Saturday, November 4
Lincoln, Neb.
2:30 p.m.
Northwestern
6-3 , 4-2
31
at
24
Nebraska
4-5 , 3-3
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
OT
F
Northwestern
7
10
0
7
7
31
Nebraska
7
7
10
0
0
24
‘Cats Do It Again, Extend Winning Streak with Overtime Win
11/4/2017 6:16:00 PM | Football
LINCOLN, Neb. – Northwestern became the first FBS program in history to win three consecutive overtime games after topping Nebraska, 31-24, in overtime at Memorial Stadium Saturday afternoon.
The win was Northwestern's fourth straight and sixth overall, making the Wildcats bowl eligible for the 14th time in program history.
One week after becoming the fifth running back in Big Ten history to reach 1,000 career rushing attempts, senior Justin Jackson continued to solidify his name in the conference record books as he passed Lorenzo White for seventh in Big Ten history with 4,927 career rushing yards. Jackson also become Northwestern's all-time leader in career touchdowns by finding the end zone for the 39th time in his career.
After forcing a three and out to start the game, the #B1GCats offense wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. The Wildcats marched 59 yards in 10 plays, capping the drive off with a 17-yard touchdown run by Jackson to make the score 7-0. Thorson completed all four of his pass attempts to four different receivers during the drive, while Jackson carried the ball five times for 37 yards, including his touchdown run that put him atop the Northwestern record book.
On the following drive, the Wildcats' defense came up with a turnover when senior Kyle Queiro jumped in front of a Tanner Lee pass. The interception was Queiro's second of the season and fifth of his career. However, Lee and the Cornhuskers answered on the next drive with a 22-yard pass to Bryan Reimers to tie the score at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Northwestern took over on its own 37-yard line and found the end zone just four plays later. On the first play of the drive, Thorson connected with Macan Wilson for a 28-yard gain to move the 'Cats into Nebraska territory. Three plays later, redshirt first-year Jeremy Larkin busted off a 24-yard run, the longest of his career, for a touchdown to put the Wildcats back up 14-7.
But Nebraska answered on the next drive with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Lee to Jack Stoll to tie the score 14-14.
With 4:34 remaining in the first half, the Wildcats took over on their own 13-yard line looking to head into halftime with a lead. Led by Thorson, the 'Cats drove 80 yards down the field and capped the drive off with a 24-yard field goal by first-year Charlie Kuhbander to put Northwestern back on top 17-14. The field goal was set up thanks to an acrobatic 42-yard reception by Wilson earlier in the drive to move Northwestern into Nebraska territory. The field goal by Kuhbander marks his ninth of the season, trailing only Ira Adler with 11 for most made field goals as a first year.
The Cornhuskers were driving on the ensuing possession but were halted when Queiro came down with an interception to send Northwestern into halftime with a 17-14 lead. The interception was the second of the game for Queiro and marks the first multi-interception game by a Wildcat defender since Montre Hartage recorded two interceptions against Purdue in 2016.
Early in the second half, Nebraska took a 21-17 lead as the result of a 49-yard interception return by Marcus Newby. Later in the quarter, the Cornhuskers added a 23-yard field goal to extend their lead to 24-17.
The Wildcats received a huge momentum shift to start the fourth quarter when senior Godwin Igwebuike came down with massive interception to halt a Nebraska drive. The interception was second of the season for Igwebuike and the seventh of the senior's career.
Following the interception, Northwestern took over on their own 16 yard line and proceeded to drive 84 yards in 13 plays before finishing the drive off with a 7-yard run by Thorson to tie the score 24-24.
Northwestern got the ball back on its own nine-yard line with 0:45 seconds remaining. The #B1GCats drove to Nebraska's 42 yard line with time remaining on the clock for one final play. Thorson heaved a ball to the end zone as time expired, but the pass fell incomplete and the game went to overtime tied at 24-24.
Northwestern began the overtime period on offense. Larkin took back-to-back handoffs for gains of 12 and six, respectively, to get the Wildcats inside Nebraska's 10 yard line.The Huskers' defense held strong and forced a 4th and 1 on the goal line. Coach Fitzgerald decided to go for it on 4th down and the called paid off as Thorson crossed into the end zone on a quarterback keeper to put the Wildcats in front 31-24.
Nebraska opened up its offensive drive in overtime with an incompletion, before Samdup Miller came up with a 10-yard sack on 2nd down to force the Huskers into a 3rd-and-long. The sack was Miller's fourth of the season. Lee found Speilman for an eight-yard gain on 3rd down and then an incompletion on the following play gave Northwestern the road victory, 31-24.
The Wildcats return to Ryan Field on Saturday, Nov. 11, to host Purdue at 6 p.m. CT.
The win was Northwestern's fourth straight and sixth overall, making the Wildcats bowl eligible for the 14th time in program history.
One week after becoming the fifth running back in Big Ten history to reach 1,000 career rushing attempts, senior Justin Jackson continued to solidify his name in the conference record books as he passed Lorenzo White for seventh in Big Ten history with 4,927 career rushing yards. Jackson also become Northwestern's all-time leader in career touchdowns by finding the end zone for the 39th time in his career.
After forcing a three and out to start the game, the #B1GCats offense wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. The Wildcats marched 59 yards in 10 plays, capping the drive off with a 17-yard touchdown run by Jackson to make the score 7-0. Thorson completed all four of his pass attempts to four different receivers during the drive, while Jackson carried the ball five times for 37 yards, including his touchdown run that put him atop the Northwestern record book.
On the following drive, the Wildcats' defense came up with a turnover when senior Kyle Queiro jumped in front of a Tanner Lee pass. The interception was Queiro's second of the season and fifth of his career. However, Lee and the Cornhuskers answered on the next drive with a 22-yard pass to Bryan Reimers to tie the score at 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, Northwestern took over on its own 37-yard line and found the end zone just four plays later. On the first play of the drive, Thorson connected with Macan Wilson for a 28-yard gain to move the 'Cats into Nebraska territory. Three plays later, redshirt first-year Jeremy Larkin busted off a 24-yard run, the longest of his career, for a touchdown to put the Wildcats back up 14-7.
But Nebraska answered on the next drive with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Lee to Jack Stoll to tie the score 14-14.
With 4:34 remaining in the first half, the Wildcats took over on their own 13-yard line looking to head into halftime with a lead. Led by Thorson, the 'Cats drove 80 yards down the field and capped the drive off with a 24-yard field goal by first-year Charlie Kuhbander to put Northwestern back on top 17-14. The field goal was set up thanks to an acrobatic 42-yard reception by Wilson earlier in the drive to move Northwestern into Nebraska territory. The field goal by Kuhbander marks his ninth of the season, trailing only Ira Adler with 11 for most made field goals as a first year.
The Cornhuskers were driving on the ensuing possession but were halted when Queiro came down with an interception to send Northwestern into halftime with a 17-14 lead. The interception was the second of the game for Queiro and marks the first multi-interception game by a Wildcat defender since Montre Hartage recorded two interceptions against Purdue in 2016.
Early in the second half, Nebraska took a 21-17 lead as the result of a 49-yard interception return by Marcus Newby. Later in the quarter, the Cornhuskers added a 23-yard field goal to extend their lead to 24-17.
The Wildcats received a huge momentum shift to start the fourth quarter when senior Godwin Igwebuike came down with massive interception to halt a Nebraska drive. The interception was second of the season for Igwebuike and the seventh of the senior's career.
Following the interception, Northwestern took over on their own 16 yard line and proceeded to drive 84 yards in 13 plays before finishing the drive off with a 7-yard run by Thorson to tie the score 24-24.
Northwestern got the ball back on its own nine-yard line with 0:45 seconds remaining. The #B1GCats drove to Nebraska's 42 yard line with time remaining on the clock for one final play. Thorson heaved a ball to the end zone as time expired, but the pass fell incomplete and the game went to overtime tied at 24-24.
Northwestern began the overtime period on offense. Larkin took back-to-back handoffs for gains of 12 and six, respectively, to get the Wildcats inside Nebraska's 10 yard line.The Huskers' defense held strong and forced a 4th and 1 on the goal line. Coach Fitzgerald decided to go for it on 4th down and the called paid off as Thorson crossed into the end zone on a quarterback keeper to put the Wildcats in front 31-24.
Nebraska opened up its offensive drive in overtime with an incompletion, before Samdup Miller came up with a 10-yard sack on 2nd down to force the Huskers into a 3rd-and-long. The sack was Miller's fourth of the season. Lee found Speilman for an eight-yard gain on 3rd down and then an incompletion on the following play gave Northwestern the road victory, 31-24.
The Wildcats return to Ryan Field on Saturday, Nov. 11, to host Purdue at 6 p.m. CT.
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Team Stats
NU
NEB
Total Yards
475
337
Pass Yards
243
225
Rushing Yards
232
112
Penalty Yards
65
68
1st Downs
26
21
3rd Downs
1
5
4th Downs
3
2
TOP
28:20
31:40
1st Quarter
NU 7, NEB 0
NU - Jackson, Justin 17 yd run (Kuhbander, C. kick), 10 plays, 59 yards, TOP 4:18
NU 7, NEB 7
NEB - Bryan Reimers 22 yd pass from Tanner Lee (Drew Brown kick) 10 plays, 61 yards, TOP 5:21
2nd Quarter
NU 14, NEB 7
NU - Larkin, Jeremy 24 yd run (Kuhbander, C. kick), 4 plays, 63 yards, TOP 1:18
NU 14, NEB 14
NEB - Jack Stoll 32 yd pass from Tanner Lee (Drew Brown kick) 2 plays, 72 yards, TOP 0:40
NU 17, NEB 14
NU - Kuhbander, C. 24 yd field goal 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:22
3rd Quarter
NU 17, NEB 21
NEB - Marcus Newby 49 yd interception (Drew Brown kick)
NU 17, NEB 24
NEB - Drew Brown 23 yd field goal 18 plays, 79 yards, TOP 9:24
4th Quarter
NU 24, NEB 24
NU - Thorson, C. 7 yd run (Kuhbander, C. kick), 13 plays, 84 yards, TOP 5:03
OT Quarter
NU 31, NEB 24
NU - Thorson, C. 1 yd run (Kuhbander, C. kick), 7 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
Game Leaders
CMP
19
TD
0
YDS
243
INT
2
Players Mentioned
CB
/ Football
S
/ Football
RB
/ Football
K/P
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
S
/ Football
WR
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