Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Minnesota
GAME NOTES: ’Cats Close Road Slate at Minnesota Saturday
11/13/2018 9:09:00 AM | Football
| NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL: GAME DAY INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | BROADCAST | LIVE STATS |
| Saturday, Nov. 17 |
Minnesota | 11 a.m. | TCF Bank Stadium Minneapolis, Minn. |
TV: BTN RADIO: WGN 720 |
GopherSports.com |
| BTN: 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 Fitzgerald Press Conference | Student-Athlete Press Conference |
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EVANSTON, Ill. — The Big Ten West champion Northwestern football program will play its final road game of the season this Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium against West-Division foe Minnesota.
The No. 24 Wildcats (6-4, 6-1 Big Ten) and Golden Gophers (5-5, 2-5 Big Ten) will kickoff at 11 a.m. CT, on the Big Ten Network with Brandon Gaudin, Glen Mason and Elise Menaker. As always, fans can listen along on WGN 720 AM with the voice of the Wildcats Dave Eanet, Ted Albrecht and Adam Hoge.
BIG TEN WEST CHAMPIONS -- With a 14-10 win over No. 21 Iowa and losses by Purdue and Wisconsin, Northwestern secured its first-ever Big Ten West Division title on Saturday. The Wildcats are 6-1 in conference playing following the victory over the Hawkeyes with contests remaining this weekend at Minnesota (5-5) and versus Illinois (3-7) in the regular-season finale at Ryan Field on Nov. 24.
The Wildcats have clinched their first-ever berth in the Big Ten Championship game on December 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana and will play either No. 4 Michigan or No. 9 Ohio State.
WILD, WILD WEST -- Northwestern won its 10th-consecutive game versus a Big Ten West Division foe last week and are now 13-1 in their last 14 conference games. With the win over the Hawkeyes, the Wildcats...
...Set a program record with their seventh-consecutive road win. The 'Cats' last road loss came on Sept. 30, 2017.
...Earned their third-straight win over a ranked opponent and third-straight win over Iowa.
...Improved to 11-3 in the month of November since the start of the 2015 season.
...Earned their first ranking in the AP Top 25 this season, coming in at No. 24 in Sunday's poll.
SETTING THE STAGE -- The 'Cats will turn their attention to a Minnesota Golden Gophers squad that defeated Purdue last weekend, 41-10, to improve to 5-5 on the season. NU has shut out the Golden Gophers in two of the last three meetings, including a 39-0 victory at Ryan Field last season, but dropped 29-12 contest at TCF Bank Stadium on Nov. 19, 2016. Northwestern Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald is 6-4 all time versus Minnesota.
BOWSER THE BULLDOZER -- True first-year running back Isaiah Bowser rushed 31 times for a career-high 165 yards and his fourth touchdown of the season in the win at Iowa. Bowser's 165 rushing yards are the fourth most by a NU rookie in program history and the most Iowa has surrendered to a first-year player in Kinnick Stadium since at least 2000.
BIG TEN ROAD WARRIORS -- Chicago's Big Ten Team™ won its seventh-straight Big Ten road contest with an 14-10 victory at No. 21 Iowa. The Wildcats have allowed fewer than 20 points in four of the seven contests. NU's seven-straight road wins are the most in a program history. The 'Cats did win eight-straight conference games spanning the 1995-96 seasons, but suffered a non-conference loss during the stretch.
ALL GAZ, NO BRAKES -- Junior defensive end Joe Gaziano matched his career high with six tackles for the sixth time in his career, recorded half a sack and forced his fifth career fumble in the Wildcats' win at Iowa. Gaziano ranks sixth in program history with 18.5 career sacks, with 15.5 of those coming in Big Ten play.
A complete notes packet is available at the top of the page.
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