Northwestern University Athletics

#17 Iowa 40, #20 Northwestern 10 • Postgame Notes

Kyle Kelley

NORTHWESTERN POSTGAME NOTES

#20/21 Northwestern vs. #17/17 Iowa  • October 17, 2015
Ryan Field • Evanston, Ill.
Attendance:  44,135
 
Team Notes
  • Northwestern suffered its second-straight loss after starting the 2015 campaign with five consecutive wins. A sixth victory at Nebraska next week would secure that the Wildcats are bowl eligible for the sixth time under head coach Pat Fitzgerald.
     
  • The Wildcats fell to 23-49-2 all time versus Iowa with the 40-10 loss.
     
  • Northwestern gave up a season-high 492 yards of total offense to the Hawkeyes, including a season-high 294 yards rushing. The Wildcats entered the game ranked ninth in the country in total defense (269.5) and 36th in rushing defense (131.3).
     
  • Iowa’s Akrum Wadley (204 rushing yards) became the first player to rush for 200 yards against the Wildcats since Melvin Gordon (259) on October 4, 2014. 
Individual Notes
 
  • LB Jaylen Prater finished with a career-high 11 tackles (5 solo/6 assists), including his first sack of the season for a loss of 10 yards.
     
  • DB Keith Watkins II also finished with a career-high in tackles, tallying nine (8 solo/1 assist) in his first career start. Watkins filled the role of injury DB Matthew Harris.
     
  • S Traveon Henry recorded his first interception of the season and returned it 20 yards in the second quarter. The interception was the second of Henry’s career.
     
  • DB Terrance Brown finished with a career-high 4 tackles (1 solo/3 assists).
     
  • After 11-straight incompletions in the first half, QB Clayton Thorson completed 10 consecutive passes between the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Thorson attempted a season-high 35 passes, finishing 17-for-35 for 125 yards and his fifth passing touchdown of the season.
     
  • WR Mike McHugh had two receptions for a career-high 43 yards, including a career-long 34-yard catch.
     
  • RB Justin Jackson finished the game with a career-high five receptions.
     
  • WR Garrett Kidd and WR Stephen Buckley each hauled in their first receptions of the season.
     
  • P Hunter Niswander boomed a career-long 53 yard punt in the first quarter.