nine-have been downed inside the opposition's 20-yard line.
Northwestern recorded three sacks today, with DE Vince Browne, DT Corbin Bryant and LB Quentin Davie totaling one each.
WR Sidney Stewart shared team-high receiving totals with five catches for 57 yards.
NU Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald improved to 31-23 overall with the win over Central Michigan. He is the first NU coach to stand eight games over .500 since Bob Voigts was 25-16 in 1951.

Northwestern University Athletics

Northwestern University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Hunter Bates

Vince Browne

Corbin Bryant

Jared Carpenter

Quentin Davie

Jack DiNardo

Jeremy Ebert

David Nwabuisi

Dan Persa

Jacob Schmidt

Sidney Stewart

Mike Trumpy

Brandon Williams

Quentin Williams

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