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Northern Illinois 23, Northwestern 15
Sept. 6, 2014
Ryan Field • Evanston, Ill.
Attendance: 41,139
Northwestern Team Notes
• Today's game marked the first meeting in the series since 2005 and resulted in Northern Illinois's first series win. Northwestern previously was unbeaten against the Huskies in seven all-time meetings (6-0-1)
• The Huskies snapped the Wildcats' 10-game winning streak against Mid American Conference opponents, which has brought NU's all-time record against MAC schools to 17-9-1.
• Northwestern held Northern Illinois scoreless in the first half. It marked the first time the Huskies didn't score in a half since the Dec. 2, 2011 MAC championship game. On Northwestern's end, the `Cats last were held scoreless in an opening half in an overtime loss to Iowa last season (Oct. 26, 2013).
• The Wildcats are now 0-2 to begin a season for the first time since 2003.
• Northwestern, ranked No. 3 in the nation in red zone conversion percentage in 2013, was successful in one trip inside the 20-yard line. NU is 4-of-4 in red zone appearances this season.
Northwestern Individual Notes
• Today, QB Trevor Siemian topped 4,000 career passing yards with 269 against the Huskies. He now has 4,214 as a Wildcat, just 23 behind Maurie Daigneau (1969-71) for 10th place all-time at Northwestern.
• Siemian now has 22 career passing TDs, also one shy of entering the top 10 in Northwerstern history
• In his second game as a Wildcat, RB Justin Jackson led NU with career highs of 12 rushing attempts and 52 yards. His 13-yard run was the `Cats' longest run from scrimmage today.
• Junior SB Dan Vitale now has at least one catch in 15 straight games, the longest current streak among active playing Wildcats. Vitale caught four passes today for 50 yards.
• Senior WR Kyle Prater set personal bests with a game-leading seven catches for 87 yards. Prater's 19-yard third-quarter scoring reception was his first career touchdown catch. He also collected a 22-yard reception, a career-long.
• WR Miles Shuler (5 catches for 37 yards) had career-highs in catches and yardage, while WR Cameron Dickerson's four receptions were his most as a Wildcat.
• With 67 kickoff return yards, Shuler led all `Cats with 104 all-purpose yards today.
• On one play, a 54-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass, QB Zack Oliver recorded his first career scoring toss and WR Pierre Youngblood-Ary, his first career touchdown reception. The play was a career long for both.
• Ten different Wildcats caught passes on the afternoon, including the first career reception for SB Jayme Taylor.
• LB Collin Ellis led all players with nine tackles (six solos), which included 0.5 sacks.
• LB Jimmy Hall tied Ellis for the team lead with six solo stops, notching eight overall.
• Five Wildcats registered tackles for loss, including DE Deonte Gibson, who led NU with a quarterback sack and two tackles for loss. He now has eight career TFLs.
• S Ibraheim Campbell had his 22nd career pass breakup today, placing him in a tie for seventh with Brett Whitley (1984-87) in Wildcat history
• P Chris Gradone's 53-yard punt was his longest so far this season.