Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
Iowa
GAME NOTES: Quest for the West Continues Saturday at Iowa
11/5/2018 10:32:00 AM | Football
| NORTHWESTERN FOOTBALL: GAME DAY INFORMATION | |||||
| DATE | OPPONENT | TIME | LOCATION | BROADCAST | LIVE STATS |
| Saturday, Nov. 10 |
Iowa | 2:30 p.m. | Kinnick Stadium Iowa City, Iowa |
TV: FOX RADIO: WGN 720 |
HawkeyesSports.com |
| FOX: Joe Davis (play-by-play), Brady Quinn (analyst) and Bruce Feldman (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 | Iowa | Big Ten Fitzgerald Press Conference | Student-Athlete Press Conference |
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EVANSTON, Ill. — The Big Ten West leading Northwestern Wildcats (5-4, 5-1 Big Ten) will travel to Iowa City this weekend to take on the Iowa Hawkeyes as they continue their 'Quest for the West.'
The Wildcats have won four of their last five and enter the contest on a six-game road wining streak. The Hawkeyes have lost two in a row, but are 4-1 inside Kinnick Stadium this season.
QUEST FOR THE WEST -- The Wildcats are seeking their first Big Ten West division title in program history and lead the pack thanks to a perfect 3-0 record versus division foes this season. The 'Cats have won nine-straight versus West Division foes and are 12-1 in their last 13 Big Ten contests dating back to last season. Chicago's Big Ten Team can clinch the division Saturday with a win at Iowa and losses by Wisconsin and Purdue or by going 2-1 in its last three games of the regular season.
REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS -- Senior quarterback Clayton Thorson is on the precipice of setting a trio of Northwestern career passing records. Thorson needs just 13 completions, 31 attempts and 820 passing yards to pass Brett Basanez (2002-05) in all three categories. The Wheaton, Illinois, native has completed 901 of 1,554 passes for 9,761 yards and 55 touchdowns in his career. He is already the program's all-time leader in passing touchdowns.
NO DIRTY LAUNDRY -- Northwestern had zero penalties in its matchup versus No. 3 Notre Dame last Saturday. The Wildcats are the least penalized team in the country with just 26 penalties and 245 penalty yards through nine games. The 'Cats have committed seven fewer penalties and have 30 less penalty yards than Navy, who ranks second in both categories.
BOWSER'S CASTLE -- First-year running back Isaiah Bowser had 23 carries for 93 yards versus No. 3 Notre Dame last week, eclipsing the 90-yard mark for the third-straight game. Bowser, who earned his first career start versus the Irish, has carried the ball 81 times over the last three games, marking the third most in the country and the second most among Power-5 running backs during the stretch. His 318 rushing yards over the last three games are the third most among FBS rookie running backs and his 64.0 yards per game this season are the seventh most among Power-5 first-year backs. He is just one of four Big Ten running backs to rush for 100 yards and two touchdowns in a game this season after accomplishing the feat at Rutgers on Oct. 20.
LOCKED IN -- Sophomore safety Travis Whillock became the eighth Wildcat to record double-digit tackles in a game this season with his career-high 10 stops versus No. 3 Notre Dame. Whillock, who battled injuries his first two years on campus, set career highs in solo stops (5), assisted tackles (5), pass breakups (1) and tackles for loss (1).
SOMETHING IN THE NUMBER -- Sophomore linebacker Blake Gallagher, who wears the same No. 51 made famous by head coach Pat Fitzgerald, recorded eight tackles versus Notre Dame to mark his seventh game with at least eight stops this season. Gallagher leads Northwestern with 86 tackles total and is second in the Big Ten with 9.2 tackles per game. He ranks fourth in the conference with 5.1 solo tackles per game and his five double-digit tackle performances are tied for the most in the league.
A complete notes packet is available at the top of the page.
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