Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, November 21
Madison, Wis.
2:30 p.m.
Northwestern
13
at
7
Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
PK
/ Football
P/PK
/ Football
DL
/ Football
CB
/ Football
LB
/ FootballDefense Leads No. 20 Northwestern Past No. 25 Wisconsin, 13-7
11/21/2015 5:55:00 PM | Football
Wildcats force five turnovers, make incredible goal-line stand the preserve the victory
STORIFY SOCIAL MEDIA RECAP
MADISON, Wis. -- After the first winter storm of the year blanketed Camp Randall in snow overnight, No. 20 Northwestern's defense smothered No. 25 Wisconsin Saturday afternoon, finishing the game with a bonkers goal-line stand to preserve a 13-7 victory and move the Wildcats to 9-2 on the season.
With the win, head coach Pat Fitzgerald improved to 5-2 in his career when facing a top-25 opponent on the road in November.
Northwestern built a 10-0 lead at the half. The defense held Wisconsin to just 50 total yards in the period, including -19 on the ground, while forcing a pair of turnovers. Deonte Gibson recorded two sacks to lead a three-sack first-half effort for the #B1GCats.
Overall in the game, Northwestern's defense took the ball away five times and limited Wisconsin to an NU-record -26 yards rushing on 11 tackles for loss. The rushing yards total broke the previous single-game Wildcats record, which previously was four yards set in 2008 against Ohio.
Gibson led NU with three sacks and four TFLs. Anthony Walker and Nate Hall had a team-best eight tackles.
Justin Jackson led Northwestern's ground attack with his third-straight 100-yard game and the 13th of the sophomore's career. He finished with 139 yards on 35 carries.
On Wisconsin's second drive of the game, Ifeadi Odenigbo got to Badgers quarterback Joel Stave, resulting in a wild pass that Nick VanHoose picked off at the UW 19-yard-line. Northwestern took almost immediate advantage with Jackson finding the end zone from eight yards out for an early 7-0 NU lead.
Northwestern ended Wisconsin's next offensive series with another turnover. Matthew Harris punched the ball free following a short completion, and Dean Lowry scooped it up and rumbled into Badgers territory. The chance ended in a missed NU field goal attempt, though.
NU struggled to get its offense going again until the final drive of the half. Jackson sparked the Wildcats with a 32-yard run on the first play, eventually leading to a 35-yard Jack Mitchell field goal as time expired to send Northwestern into the locker room on top, 10-0.
The Wildcats took the opening drive of the second half into Badgers territory before being stopped on fourth-and-1 at the 35-yard line. Wisconsin responded with its first sustained offense of the contest, using a 42-yard completion from Stave to Jazz Peavy to get down inside the NU 10-yard-line before Corey Clement scored to cut the Wildcats' lead to 10-7 with 8:24 remaining in the third quarter.
Later in the period, drama unfolded when Wisconsin's punt returner waved his arms emphatically to keep his teammates away from the ball on a Hunter Niswander punt, then picked it up and ran it back for a touchdown. The motion was ruled to be an illegal fair catch signal, and the ball came all the way back to the Badgers 22. NU held strong, including an Odenigbo forced fumble that UW fell on for a seven-yard loss, to get the ball back.
The ensuing Northwestern drive also ended in a #B1GCats punt, but this time Wisconsin fumbled the catch and Harris was all over it to recover at the Badgers' 30-yard line. Northwestern could not capitalize on the third UW turnover of the game when a 40-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Northwestern ended one Wisconsin drive with a Tyler Lancaster forced fumbled that CJ Robbins recovered, then -- after failing to score -- the Wildcats ended the next Badgers drive with a Walker interception at the UW 23-yard-line. This time, Mitchell converted a 37-yard field goal to extend the lead to 13-7.
Wisconsin got the ball back for one final drive, and madness ensued. The Badgers drove down the field and appeared to have a game-tying touchdown, but the runner was ruled down short of the line. Then, Wisconsin tossed another ball into the end zone, but the receiver bobbled it after hitting the ground, resulting in another touchdown overturned by review.
Gibson then busted through the line for his third sack on the game, pushing the Badgers back to the 11-yard-line. Wisconsin was able to get a snap off to spike the ball, giving it one final shot at the end zone, but the pass went incomplete to seal the victory.
MADISON, Wis. -- After the first winter storm of the year blanketed Camp Randall in snow overnight, No. 20 Northwestern's defense smothered No. 25 Wisconsin Saturday afternoon, finishing the game with a bonkers goal-line stand to preserve a 13-7 victory and move the Wildcats to 9-2 on the season.
With the win, head coach Pat Fitzgerald improved to 5-2 in his career when facing a top-25 opponent on the road in November.
Northwestern built a 10-0 lead at the half. The defense held Wisconsin to just 50 total yards in the period, including -19 on the ground, while forcing a pair of turnovers. Deonte Gibson recorded two sacks to lead a three-sack first-half effort for the #B1GCats.
Overall in the game, Northwestern's defense took the ball away five times and limited Wisconsin to an NU-record -26 yards rushing on 11 tackles for loss. The rushing yards total broke the previous single-game Wildcats record, which previously was four yards set in 2008 against Ohio.
Gibson led NU with three sacks and four TFLs. Anthony Walker and Nate Hall had a team-best eight tackles.
Justin Jackson led Northwestern's ground attack with his third-straight 100-yard game and the 13th of the sophomore's career. He finished with 139 yards on 35 carries.
On Wisconsin's second drive of the game, Ifeadi Odenigbo got to Badgers quarterback Joel Stave, resulting in a wild pass that Nick VanHoose picked off at the UW 19-yard-line. Northwestern took almost immediate advantage with Jackson finding the end zone from eight yards out for an early 7-0 NU lead.
Northwestern ended Wisconsin's next offensive series with another turnover. Matthew Harris punched the ball free following a short completion, and Dean Lowry scooped it up and rumbled into Badgers territory. The chance ended in a missed NU field goal attempt, though.
NU struggled to get its offense going again until the final drive of the half. Jackson sparked the Wildcats with a 32-yard run on the first play, eventually leading to a 35-yard Jack Mitchell field goal as time expired to send Northwestern into the locker room on top, 10-0.
The Wildcats took the opening drive of the second half into Badgers territory before being stopped on fourth-and-1 at the 35-yard line. Wisconsin responded with its first sustained offense of the contest, using a 42-yard completion from Stave to Jazz Peavy to get down inside the NU 10-yard-line before Corey Clement scored to cut the Wildcats' lead to 10-7 with 8:24 remaining in the third quarter.
Later in the period, drama unfolded when Wisconsin's punt returner waved his arms emphatically to keep his teammates away from the ball on a Hunter Niswander punt, then picked it up and ran it back for a touchdown. The motion was ruled to be an illegal fair catch signal, and the ball came all the way back to the Badgers 22. NU held strong, including an Odenigbo forced fumble that UW fell on for a seven-yard loss, to get the ball back.
The ensuing Northwestern drive also ended in a #B1GCats punt, but this time Wisconsin fumbled the catch and Harris was all over it to recover at the Badgers' 30-yard line. Northwestern could not capitalize on the third UW turnover of the game when a 40-yard field goal attempt sailed wide right.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Northwestern ended one Wisconsin drive with a Tyler Lancaster forced fumbled that CJ Robbins recovered, then -- after failing to score -- the Wildcats ended the next Badgers drive with a Walker interception at the UW 23-yard-line. This time, Mitchell converted a 37-yard field goal to extend the lead to 13-7.
Wisconsin got the ball back for one final drive, and madness ensued. The Badgers drove down the field and appeared to have a game-tying touchdown, but the runner was ruled down short of the line. Then, Wisconsin tossed another ball into the end zone, but the receiver bobbled it after hitting the ground, resulting in another touchdown overturned by review.
Gibson then busted through the line for his third sack on the game, pushing the Badgers back to the 11-yard-line. Wisconsin was able to get a snap off to spike the ball, giving it one final shot at the end zone, but the pass went incomplete to seal the victory.
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook, check us out on Instagram and download our mobile app from the Apple Store and Google Play! To interact directly with the #B1GCats, visit our Social Media page!Football - Nebraska Postgame Press Conference (10/25/25)
Saturday, October 25
Football - Nebraska Outlasts Northwestern in Lincoln (10/25/25)
Saturday, October 25
Football - Nebraska Game Week Press Conference (10/20/25)
Monday, October 20
Football - Purdue Postgame Press Conference
Sunday, October 19
