Saturday, October 3
Evanston, Ill.
11 a.m.
Northwestern
5-0 , 1-0
27
vs
0
Minnesota
3-2 , 0-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Minnesota
0
0
0
0
0
Northwestern
3
7
10
7
27
Team Stats
MINN
NU
Total Yards
173
312
Pass Yards
99
128
Rushing Yards
74
184
Penalty Yards
10
20
1st Downs
11
16
3rd Downs
4
7
4th Downs
0
1
TOP
25:58
34:02
1st Quarter
MINN 0, NU 3
NU - Mitchell, Jack 25 yd field goal 14 plays, 76 yards, TOP 4:57
2nd Quarter
MINN 0, NU 10
NU - Thorson, C. 5 yd run (Mitchell, Jack kick), 1 plays, 5 yards, TOP 0:06
3rd Quarter
MINN 0, NU 13
NU - Mitchell, Jack 23 yd field goal 19 plays, 69 yards, TOP 8:47
MINN 0, NU 20
NU - Thorson, C. 1 yd run (Mitchell, Jack kick), 6 plays, 68 yards, TOP 2:39
4th Quarter
MINN 0, NU 27
NU - Walker, Anthony 13 yd fumble recovery (Mitchell, Jack kick)
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
14
TD
0
YDS
128
INT
0
Players Mentioned
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
PK
/ Football
P/PK
/ Football
WR
/ FootballQB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
SB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballNo. 16 Northwestern Remains Unbeaten, Blanks Minnesota 27-0
10/3/2015 2:25:00 PM | Football
Wildcats post second shutout of the season
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Watch Press Conference: Pat Fitzgerald | Jackson, Lowry, Thorson | Igwebuike, C. Jones
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Justin Jackson racked up 121 rushing yards, freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground and No. 16 Northwestern opened Big Ten play by holding visiting Minnesota to 173 yards of offense on the way to a 27-0 win on Saturday afternoon at Ryan Field.
Sophomore safety Godwin Igwebuike matched a career high with nine tackles, cornerback Matthew Harris recorded his third interception of the year and linebacker Anthony Walker scored his second career touchdown on a 13-yard fumble return.
Northwestern improved to 5-0 on the season and recorded its second shutout of the year.
After keeping Minnesota off the board on the game's opening possession, the 'Cats started the scoring by marching 76 yards down the field. Thorson completed two key passes on third down, and Dan Vitale's mean stiff-arm highlighted a 19-yard reception that took Northwestern inside the red zone. But the drive stalled at the 12-yard line, and Jack Mitchell came on to convert a 25-yard field goal.
The Gophers started their next possession at the 32-yard line and took the ball inside Northwestern territory on a 38-yard drive. But the Wildcat defense again held steady inside its own half, forcing an incomplete pass when Minnesota decided to go for it on fourth-and-6. The 'Cats ended the first quarter with a 3-0 lead.
Northwestern continued to play stifling defense after the break when Harris perfectly anticipated an out route and leaped in front of the pass for his third interception of the year. The turnover put the 'Cats at Minnesota's 42-yard line, but the short drive ended in a missed 41-yard field goal by Mitchell.
Northwestern forced a pair of Minnesota three-and-outs after the field goal attempt, the second of which led to a Gopher punt that Miles Shuler returned 55 yards before being forced out of bounds at the 5-yard line. On the following play, Thorson ran the ball into the end zone himself for the touchdown. The score put the Wildcats up 10-0, an advantage they would carry into halftime.
Northwestern started the second half with the ball and drove to Minnesota's 32-yard line, at which point Thorson lofted a pass to Solomon Vault in the end zone. The sophomore receiver appeared to haul in the pass with an incredible one-handed catch, but the initial ruling of a touchdown was overturned after a replay review.
Three plays later, Thorson connected with Mike McHugh on fourth-and-7 for an 11-yard gain, and the 'Cats continued their momentum down to the 4-yard line. Mitchell converted on his second field goal of the game, this one a 23-yarder, to finish a drive that shaved 8:47 off the clock.
After Northwestern once again kept Minnesota off the board, the 'Cats found the end zone for the second time courtesy of a 68-yard drive. Jackson highlighted the drive with an impressive 31-yard run during which the sophomore back showed off his elusiveness, juking a couple Minnesota defenders to find space in the middle of the field for a big pickup.
The 'Cats took the ball down to the 1-yard line, and Thorson snuck the ball into the end zone behind an offensive line that protected him well all day.
Minutes later on a Minnesota possession that started at the 4-yard line thanks to a beautiful punt by Hunter Niswander, junior tackle Tyler Lancaster knocked the ball out of Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner's hand. Anthony Walker scooped up the fumble and ran it into the end zone on a 13-yard return, stretching the Wildcat lead to 27-0. The score would hold until the end of the game, marking the first time Minnesota has been shut out since Oct. 1, 2011.
Next week, Northwestern will put its undefeated record on the line against Michigan in Ann Arbor. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Central time.
••••••
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