Northwestern University Athletics

Saturday, November 23
Evanston, Ill.
11 a.m.

Northwestern

22
vs
38

Minnesota

Joe Gaziano Sack Record

Gaziano Breaks All-Time Sacks Record on Senior Day

11/23/2019 1:58:00 PM | Football

EVANSTON, Ill. – On a day in which Northwestern honored its 20 seniors, senior defensive end Joe Gaziano cemented his name in the Northwestern record books, becoming Northwestern's all-time career sacks leader Saturday afternoon at Ryan Field.
 
Gaziano recorded his record-breaking sack to force a safety in the second quarter, giving Northwestern its first points of the game. The record was previously held for 21 years by Casey Dailley (1994-97). Later in the first half, the Scituate, Massachusetts native added to his career total with an additional half sack, bringing his total to 29 on his career.
 
In his final game at Ryan Field, Gaziano was consistently in the Minnesota backfield, finishing the game with six total tackles, including 2.5 for a loss. Gaziano now has 46.5 career TFL's, passing Dwayne Missouri (45 from 1997-2000) for the second-most in program history. Additionally, Gaziano recorded two pass breakups, his second-straight game in which he has notched multiple passes defensed.
 
Also chipping in on the defensive end was junior linebacker Blake Gallagher, who recorded an interception in the final minute of the first half. Gallagher is the first Wildcat to have an interception in three-straight games since Ibraheim Campbell did so in five games from the end of the 2012 season into the start of the 2013 season.
 
Northwestern ultimately fell to No. 10 Minnesota, 38-22, in the final home game of the season for the Wildcats.
 
After entering the game in the second quarter, sophomore quarterback Andrew Marty finished with 147 yards of total offense, 52 of which came on the ground.
 
In the second quarter, Marty connected with sophomore wide receiver Jace James for his first-career touchdown pass on a nine-yard strike. Marty found the end zone once again in the third quarter on a two-yard touchdown run, the first rushing touchdown of his career.

Marty found the end zone for his second rushing touchdown of the game with two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Marty is the first Wildcat quarterback to score three total touchdowns in a game since Clayton Thorson (vs. Illinois, 2018).
 
Juniors linebacker Chris Bergin led the Wildcat defense with seven total tackles, while juniors Paddy Fisher and Travis Whillock both chipped in with six tackles of their own.

Northwestern will be back in action next weekend when they travel down state to Champaign, Ill. for the Wildcats' season finale vs. Illinois. Northwestern has claimed the Land of Lincoln Trophy in each of its last fourth matchups against the Illini, outscoring their in-state rivals by a combined score of 132-58 in those four games. Kick-off is slated for 11 a.m. CT.

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