Northwestern University Athletics
Postgame Notes: Northwestern 20, No. 17/16 Wisconsin 14
10/4/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
Box Score |
Quotes |
Photo Gallery 
Northwestern 20, No. 17/16 Wisconsin 14
Oct. 4, 2014
Ryan Field • Evanston, Ill.
Attendance: 42,013
Northwestern Team Notes
• NU has won four straight home matchups with Wisconsin, with the Badgers' last win at Ryan Field coming on Oct. 30, 1999. The Badgers have been ranked in the AP poll on all four occasions, while the 'Cats were unranked in three of the games.
• Today also marked NU's first home victory against a ranked opponent since defeating No. 13 Iowa on Nov. 13, 2010, and their first overall since knocking off No. 9 Nebraska in 2011.
• Northwestern starts its Big Ten campaign 2-0 for the first time since 2000, the last year the Wildcats claimed a conference championship.
• Northwestern and Wisconsin have split 24 meetings since 1985 and have each won four games since 2003.
• The 'Cats, who entered the game ranked third in the Big Ten with a 16.8 points per game defensive scoring average, held the Badgers to 14 points. Wisconsin had been averaging more than 39 points per game through four outings.
• In addition, Wisconsin had been averaging 343.2 rushing yards a game. Today, NU held the Badgers to 284 yards on the ground.
• Northwestern allowed only two field goals from the second quarter of the Western Illinois game until the third quarter of today's contest (a total of nine quarters without an opponent touchdown).
• Over the past four games, NU has outscored its foes in the first half, 38-10.
• Northwestern held Wisconsin scoreless in the first two quarters. Prior to today, the Badgers only had two scoreless quarters in 2014.
• The Wildcats' second-quarter, five-yard touchdown pass from QB Trevor Siemian to SB Dan Vitale was the first red zone TD allowed by Wisconsin this season.
• NU intercepted four passes and did not suffer a turnover, improving to 33-14 under Pat Fitzgerald when forcing more turnovers than its opponents.
• The Wildcats posted another performance without losing a fumble and have lost just two in five games this season.
• Northwestern held Wisconsin to 4-of-12 in third down conversions (33.3 percent). NU began the day ranked fifth in the Big Ten in third-down conversion defense (32.4 percent).
• Wisconsin RB Melvin Gordon was the first NU opponent to gain over 200 rushing yards since Illinois' Mikel Leshoure gained 330 yards on Nov. 20, 2010, in the Allstate Wrigleyville Classic.
Northwestern Individual Notes
• RB Justin Jackson rushed for career-highs of 33 carries and 162 yards. Jackson's 33 carries were the most for an NU back since Tyrell Sutton carried the ball 33 times against Indiana on Nov. 10, 2007.
• Jackson's achievement marked the first Northwestern 100-yard rushing performance since RB Treyvon Green gained 158 at Nebraska on Nov. 2, 2013.
• Jackson becomes the first NU true freshman to gain over 100 yards since Sutton gained 212 yards at Illinois on Nov. 19, 2005.
• CB Godwin Igwebuike's three interceptions were the first three pickoffs of his career and marked the first time an NU player had three interceptions in a game since Neil Little had a trio of pickoffs against Indiana on Nov. 10, 1973.
• Igwebuike added eight tackles, including seven solo stops.
• QB Trevor Siemian's 5-yard, second-quarter touchdown pass to SB Dan Vitale, gives him 23 scoring tosses in his career, tying Siemian with Sandy Schwab, Mike Kerrigan and Morrie Daigneau for eighth on the Northwestern all-time TD passes list.
• Vitale's score was his first touchdown of the season and sixth of his career, second only to WR Tony Jones's nine career touchdowns among active Wildcats.
• Vitale has at least one catch in 17 straight games, the longest current streak among active playing Wildcats.
• Vitale leads all NU players with 20 catches this season. WR Kyle Prater, who led the Wildcats with five receptions today (for a team-leading 55 yards), is second with 17 in 2014.
• WR Miles Shuler's 16-yard touchdown off a reverse in the third quarter was his first TD as a Wildcat and his longest run from scrimmage.
• The 15 Northwestern receptions today went to eight different receivers. The first five completions went to five different players.
• WR Tony Jones's only reception, a 35-yarder, was the Wildcats' longest play today.
• CB Nick Van Hoose led all Wildcats with nine tackles and eight solo tackles, while also pacing NU with a career-high-tying three pass breakups.
• Northwestern starting cornerbacks (Van Hoose and CB Matthew Harris - eight stops) combined for 17 tackles.
• Out of seven Chris Gradone's punts, four fell inside the Wisconsin 20-yard line.
