Northwestern
Michigan State
GAME NOTES: Wildcats Welcome No. 16 Michigan State Saturday
10/25/2017 1:19:00 PM | Football
| NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL: GAME DAY INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | BROADCAST | LIVE STATS |
| Saturday, October 28 | #16 Michigan State | 2:30 p.m. | Ryan Field | TV: ESPN RADIO: WGN 720 |
UMTerps.com |
| ESPN: Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Ahmad Brooks (analyst), Roddy Jones (sideline) WGN 720: Dave Eanet (play-by-play), Ted Albrecht (analyst), Adam Hoge (sideline) Social: Twitter (@NUFBFamily and @NU_SportsLive) | Instagram (@nufbfamily) | Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern | Michigan State | Big Ten |
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EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern will play its third ranked team in the last five weeks and look to extend its winning streak to three games when No. 16 Michigan State visits Ryan Field Saturday.
The Wildcats (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) and Spartans (6-1, 4-0 Big Ten) will kick off on ESPN at 2:30 p.m. CT., with Anish Shroff, Ahmad Brooks and Roddy Jones on the call. As always, fans can also listen to the contest on WGN 720 with the voice of the Wildcats Dave Eanet, Ted Albrecht and Adam Hoge.
JUSTIN JACKSON CONTINUES TO REWRITE RECORD BOOK
Having already become Northwestern's all-time leader in rushing yards, all-purpose yards and rushing attempts, senior running back Justin Jackson has his sights on another program record as the Wildcats' all-time touchdown leader. Jackson enters Saturday's game with 36 career rushing touchdowns and 37 career total touchdowns with both marks narrowly shy of Damien Anderson's program record of 38 in each category. The Carol Stream, Illinois, native set the 'Cats' all-time rushing mark at Maryland on Oct. 14 and is now making his way up the Big Ten's career rushing list. See below for more notes on The Ballcarrier and check page 3 for a complete list of Big Ten and NCAA leaders:
• With 93 rushing yards versus Iowa, moved past Anthony Davis (4,676; Wisconsin) for eighth on the Big Ten's career rushing list with 4,732 career yards. Jackson needs 156 yards to pass Lorenzo White (4,887; Michigan State) for seventh.
• Jackson needs only 12 carries to become only the fifth player in Big Ten history with 1,000 career rushing attempts. The list includes Ron Dayne (1,220; Wisconsin), Anthony Thompson (1,161; Indiana), Lorenzo White (1,082; Michigan State) and Mike Hart (1,015; Michigan).
• The senior has 23-career 100-yard rushing games following his 171 yard performance at Maryland. It marked his seventh career game with 170-plus rushing yards. Northwestern is 3-0 this season and 19-4 during his career when Jackson rushes for over 100 yards.
SHUT IT DOWN
Northwestern held Iowa to 74 yards of total offense in the second half and overtime last week to secure an important 17-10 victory. The Hawkeyes had just five first downs over the final two quarters and overtime, while converting 2-of-8 third down attempts. After Nate Stanley completed 13-of-19 attempts for 182 yards and a score in the first half, the 'Cats held him to 6-for-14 with 41 yards and forced only his third interception of the season.
BRICK WALL
Since giving up 375 yards rushing through the first two games of the season, Northwestern has allowed just 474 yards over the last five contests (94.8/game). The Wildcats held Iowa to just 89 yards rushing last week and have now held their last five opponents below their season average on the ground. The 'Cats have held four opponents to less than 100 yards rushing this season, which is tied for the most in the Big Ten with Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin.
OFF THE EDGE
Sophomore defensive end Joe Gaziano matched his career high with a pair of sacks in the Wildcats' win over Iowa, continuing his dominance versus Big Ten opponents. Gaziano — whose other two-sack game came versus Purdue last season — now has recorded eight of 9.5 career sacks in 13 Big Ten games. He has recorded a sack in three of his last four games and his four solo sacks are tied for the most during Big Ten play.
NATE HALL, Y'ALL
Junior linebacker Nate Hall has been a one-man wrecking ball the last three weeks. After posting a team-high nine tackles in the win versus Iowa, Hall has recorded 29 tackles over his last three games, with 6.5 coming for a loss. He ranks fourth in the Big Ten with 1.21 tackles for loss per game and his eight solo tackles for loss rank second behind only Ohio State's Nick Bosa (10). Hall has made at least five tackles in all seven games this season and 13 straight dating back to last season.
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Redshirt first-year middle linebacker Paddy Fisher matched Nate Hall with a team-high nine tackles versus Iowa, notching his second-highest total of his impressive rookie campaign thus far. Fisher had a season-high 18 tackles at Duke, marking the 10th-most in a FBS game this season and the most by a first-year player. He enters the week leading all eligible first-year players in total tackles (56) and tackles per game (8.0).
PARTY IN THE BACKFIELD
Northwestern continued to wreak havoc in the opponents backfield versus Iowa, notching eight tackles for loss for the fifth time in seven games this season. The Wildcats rank 13th in the country with 7.9 tackles for loss per game and their total of 29 over the last three games (12 vs. Penn State; 9 at Maryland; 8 vs. Iowa) are their most over a three-game span since at least 2000. The 'Cats' five games with at least eight tackles for loss are tied with Ohio State for the most in the Big Ten this season.
HUNTER THE PUNTER
Senior punter Hunter Niswander boomed an 80-yard punt last week versus Iowa, marking the second-longest punt in the country this season and the fourth-longest punt in Northwestern history. Niswander was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week Monday morning following his performance versus Iowa that included a 50.8 yards-per-punt average. He is just one of three Big Ten punters to have a 50-plus yard average in a game this season.
RED ALERT: THE 'CATS ARE COMIN'
Northwestern converted each of its opportunities in the red zone versus Iowa, improving to 24-for-26 this season. The Wildcats rank 15th in the country with their 92.3-percent success rate, converting on 19 touchdowns (12 rushing/7 passing) and five field goals. Michigan State enters Saturdays game ranked 12th out of 14 Big Ten teams and 91st nationally in red zone defense, allowing teams to score on 86.7 percent of their visits inside the 20.
NEW 'CATS ON THE BLOCK
Chicago's Big Ten Team has played 12 true first-year students this season after playing only three last season. The previous high under Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald was six. The group includes...
• OL Rashawn Slater: First true first-year starting offensive lineman since Auston Matthews in 2005.
• DE Samdup Miller: Has started all seven games and became the first rookie Wildcat to record a sack in three-straight games (Wisconsin, Penn State, Maryland) since Ifeadi Odenigbo in 2013.
• LB Blake Gallagher: Has three games with five tackles this season and 20 total through seven contests.
CHARLIE KUHBANDER AND THE FIELD GOAL FACTORY
True first-year kicker Charlie Kuhbander continues prove why he won the open kicking competition during training camp. See below for some of his notable accomplishments through seven games.
• Ranks second among qualified FBS first-year kickers in field goal percentage (87.5%) and is tied for second with seven field goals made. Ranks 14th nationally overall in field goal percentage.
• Named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after becoming the only first-year kicker in program history to make three field goals in a single game when he made attempts from 40, 32 and 30 yards at Maryland.
• 13 points scored at Maryland are tied for the eighth most scored by a kicker in Northwestern history.
• Has made seven consecutive field goals and 22-straight extra-point attempts since missing the first field goal attempt of his career in the Wildcats' season opener versus Nevada.
THORSON'S TARGET PRACTICE
Junior quarterback Clayton Thorson completed 21 of 36 passes for 192 yards and scored his fourth rushing touchdown of the season with a 1-yard sneak in overtime lead the Wildcats to a 17-10 win over Iowa. Thorson's rushing touchdown was the 14th of his career, tying him with Mike Greenfield (1984-87) for the fourth most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in program history. See below for more notes on Thorson:
• With 215 yards of total offense, moved past Zak Kustok (6,707; 1999-2001) and Mike Greenfield (6,707; 1984- 87) for fourth place in Northwestern history with 6,887 career yards of total offense.
• 13 of Thorson's 14 rushing touchdowns have come in Wildcats victories.
• With 21 completions versus Iowa, Thorson has now completed 20-plus passes in five of seven games this season and 13 times in his career. He leads the Big Ten and ranks 18th nationally this season with 22.57 completions per game.
• Northwestern's win over Iowa was the 21st of Thorson's career as the starting quarterback, leaving him just one shy of tying Brett Basanez (2002-05) for the most wins in program history.
• Saturday marked the first time this season the Wildcats have won a game where Thorson did not throw a touchdown pass. The 'Cats did so six times during his first year as the signal caller.
OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION
Northwestern exploded for 531 yards of total offense at Maryland (293 passing/238 rushing), marking its third 500-plus yard game of the season. It was the 22nd time since 2000 that the 'Cats have hit the 500-yard mark on offense and the 7th time versus a Big Ten opponent under Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald.
SPEAKING OF OFFENSIVE EXPLOSIONS...
Last year the Wildcats traveled to East Lansing and earned a 54-40 victory in record-setting fashion. The 'Cats' 54 points were the most surrendered ever by Michigan State at home and the most scored by the Wildcats since a 61-23 victory over in-state rival Illinois on Nov. 18, 2000. Justin Jackson rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns, while Clayton Thorson completed 27-of-35 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns. Gone is Austin Carr, who finished with 11 catches for 130 yards and two scores, but Flynn Nagel remains on the 'Cats roster. Nagel had five catches for a career-high 81 yards an a 57-yard touchdown in the win.
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