Northwestern
Purdue (Family Weekend)
GAME NOTES: No. 25 Wildcats Host Purdue Under the Lights Saturday Night
11/10/2017 9:22:00 AM | Football
| NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL: GAME DAY INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | BROADCAST | LIVE STATS |
| Saturday, Nov. 11 |
Purdue | 6 p.m. | Ryan Field | TV: ESPN2 RADIO: WGN 720 |
NUSports.com |
| ESPN2: Beth Mowins (play-by-play), Anthony Becht (analyst), Rocky Boiman (sideline) WYLL-AM 1600: Dave Eanet (play-by-play), Ted Albrecht (analyst), Adam Hoge (sideline) Social: Twitter (@NUFBFamily and @NU_SportsLive) | Instagram (@nufbfamily) | Facebook Game Notes: Northwestern | Purdue | Big Ten |
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EVANSTON, Ill. — The 25th-ranked Northwestern football program will put its four-game winning streak on the line under the lights Saturday night when it hosts Purdue at Ryan Field.
The Wildcats (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) and Boilermakers (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten) will kick off on ESPN2 at 6 p.m., with Beth Mowins, Anthony Becht and Rocky Boiman on the call. Fans can also listen to the contest on WYLL-AM 1600 with the voice of the Wildcats Dave Eanet, Ted Albrecht and Adam Hoge.
WILDCATS MAKE HISTORY WITH OT WIN AT NEBRASKA
Northwestern became the first FBS program to ever win three-straight overtime games with a 31-24 victory at Nebraska on Nov. 4. The Wildcats started the streak with a 17-10 win over Iowa on Oct. 21 and defeated No. 16 Michigan State in triple overtime on Oct. 28, 39-31. The Wildcats had never played three overtime games in a season under Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald. The 'Cats played four OT games in 2004, going 3-1 in those contests.
• Junior quarterback Clayton Thorson has completed 6-of-8 passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns, while adding two more rushing scores in overtime over the last three weeks.
• Senior running back Justin Jackson has rushed for two touchdowns in extra sessions during the stretch.
• The Wildcats have won their last four overtime games and are 6-5 in overtime during the Fitzgerald era.
JACKSON KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF HISTORY
Senior running back Justin Jackson had a season-high 31 carries for 154 yards and a touchdown in the 'Cats' win at Nebraska. Jackson is now just 202 rushing yards shy of joining Ron Dayne (Wisconsin; 1996-99) as the only Big Ten players to rush for 1,000 yards in four-straight seasons. The Carol Stream, Illinois, native moved past Lorenzo White (4,887; Michigan State) and Melvin Gordon (4,915; Wisconsin) for sixth on the Big Ten's career rushing list with 4,927 career rushing yards.
THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Redshirt first-year linebacker Paddy Fisher continued his outstanding rookie campaign with 13 tackles at Nebraska, notching double-digit tackles in back-to-back games for the first time in his career. Fisher's 14 solo tackles versus Michigan State are tied for the most in FBS this season and his 19 tackles total in that contest are tied for the eighth-best mark in the country. He is the first Wildcat with 13-plus tackles in back-to-back games since at least 2000 and leads all FBS first-year players with 88 tackles (9.8/game) and 50 solo tackles (5.5/game).
• Ranks second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in total tackles.
• Ranks third in the Big Ten and 25th nationally in solo tackles.
• Leads the Big Ten and ranks 14th nationally with three forced fumbles.
• Fisher's 88 tackles through nine games are the most by a first-year Wildcat and the third most overall since at least 2000.
RED ALERT: THE 'CATS ARE COMIN'
Northwestern went a perfect 4-or-4 in the red zone at Nebraska, scoring three touchdowns and converting on a 24-yard field goal, and now rank 10th in the country with a 94.4 percent (34-for-36) red zone efficiency. The Wildcats have converted 17-straight trips to the red zone during their four-game winning streak. The defense has been nearly as impressive in the red zone this season, limiting opponents to 74.3 percent (26-for-35) to rank second in the Big Ten and 20th nationally.
CLAYTON THORSON BECOMES WILDCATS' ALL-TIME WINNINGEST QUARTERBACK
Junior quarterback Clayton Thorson earned the 23rd win of his career in the Wildcats' victory at Nebraska, breaking Brett Basanez's (22; 2002-05) program record for wins by a starting quarterback. Thorson completed 19-of-35 passes for 243 yards. His 7-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter tied the game and he scored a 1-yard quarterback sneak in overtime for the game winner.
DUAL-THREAT THORSON
With two rushing touchdowns at Nebraska, Thorson now has a career-high seven in 2017 and 17 in his career. He is just one rushing touchdown shy of Brett Basanez (18; 2002-05) for third in program history for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. His seven rushing touchdowns this season are the second most by a quarterback in the Big Ten behind Penn State's Trace McSorley (9). The Wildcats are 12-2 over the last three seasons when Thorson rushes for a touchdown and 15 of his 17 rushing scores have come in victories.
BRICK WALL
The Wildcats have won four straight and five of their last seven games due in large part to the improved play of their run defense. After surrendering 375 yards rushing in the first two games of the season (187.5/game), the 'Cats have given up just 681 yards over the last seven (97.3/game) while holding each opponent under their season average. In Big Ten play, Northwestern has faced five of the top-100 running backs in the country in terms of yards per game this season (Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin; Saquon Barkley, Penn State; Ty Johnson, Maryland; Akrum Wadley, Iowa; LJ Scott, Michigan State). They averaged only 56.2 yards per game and just 3.55 yards per carry. None ran for more than 90 yards.
JACKSON ONE OF THE BEST IN BIG TEN HISTORY
Senior running back Justin Jackson already ranks sixth in Big Ten history in rushing yards (4,927) and is just 50 all-purpose yards shy of cracking the top 10 in that category as well. He moved past Mike Hart (1,005; Michigan) last week for fourth in Big Ten history with 1,036 career rushing attempts. "The Ballcarrier" is also on the verge of moving into the top 25 on the NCAA career rushing leaderboard, needing just 22 yards versus Purdue this weekend to move past Trevor Cobb (4,948; Rice).
JACKSON AND THE CENTURY MARK
Jackson went over the century mark rushing for the 24th time in his career and 17th time in a Big Ten game with 154 yards at Nebraska last week. NU is 20-4 and have won 20 of the last 21 games in which Jackson has hit the century mark rushing. More impressively, the 'Cats are 14-0 in Jackson's career when he has rushed for more than 131 yards.
LARK IN THE PARK
Redshirt first-year running back Jeremy Larkin also shined in the backfield at Nebraska, setting career highs with 10 attempts and 69 rushing yards while scoring his third touchdown of the season. Larkin's 24-yard score in the second quarter marked his longest rush of the season. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native is second on the team with 243 yards rushing and leads the 'Cats with 4.8 yards per touch.
MACAN [PLAYS] WILSON
Senior wide receiver Macan Wilson matched his career high with five catches for the third time in four games and hauled in a career-high 107 receiving yards at Nebraska. Wilson has come on during the Wildcats' four-game winning streak, recording 22 of his 27 catches and 250 of 387 yards during the stretch.
SECURE THE BAG
Senior safety Kyle Queiro ruled the skies at Nebraska with a career-high two interceptions and three pass break ups, including a PBU on the final play of the game to secure the win. Queiro is the first Wildcat with two interceptions in a contest since Montre Hartage at Purdue on Nov. 12, 2016. He leads the 'Cats with three interceptions this season and now has six in his career, leaving him just two shy of the NU top-10 list.
MR. SKY TEAM
Senior safety Godwin Igwebuike made nine tackles (seven solo) and recorded his second interception of the season versus the Cornhuskers. Igwebuike made at least nine tackles for the third time this season and ninth time in his career. He is tied for 18th among active FBS players with 305 career tackles and 10th with 200 career solo tackles. The Pickerington, Ohio, native is also sixth among active FBS defensive backs in solo stops.
CHARLIE AND THE FIELD GOAL FACTORY
First-year kicker Charlie Kuhbander made his ninth field goal of the season with a 24-yard strike at Nebraska Saturday. Despite seeing his stretch of nine-straight field goals made with a 44-yard miss in the second quarter, Kuhbander is 9-for-11 in his first season and now just two field goals shy of tying Ira Adler's record for most field goals by a first-year kicker set in 1987. He has scored 57 points in his first year in Evanston, the second-most by a NU rookie and the most by a first-year kicker in program history.
GOING BOWLING
Northwestern earned its sixth win of the season last week to become bowl eligible for the third-straight season, ninth time under head coach Pat Fitzgerald and 15th time overall. Fitzgerald has helped lead the Wildcats to 11 of their 13 bowl games as a player or coach.
• Student-Athlete: 1996 Rose Bowl and 1997 Citrus Bowl
• Assistant Coach: 2003 Motor City Bowl and 2005 Sun Bowl
• Head Coach: 2008 Alamo Bowl, 2010 Outback Bowl, 2011 TicketCity Bowl, 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, 2013 TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl, 2016 Outback Bowl, 2016 New Era Pinstripe Bowl
#HOMEGROWN BACKFIELD LEADS THE WAY
Much of the Wildcats' success this season has fallen on the shoulders of the #HOMEGROWN backfield of senior running back Justin Jackson and junior quarterback Clayton Thorson. The Wildcats are averaging 493.8 yards and 34 points per game in their six wins this season. See the table to the right for Thorson and Jackson's production in wins and losses.
SHUT IT DOWN
Northwestern held Nebraska scoreless in the fourth quarter and overtime last week, continuing its trend of getting stronger deeper in games. In their six wins this season, the Wildcats have allowed just 13 points in the fourth quarter and are outscoring their opponents in the second half, 75-30.
JACKSON NAMED FINALIST FOR WILLIAM V. CAMPBELL® TROPHY
Senior running back Justin Jackson was awarded an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship as one of 13 finalists for the William V. Campbell® Trophy last week. Jackson will be recognized at the National Football Foundation reception in New York City on December 5 and is eligible for a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship should he win the award.
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