Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, November 18
Evanston, Ill.
11 a.m.
Northwestern
8-3 , 6-2
39
vs
0
Minnesota
5-6 , 2-6
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northwestern | 0 | 25 | 7 | 7 | 39 |
Six in a Row: #B1GCats Blank Gophers on Senior Day
11/18/2017 1:39:00 PM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. -- No. 23 Northwestern (8-3, 6-2 in Big Ten) extended its winning streak to six games, its first since 1996, with a dominating, 39-0, win over Minnesota (5-6, 2-6 in Big Ten) at Ryan Field on Saturday.
On Senior Day at Ryan Field, Northwestern's senior class left its mark on program history as the Wildcats recorded their 25th win over the last three years, the most in a stretch that long since 1903-1905.
Playing his final game at Ryan Field, senior running back Justin Jackson continued to cement his name in the record books as he became just the sixth player in Big Ten history to reach 5,000 rushing yards in his career. Jackson finished the game with 166 rushing yards on 33 carries, bringing his total to 1,010 yards on the season. With that feat, Jackson joins Ron Dayne as the only other Big Ten player to rush for 1,000 yards in four straight seasons. Jackson also passed Mike Hart for fifth all-time in career rushing yards and needs just two yards next week to pass Montee Ball for fourth place.
Junior Clayton Thorson didn't throw the ball often, but was incredibly efficient when doing so as he finished the day completing 9-of-13 passes for 86 yards and three touchdowns. His leading target was senior Garrett Dickerson, who caught two passes for 26 yards, both of which were for touchdowns.
The #B1GCats' defense turned in its best performance of the season as they finished with a season-high six sacks and five turnovers en route to their first shutout since 2015. Junior linebacker Nate Hall led the Wildcats' defense with seven total tackles, a career-high 2.5 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and three tackles for loss. Redshirt-first year linebacker Paddy Fisher finished with five total tackles on the day to bring his total to 100 tackles on the season.
On the Wildcats' second drive of the game, Jackson eclipsed the 5,000 rushing yards mark in his career with a season-long 41-yard rush to move the Wildcats out of their own territory. One week after being held to just 46 rushing yards against Purdue, Jackson carried the ball 10 times for 76 yards in the first quarter, his most in a quarter this season.
Hall had two crucial third-down sacks on each of the Wildcats' first two defensive possessions to force Minnesota punts, marking his first multi-sack game of his career. Hall is the third Wildcat this season to record a pair of sacks in a game, joining Joe Gaziano and Trent Goens.
As a unit, the Northwestern defense held Minnesota to just two first downs, 58 total yards and no points in the first quarter. That marks the second consecutive game and the third time this season NU has held an opponent scoreless in the first quarter.
The #B1GCats' offense wasted no time finding the end zone to begin the second quarter. The Wildcats capped off a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run by redshirt first-year running back Jeremy Larkin, his fourth of the season, to give the Wildcats' a 7-0 lead.
Two plays into the following drive, the Northwestern defense came up with a big turnover when junior Ben Oxley forced his first career fumble that was recovered on the Minnesota 36-yard line by cornerback Montre Hartage.
Northwestern's offense capitalized on the good field position as Thorson connected with Dickerson for an eight-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats up 13-0.
Late in the first half, Hartage registered his second turnover of the game when he jumped in front of a Demry Croft pass and came down with an interception, marking his second interception of the season and seventh of his career.
Two plays after the interception, junior wide receiver Jelani Roberts scored his first career touchdown with a 12-yard run to give the 'Cats a 19-0 lead.
The Wildcats' offense kept their feet on the gas pedal on their final drive of the first half, driving 51 yards in seven plays and finishing the drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Thorson to Dickerson to extend the Wildcats' lead to 25-0 heading into halftime. The score marked the duo's second touchdown connection of the game and the first multi-touchdown game of Dickerson's career.
Northwestern dominated the second quarter in every facet as the Wildcats' defense held Minnesota to just 30 yards in the quarter and no first downs. The #B1GCats stepped up their play on third downs as they held Minnesota 0-of-5 on third down conversions in the first half. This is the second consecutive game NU has held an opponent scoreless in the first half, which has not happened since 2012.
The Wildcats' defense forced their third turnover of the game with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter when senior Kyle Queiro came down with an interception, his fourth this season and seventh of his career. A 36-yard return following the interception gave Northwestern the ball on the Gophers' 33-yard line.
Three plays later, Thorson threw for his third passing touchdown of the game when he connected with sophomore Bennett Skowronek for a 13-yard touchdown, his fifth receiving touchdown of the season.
Nate Hall continued his stellar play on the defensive side of the ball as he registered two more turnovers for the #B1GCats in the second half, intercepting Croft in the third quarter and recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats five turnovers on the day.
Corey Acker scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter with a 24-yard rush, the only play in that scoring drive, to extend the Northwestern lead to 39-0. Acker was the seventh Wildcat to score a rushing touchdown this season, the most since 2011.
Northwestern's last shutout also came against Minnesota in 2015, when the Gophers last traveled to Ryan Field. The last time Northwestern shutout an opponent in back-to-back home games was when they blanked Minnesota in 1933 and 1936.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will be back in action looking to extend their winning streak to seven games next weekend, November 25, when they travel to Champaign to take on Illinois.
On Senior Day at Ryan Field, Northwestern's senior class left its mark on program history as the Wildcats recorded their 25th win over the last three years, the most in a stretch that long since 1903-1905.
Playing his final game at Ryan Field, senior running back Justin Jackson continued to cement his name in the record books as he became just the sixth player in Big Ten history to reach 5,000 rushing yards in his career. Jackson finished the game with 166 rushing yards on 33 carries, bringing his total to 1,010 yards on the season. With that feat, Jackson joins Ron Dayne as the only other Big Ten player to rush for 1,000 yards in four straight seasons. Jackson also passed Mike Hart for fifth all-time in career rushing yards and needs just two yards next week to pass Montee Ball for fourth place.
Junior Clayton Thorson didn't throw the ball often, but was incredibly efficient when doing so as he finished the day completing 9-of-13 passes for 86 yards and three touchdowns. His leading target was senior Garrett Dickerson, who caught two passes for 26 yards, both of which were for touchdowns.
The #B1GCats' defense turned in its best performance of the season as they finished with a season-high six sacks and five turnovers en route to their first shutout since 2015. Junior linebacker Nate Hall led the Wildcats' defense with seven total tackles, a career-high 2.5 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and three tackles for loss. Redshirt-first year linebacker Paddy Fisher finished with five total tackles on the day to bring his total to 100 tackles on the season.
On the Wildcats' second drive of the game, Jackson eclipsed the 5,000 rushing yards mark in his career with a season-long 41-yard rush to move the Wildcats out of their own territory. One week after being held to just 46 rushing yards against Purdue, Jackson carried the ball 10 times for 76 yards in the first quarter, his most in a quarter this season.
Hall had two crucial third-down sacks on each of the Wildcats' first two defensive possessions to force Minnesota punts, marking his first multi-sack game of his career. Hall is the third Wildcat this season to record a pair of sacks in a game, joining Joe Gaziano and Trent Goens.
As a unit, the Northwestern defense held Minnesota to just two first downs, 58 total yards and no points in the first quarter. That marks the second consecutive game and the third time this season NU has held an opponent scoreless in the first quarter.
The #B1GCats' offense wasted no time finding the end zone to begin the second quarter. The Wildcats capped off a 12-play, 80-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run by redshirt first-year running back Jeremy Larkin, his fourth of the season, to give the Wildcats' a 7-0 lead.
Two plays into the following drive, the Northwestern defense came up with a big turnover when junior Ben Oxley forced his first career fumble that was recovered on the Minnesota 36-yard line by cornerback Montre Hartage.
Northwestern's offense capitalized on the good field position as Thorson connected with Dickerson for an eight-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats up 13-0.
Late in the first half, Hartage registered his second turnover of the game when he jumped in front of a Demry Croft pass and came down with an interception, marking his second interception of the season and seventh of his career.
Two plays after the interception, junior wide receiver Jelani Roberts scored his first career touchdown with a 12-yard run to give the 'Cats a 19-0 lead.
The Wildcats' offense kept their feet on the gas pedal on their final drive of the first half, driving 51 yards in seven plays and finishing the drive with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Thorson to Dickerson to extend the Wildcats' lead to 25-0 heading into halftime. The score marked the duo's second touchdown connection of the game and the first multi-touchdown game of Dickerson's career.
Northwestern dominated the second quarter in every facet as the Wildcats' defense held Minnesota to just 30 yards in the quarter and no first downs. The #B1GCats stepped up their play on third downs as they held Minnesota 0-of-5 on third down conversions in the first half. This is the second consecutive game NU has held an opponent scoreless in the first half, which has not happened since 2012.
The Wildcats' defense forced their third turnover of the game with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter when senior Kyle Queiro came down with an interception, his fourth this season and seventh of his career. A 36-yard return following the interception gave Northwestern the ball on the Gophers' 33-yard line.
Three plays later, Thorson threw for his third passing touchdown of the game when he connected with sophomore Bennett Skowronek for a 13-yard touchdown, his fifth receiving touchdown of the season.
Nate Hall continued his stellar play on the defensive side of the ball as he registered two more turnovers for the #B1GCats in the second half, intercepting Croft in the third quarter and recovering a fumble in the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats five turnovers on the day.
Corey Acker scored his first career touchdown in the fourth quarter with a 24-yard rush, the only play in that scoring drive, to extend the Northwestern lead to 39-0. Acker was the seventh Wildcat to score a rushing touchdown this season, the most since 2011.
Northwestern's last shutout also came against Minnesota in 2015, when the Gophers last traveled to Ryan Field. The last time Northwestern shutout an opponent in back-to-back home games was when they blanked Minnesota in 1933 and 1936.
Chicago's Big Ten Team will be back in action looking to extend their winning streak to seven games next weekend, November 25, when they travel to Champaign to take on Illinois.
••••••
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Team Stats
MINN
NU
Total Yards
182
363
Pass Yards
43
86
Rushing Yards
139
277
Penalty Yards
18
30
1st Downs
7
22
3rd Downs
1
6
4th Downs
0
1
TOP
25:54
34:06
2nd Quarter
MINN 0, NU 7
NU - Larkin, Jeremy 5 yd run (Kuhbander, C. kick), 12 plays, 80 yards, TOP 5:28
MINN 0, NU 13
NU - Dickerson, G. 8 yd pass from Thorson, C. (Kuhbander, C. kickblocked) 8 plays, 36 yards, TOP 3:25
MINN 0, NU 19
NU - Roberts, Jelani 12 yd run (Thorson, C. passfailed), 2 plays, 15 yards, TOP 0:37
MINN 0, NU 25
NU - Dickerson, G. 18 yd pass from Thorson, C. (Thorson, C. passfailed) 7 plays, 51 yards, TOP 2:08
3rd Quarter
MINN 0, NU 32
NU - Skowronek, B. 13 yd pass from Thorson, C. (Kuhbander, C. kick) 3 plays, 27 yards, TOP 1:15
4th Quarter
MINN 0, NU 39
NU - Acker, Corey 24 yd run (Redd, Makay kick), 1 plays, 24 yards, TOP 0:07
Game Leaders
CMP
9
TD
3
YDS
86
INT
0
Players Mentioned
RB
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SB
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LB
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DL
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DL
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LB
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CB
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RB
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RB
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DL
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S
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WR
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WR
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