'Cats Open Campaign with B1G Victory at Purdue

8/30/2018 11:24:00 PM | Football

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By: Running Back Jeremy Larkin Posts Career Night

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Sophomore Jeremy Larkin scored two touchdowns and rushed for a career-high 143 yards to lead Northwestern (1-0, 1-0 B1G) to a 31-27 season-opening victory over Purdue (0-1, 0-1 B1G) under the lights at Ross-Ade Stadium on Thursday night.

The victory marks the program's ninth straight win dating back to the 2017 campaign. It is NU's longest win streak since the 1995 season.

The Wildcats capitalized on turnovers in the first half of the game as they scored 21 of their 31 first-half points off interceptions.

Senior quarterback Clayton Thorson finished the game 16-of-26 with 172 yards passing and classmate Flynn Nagel led the team with 58 yards receiving. Fellow quarterback TJ Green went 7-for-11 on the evening for 63 yards through the air.

On the defensive side of the ball, senior Nate Hall had a team-leading 10 tackles, including one tackle for loss and one interception on the night.

On the opening drive, sophomore JR Pace intercepted Purdue quarterback Elijah Sindelar's pass at the Northwestern 10-yard line. Pace returned the ball 26 yards to set the Wildcats up on their own 36. Larkin capped the ensuing drive by rushing for a one-yard touchdown on third down at 7:58 in the first quarter to put the 'Cats up early, 7-0.

On NU's next possession, Larkin kept the momentum going with a 46-yard run that put the Wildcats on the Purdue 13-yard line. Three plays later, junior John Moten IV rushed for a two-yard touchdown with 5:34 to go in the first to increase Northwestern's lead to 14-0.

Purdue responded quickly when Sindelar converted a 32-yard touchdown pass to Rondale Moore at 4:20 to cap off a 60-yard drive and pull the Boilermakers within seven. With 1:20 to go in the first quarter, Moore rushed for a 76-yard touchdown to tie the score at 14 apiece.

Green completed an 18-yard pass to Moten IV to set the Wildcats up on the Purdue 17-yard line to open the second quarter. Three plays later, sophomore Charlie Kuhbander converted a 34-yard yard field goal with 13:37 left to play in the half to pull Northwestern ahead by three, 17-14.

On Purdue's next possession, Hall picked up the second Northwestern interception of the night when he snagged Sindelar's throw to give the Wildcats the ball on their own 45-yard line. Thorson completed back-to-back passes to junior Bennett Skowronek for 40 yards and sophomore Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman for another 14 to put the 'Cats on the Purdue one-yard line. Green scored his first-career touchdown with a one-yard run at 7:06 to make it 24-14.

The Boilermakers answered when Spencer Evans converted a 38-yard field goal with 3:22 left in the second to pull the Boilermakers within seven.

Montre Hartage collected Northwestern's third interception of the contest when he grabbed Sindelar's pass at the Purdue 47-yard line and returned it 17 yards. After four rushes by Larkin, the sophomore ran for a four-yard touchdown with 37 seconds left to give the Wildcats a 31-17 lead heading into the locker room.

On its first possession of the second half, D.J. Knox ran 45 yards to the Northwestern 26-yard line. He finished the six-play drive with a two-yard touchdown run to bring the hosts within a touchdown. The Boilermakers closed out the third quarter with a 76-yard drive and Evans converted a 27-yard field goal four seconds into the final quarter to make it a four point game.

The #B1GCats went for it on fourth down with less than four minutes to play in the game and Green rushed for two yards to secure the first down, allowing Northwestern to maintain possession for the remainder of the game.

Chicago's Big Ten team will be back in action for its home opener against Duke on Saturday, September 8, at 11 a.m. CT. Tickets are available at NUsports.com or by calling 888-GO-PURPLE.

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