Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, November 14
Evanston, Ill.
11 a.m.
Northwestern
8-2 , 4-2
21
vs
14
Purdue
2-8 , 1-5
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Purdue
7
0
7
0
14
Northwestern
7
7
0
7
21
Team Stats
PUR
NU
Total Yards
360
382
Pass Yards
287
132
Rushing Yards
73
250
Penalty Yards
60
23
1st Downs
18
21
3rd Downs
8
8
4th Downs
1
0
TOP
28:23
31:37
1st Quarter
PUR 0, NU 7
NU - Long, Warren 32 yd run (Mitchell, Jack kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:41
PUR 7, NU 7
PUR - Young 68 yd pass from Blough, David (Griggs, Paul kick) 1 plays, 68 yards, TOP 0:10
2nd Quarter
PUR 7, NU 14
NU - Long, Warren 1 yd run (Mitchell, Jack kick), 6 plays, 41 yards, TOP 2:33
3rd Quarter
PUR 14, NU 14
PUR - Jones, Markell 2 yd run (Griggs, Paul kick), 7 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:57
4th Quarter
PUR 14, NU 21
NU - Jackson, Justin 2 yd run (Mitchell, Jack kick), 12 plays, 58 yards, TOP 5:22
Game Leaders
CMP
9
TD
0
YDS
82
INT
1
CMP
2
TD
0
YDS
50
INT
1
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
SB
/ Football
S
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
P/PK
/ FootballQB
/ Football
WR
/ FootballQB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballNo. 18 Northwestern Takes Down Purdue on Senior Day, 21-14
11/14/2015 2:41:00 PM | Football
Long rushes for two scores while Jackson scores game-winner
STORIFY SOCIAL MEDIA RECAP
By Jasper Scherer
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Justin Jackson rushed for 119 yards and the game-winning touchdown, Warren Long added two scores on the ground and Northwestern racked up 250 rushing yards in a 21-14 win over Purdue on Saturday to close out the 2015 home schedule.
Sophomore linebacker Anthony Walker recorded 14 tackles, including two for a loss, and Traveon Henry snagged his second interception in the last four games. After Purdue's opening drive, Northwestern limited the Boilermakers to one touchdown for the rest of the game.
The 'Cats received the opening kickoff and quickly marched downfield, finding the end zone after just seven plays on a clinical 75-yard drive. Jackson took the ball into Purdue territory on his first carry, a 12-yard pickup, and Long broke free down the sideline four plays later for a 32-yard touchdown run, putting the Wildcats on the board less than three minutes into the game.
Purdue immediately responded on its first offensive play. Receiver Domonique Young gained separation and hauled in a 68-yard touchdown to level the score at seven apiece.
Both offenses stagnated after the first few minutes. Purdue threatened with a 48-yard drive, but Dean Lowry came up with a big stop on third-and-short near midfield, forcing the Boilermakers to punt. The first quarter ended with the score tied at 7-7.
The 'Cats started the second period with the ball but were forced to punt from their own 42-yard line. Hunter Niswander pinned Purdue at its 3-yard line, and on the eighth play of the drive from the 27-yard line, quarterback David Blough's pass over the middle tipped off receiver DeAngelo Yancy's hands and into Henry's grasp.
The turnover gave Northwestern the ball at Purdue's 41-yard line, and on the first play of the ensuing drive, Miles Shuler came around the edge on a reverse and found enough space for a 26-yard run to the 15-yard line. The 'Cats stayed on the ground for the rest of the drive, and Long broke the deadlock with his second touchdown of the game, this time a 1-yard rush up the middle.
Northwestern continued to shut down Purdue's offense and forced another punt with just under six minutes remaining in the half. On the 'Cats' first play of the following drive, Purdue safety Robert Gregory recovered a fumble by Jackson at the 38-yard line. But the 'Cats again held firm, forcing three straight incompletions – the last on 4th-and-7 – to maintain a one-touchdown edge. The score remained 14-7 at halftime.
Purdue, having deferred to the second half, started with the ball coming out of the break. Blough completed two long passes, one for 22 yards to push Purdue into Northwestern territory and another for 29 yards to Markell Jones to the 5-yard line. Jones carried the ball in on the next play, tying the score at 14.
The 'Cats responded with a 46-yard drive that brought them to Purdue's 29-yard line thanks to back-to-back completions for first downs from Clayton Thorson to Austin Carr and Garrett Dickerson. However, Thorson's pass to Solomon Vault on 4th-and-1 was broken up, and Northwestern came away empty-handed on the drive.
After Purdue kicker Paul Griggs missed a 43-yard field goal attempt, Northwestern took over at its 26-yard line. On the fourth play of the drive, Thorson's pass was intercepted by cornerback Frankie Williams, but the 'Cats forced a three-and-out. Northwestern then mounted its longest drive since the opening possession, taking the ball 54 yards to the Purdue 28-yard line, but recently subbed-in quarterback Zack Oliver's pass over the middle was picked off. From there, the 'Cats forced back-to-back three-and-outs and took over at their own 42.
On what proved to be the game-winning drive, Northwestern chipped away on the ground and brought the ball to the Purdue 37-yard line, but faced 3rd-and-14. Thorson, showing resiliency at the end after a tough start, broke off back-to-back 16-yard runs, and Jackson ran it in from two yards out to give the 'Cats their first lead since the beginning of the third quarter.
Purdue started its last drive with just over 4:30 left, but managed to pick up only two yards thanks to excellent coverage by Northwestern's secondary. The Boilermakers punted with 3:39 left, and the 'Cats picked up two first downs – including a 20-yard run by Jackson – and ran out the clock. The sophomore back moved over 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season and now ranks eighth all-time at Northwestern.
The 'Cats will take to the road next Saturday as they look to extend their winning streak to four against Wisconsin.
By Jasper Scherer
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Justin Jackson rushed for 119 yards and the game-winning touchdown, Warren Long added two scores on the ground and Northwestern racked up 250 rushing yards in a 21-14 win over Purdue on Saturday to close out the 2015 home schedule.
Sophomore linebacker Anthony Walker recorded 14 tackles, including two for a loss, and Traveon Henry snagged his second interception in the last four games. After Purdue's opening drive, Northwestern limited the Boilermakers to one touchdown for the rest of the game.
The 'Cats received the opening kickoff and quickly marched downfield, finding the end zone after just seven plays on a clinical 75-yard drive. Jackson took the ball into Purdue territory on his first carry, a 12-yard pickup, and Long broke free down the sideline four plays later for a 32-yard touchdown run, putting the Wildcats on the board less than three minutes into the game.
Purdue immediately responded on its first offensive play. Receiver Domonique Young gained separation and hauled in a 68-yard touchdown to level the score at seven apiece.
Both offenses stagnated after the first few minutes. Purdue threatened with a 48-yard drive, but Dean Lowry came up with a big stop on third-and-short near midfield, forcing the Boilermakers to punt. The first quarter ended with the score tied at 7-7.
The 'Cats started the second period with the ball but were forced to punt from their own 42-yard line. Hunter Niswander pinned Purdue at its 3-yard line, and on the eighth play of the drive from the 27-yard line, quarterback David Blough's pass over the middle tipped off receiver DeAngelo Yancy's hands and into Henry's grasp.
The turnover gave Northwestern the ball at Purdue's 41-yard line, and on the first play of the ensuing drive, Miles Shuler came around the edge on a reverse and found enough space for a 26-yard run to the 15-yard line. The 'Cats stayed on the ground for the rest of the drive, and Long broke the deadlock with his second touchdown of the game, this time a 1-yard rush up the middle.
Northwestern continued to shut down Purdue's offense and forced another punt with just under six minutes remaining in the half. On the 'Cats' first play of the following drive, Purdue safety Robert Gregory recovered a fumble by Jackson at the 38-yard line. But the 'Cats again held firm, forcing three straight incompletions – the last on 4th-and-7 – to maintain a one-touchdown edge. The score remained 14-7 at halftime.
Purdue, having deferred to the second half, started with the ball coming out of the break. Blough completed two long passes, one for 22 yards to push Purdue into Northwestern territory and another for 29 yards to Markell Jones to the 5-yard line. Jones carried the ball in on the next play, tying the score at 14.
The 'Cats responded with a 46-yard drive that brought them to Purdue's 29-yard line thanks to back-to-back completions for first downs from Clayton Thorson to Austin Carr and Garrett Dickerson. However, Thorson's pass to Solomon Vault on 4th-and-1 was broken up, and Northwestern came away empty-handed on the drive.
After Purdue kicker Paul Griggs missed a 43-yard field goal attempt, Northwestern took over at its 26-yard line. On the fourth play of the drive, Thorson's pass was intercepted by cornerback Frankie Williams, but the 'Cats forced a three-and-out. Northwestern then mounted its longest drive since the opening possession, taking the ball 54 yards to the Purdue 28-yard line, but recently subbed-in quarterback Zack Oliver's pass over the middle was picked off. From there, the 'Cats forced back-to-back three-and-outs and took over at their own 42.
On what proved to be the game-winning drive, Northwestern chipped away on the ground and brought the ball to the Purdue 37-yard line, but faced 3rd-and-14. Thorson, showing resiliency at the end after a tough start, broke off back-to-back 16-yard runs, and Jackson ran it in from two yards out to give the 'Cats their first lead since the beginning of the third quarter.
Purdue started its last drive with just over 4:30 left, but managed to pick up only two yards thanks to excellent coverage by Northwestern's secondary. The Boilermakers punted with 3:39 left, and the 'Cats picked up two first downs – including a 20-yard run by Jackson – and ran out the clock. The sophomore back moved over 1,000 rushing yards for the second straight season and now ranks eighth all-time at Northwestern.
The 'Cats will take to the road next Saturday as they look to extend their winning streak to four against Wisconsin.
••••••
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