Champs! Wildcats Top Iowa, 14-10, to Win Big Ten West Crown

11/10/2018 6:11:00 PM | Football

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IOWA CITY, Iowa. – With a 14-10 victory over No. 21 Iowa (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) and losses by Wisconsin and Purdue, Northwestern (6-4, 6-1 Big Ten) won the Big Ten West Division title for the first time in program history at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The Wildcats became bowl eligible for the eighth time under head coach Pat Fitzgerald and improved to 6-1 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1996 while extending their road winning streak to seven games - a program best.

Senior quarterback Clayton Thorson made his 914th career completion to set a new school record at the beginning of the fourth quarter with a two-yard completion to sophomore wide receiver Riley Lees. He finished the game 15-for-30 with 122 yards and one touchdown.

First-year running back Isaiah Bowser posted his third career 100-yard game with 31 carries for a career-high 165 yards. He also had back-to-back 100-yard games against Rutgers and Wisconsin earlier this season. Junior wide receiver Bennet Skowronek caught his second touchdown of the season in the game while also posting five receptions for 45 yards.

Northwestern and Iowa would spend the majority of the first and second quarters trading scoreless possessions back-and-forth as both defenses dominated. The Hawkeyes opened the scoring with 56 seconds left in the half when, after Iowa started the drive on their own 46-yard line, Miguel Recinos converted a 46-yard field goal to complete a six-play, 26-yard scoring drive. Iowa took a 3-0 advantage into the locker room.

Sophomore defensive back Travis Whillock totaled seven tackles, including four solo, in the first half alone while senior cornerback Montre Hartage picked up five tackles and four solo. Whillock finished with a team-leading nine tackles. Sophomore linebacker Paddy Fisher totaled eight tackles, with four solo, including 0.5 tackle for loss.

Northwestern scored its first points of the day on its second possession of the third quarter. After a seven-yard rush by junior superback Cameron Green, Bowser ran the ball on back-to-back plays for eight yards and then 10, moving the 'Cats up to their own 47-yard line. After a four-yard completion by sophomore superback Trey Pugh, Bowser rushed for 34 yards down the left sideline to the endzone at 9:19 to put the Wildcats up 7-3.

On Iowa's next possession, junior defensive back Roderick Campbell knocked the ball away from Iowa's Max Cooper on third down, forcing the Hawkeyes to kick a field goal. Recinos' 38-yard kick hit off the upright though, maintaining Northwestern's four-point advantage.

On Northwestern's next possession, Thorson's pass to Skowronek was intercepted by Jake Gervase, who returned it three yards to the Northwestern 42-yard line. Two plays into Iowa's ensuing possession, Stanley competed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Ihmir Smith-Marsette at 4:27 in the third quarter to give Iowa a 10-7 lead.

The Wildcats responded on the next possession with their longest drive of the game. Bowser started the drive with three-straight carries and a nine-yard pass from Thorson to Skowronek moved the 'Cats up to their own 48-yard line. Four plays later, Thorson split Iowa's defenders and rushed for eight yards on third-down-and-seven. After a four-yard pass to Skowronek and a five-yard rush by senior running back Chad Hanaoka, the 'Cats opted to go for it on fourth-down-and-one. Bowser rushed for two yards to pick up the first down. Northwestern would pick up one more first down on what would be a 19-play drive but was unable to score.

On Northwestern's second drive of the fourth quarter, senior wide receiver Flynn Nagel returned Iowa's punt 14 yards to give the 'Cats the ball at the Hawkeyes' 46-yard line. Three plays later, Hanaoka rushed up the middle for a career-long 13-yards on third-down-and-nine to get the first down. On the next play, Skowronek made a diving 32-yard touchdown catch at 9:27 to give the Wildcats a four-point lead.

With just over six minutes left in the game, Cameron Ruiz forced Mekhi Sargent to fumble the football, giving Northwestern the ball at their own 49-yard line. On Iowa's following possession, junior defensive end Joe Gaziano forced Ivory Kelly-Martin to fumble the ball and give the 'Cats the football on the Iowa 42-yard line with under two minutes left in the game. The Wildcats would convert the following first down, securing the victory over Iowa as time expired.

Chicago's Big Ten team returns to action when it travels to Minneapolis, Minnesota to take on the Golden Gophers. The game time has not yet been announced.