GAME NOTES: No. 23 Wildcats host Minnesota in Home Finale

Saturday, November 18

Evanston, Ill.

11 a.m.

Northwestern

Minnesota

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Kyle Queiro and Marcus McShepard vs. Purdue 2017

GAME NOTES: No. 23 Wildcats host Minnesota in Home Finale

11/17/2017 9:45:00 AM | Football

NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL: GAME DAY INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	BROADCAST	LIVE STATS
Saturday, Nov. 18	Minnesota	11 a.m.	Ryan Field	TV: BTN RADIO: WGN 720	NUSports.com
ESPN2: Brandon Gaudin (play-by-play), Glen Mason (analyst), Elise Menaker (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 \| Minnesota \| Big Ten

EVANSTON, Ill. — The 23rd-ranked Northwestern Football program will play its final home game of the season and look to extend its winning streak to six games for the first time since 1996 when it hosts Minnesota at Ryan Field Saturday.

The Wildcats (7-3, 5-2 Big Ten) and Golden Gophers (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) will kick off on Big Ten Network at 11 a.m., with Brandon Gaudin, Glen Mason and Elise Menaker on the call. Fans can also listen to the contest on WGN 720 with the voice of the Wildcats Dave Eanet, Ted Albrecht and Adam Hoge.

THE WWWWWildcat WAY
Northwestern stretched its winning streak to five games with a 23-13 win over Purdue last week. This marks the fifth time during Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald's tenure the 'Cats have won five straight and third time in the last three years. The 'Cats five-game stretch includes a three-game streak of wins in overtime games in which Chicago's Big Ten Team became the first FBS program in history to accomplish the feat.

JACKSON KNOCKING ON THE DOOR OF HISTORY
Senior running back Justin Jackson cracked the NCAA's career rushing top-25 leaderboard with 46 yards in the win versus Purdue, marking just the third game in his career in which the 'Cats won when he was held below 65 yards. Jackson is now just 156 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 also made his mark on the Big Ten's career all-purpose list, moving up to No. 10 with 5,800 career all-purpose yards.

HOME SWEET HOME
Sophomore wide receiver Bennett Skowronek recorded his second 100-yard receiving game of the season and his career with seven receptions, 117 yards and a touchdown versus the Boilermakers. Skowronek had 123 yards in the 'Cats' season opener. He enters Saturday's game versus Minnesota leading the team with 544 yards, with 434 of those coming in the friendly confines of Ryan Field.

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
Redshirt first-year linebacker Paddy Fisher has made as strong of a case as any rookie in the nation to earn Freshman All-America honors. Fisher notched seven tackles versus Purdue and is now just seven tackles shy of the Big Ten lead with 95. His 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. The Katy, Texas, native became the first Wildcat with 13-plus tackles in back-to-back games since at least 2000 when he made double-digit tackles in back-to-back games versus the Spartans and Nebraska.
   •   Leads all FBS first-year players with 95 tackles (9.5/game) and 54 solo tackles (5.4/game).
   •    Ranks second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally in tackles per game.
   •   Ranks third in the Big Ten and 29th nationally in solo tackles per game.
   •   Leads the Big Ten and ranks 16th nationally with three forced fumbles.
   •   Fisher's 95 tackles through 10 games are the most by a first-year Wildcat and the third most overall since at least 2000.

BRICK WALL
Northwestern's defense has stymied opponents' running attacks over the last eight games and the 'Cats now rank seventh in the country in rushing defense by allowing 109.6 yards per game. The Wildcats held Purdue to 40 yards rushing last week, their lowest total allowed since holding Wisconsin to negative-26 in 2015 and their fourth-lowest total overall since 2000. Since surrendering 375 yards rushing in the first two games of the season (187.5/game), the 'Cats have given up just 721 yards over the last eight (90.1/game) while holding each opponent under its 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.

SPREAD THE WEALTH
Junior quarterback Clayton Thorson spread the wealth in his 296-yard performance versus Purdue, with three players—Bennett Skowronek (117), Flynn Nagel (78) and Macan Wilson (51)—hauling in at least 50 yards receiving. The last time three Northwestern players posted 50-plus yards in one game was Nov. 12, 2011 vs. Rice. The trio is the first to combine for the effort versus a Big Ten opponent since at least 2000 for Northwestern.

MR. 7,000
Thorson became the fourth player in program history to eclipse 7,000 career passing yards by completing 26-of-46 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown versus Purdue. The junior ranks fourth in program history with 7,287 career passing yards, needing just 200 yards to pass C.J. Bachér (7,318; 2005-08) and Len Williams (7,487; 1990-93) for second. Thorson has thrown for 200-plus yards 17 times in his career.

JACKSON ONE OF THE BEST IN BIG TEN HISTORY
Senior running back Justin Jackson already ranks sixth in Big Ten history in rushing yards (4,973) and 10th on the Big Ten all-purpose yards list with 5,800. He moved past Mike Hart (1,005; Michigan) last week for fourth in Big Ten history with 1,036 career rushing attempts. 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. NU is 20-4 and has 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.

DUAL-THREAT THORSON
Junior quarterback Clayton Thorson scampered in from four yards out for his eighth rushing touchdown of the season in the 'Cats' win versus Purdue. Thorson moved into a tie with Brett Basanez (18; 2002-05) for the third-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in program history. His eight rushing touchdowns are the second most by a quarterback in the Big Ten behind Penn State's Trace McSorley (10). The Wildcats are 13-2 over the last three seasons when Thorson rushes for a touchdown and 16 of his 18 rushing scores have come in victories.

MACAN [PLAYS] WILSON
Senior wide receiver Macan Wilson hauled in four passes for 78 yards versus Purdue a week after a career-high 107 yards at Nebraska. Wilson has come on during the Wildcats' five-game winning streak, recording 26 of his 31 catches and 328 of 465 yards (71 percent) during the stretch.

RED ALERT: THE 'CATS ARE COMIN'
Northwestern went 5-for-6 in the red zone versus Purdue, scoring a pair of touchdowns and converting all three field goal attempts, and now ranks 13th in the country with a 92.9 percent (39-for-42) red zone efficiency. The Wildcats have converted 22 of 23 trips to the red zone during their five-game winning streak. The defense has been nearly as impressive in the red zone this season, limiting opponents to 72.9 percent (27-of-37) to rank second in the Big Ten and 11th nationally.

CHARLIE AND THE FIELD GOAL FACTORY
First-year kicker Charlie Kuhbander matched his season high with three field goals last week, setting a new program record for field goals made in a season by a first-year kicker with 12. Kuhbander has converted 12-of-14 tries in his rookie season to rank second in the Big Ten in field goal percentage (85.7) and has gone a perfect 32-for-32 on extra-point attempts to rank fourth in PAT makes. He has scored 68 points in his first year, the second-most by a NU rookie and the most by a first-year kicker in program history.

SACK LUNCH
Sophomore defensive end Trent Goens logged a career-high two sacks and three assisted tackles in the win versus Purdue. Goens joined fellow sophomore Joe Gaziano as the only Wildcat to record two sacks in a game this season. Junior defensive tackle Jordan Thompson also got to the quarterback twice, assisting on a pair of sacks to match his career high with one sack total.

NATE HALL, Y'ALL
Junior linebacker Nate Hall led the Wildcats with eight tackles versus Purdue, marking his fourth game of the season and 10th of his career with at least eight stops. Hall ranks second on the team with 67 tackles and leads the Wildcats with 11 tackles for loss. His 10 solo tackles for loss are tied for second in the Big Ten and he ranks sixth overall with 1.10 tackles for loss per game.

GOING BOWLING
Northwestern is 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

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.