Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Win In Opener Draws 3.2 Million Viewers On ESPN
9/11/2015 10:00:00 AM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's season-opening 16-6 victory over No. 16 Stanford at Ryan Field was the most watched college football game on cable during the sport's opening Saturday, according to ESPN. The Wildcats broadcast was seen by 3.2 million viewers across the country.
Northwestern's defense limited a veteran Cardinal attack to 240 yards of total offense and two field goals. Sophomore linebacker was selected as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for a performance with ten tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Classmate Kyle Queiro intercepted a pass in the end zone on Stanford's final offensive snap of the day.
"It was probably one of the best performances I've seen our [defense] play, top to bottom, against a ranked team maybe in my time," head coach Pat Fitzgerald said after the game. "We talked to the guys about dominating up front to make this be a statement game about where we're at right now so that we can get better and improve and make it a statement game about recruiting. And I thought our guys made that kind of statement today against a very, very good football team."
Offensively, sophomore tailback Justin Jackson rushed for 134 yards, freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson scored on a 42-yard touchdown run in his collegiate debut and junior placekicker Jack Mitchell iced the win with a career-long 49-yard field goal will less than four minutes remaining. Thorson was honored as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his role in helping lead the Wildcats to their first season-opening victory over a ranked opponent since kicking off the 1995 campaign with a win over Notre Dame in South Bend.
Northwestern's defense limited a veteran Cardinal attack to 240 yards of total offense and two field goals. Sophomore linebacker was selected as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for a performance with ten tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Classmate Kyle Queiro intercepted a pass in the end zone on Stanford's final offensive snap of the day.
"It was probably one of the best performances I've seen our [defense] play, top to bottom, against a ranked team maybe in my time," head coach Pat Fitzgerald said after the game. "We talked to the guys about dominating up front to make this be a statement game about where we're at right now so that we can get better and improve and make it a statement game about recruiting. And I thought our guys made that kind of statement today against a very, very good football team."
Offensively, sophomore tailback Justin Jackson rushed for 134 yards, freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson scored on a 42-yard touchdown run in his collegiate debut and junior placekicker Jack Mitchell iced the win with a career-long 49-yard field goal will less than four minutes remaining. Thorson was honored as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for his role in helping lead the Wildcats to their first season-opening victory over a ranked opponent since kicking off the 1995 campaign with a win over Notre Dame in South Bend.
Players Mentioned
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