Northwestern University Athletics

#16 Northwestern 24, Illinois 14 • Postgame Notes

#16 Northwestern 24, Illinois 14 • Postgame Notes
Northwestern Postgame Notes
#16 Northwestern at Illinois • November 28, 2015
Soldier FIeld • Chicago, Ill.
Attendance: 33,514

Northwestern Team Notes
  • Northwestern won the 109th meeting in program history against its in-state foe Illinois to improve to 49-55-5 in the all-time series.
    • The Wildcats reclaimed the Land of Lincoln Trophy with the 24-14 victory. The ‘Cats have claimed the trophy four times since its inception in 2009.
       
  • With the win, the Wildcats have won 10 games in the regular season for the first time since 1995. This marks just the fourth time in program history the ‘Cats have won 10 games in a season.
    • Northwestern has never won 11 games in a season. A win in the bowl game would mark the first time in program history.
    • NU finished the month of November with a perfect 4-0 record, marking the first perfect November since the 1995 season.
    • The 6-2 finish in Big Ten play is the best since the ‘Cats went 6-2 in 2000 under Randy Walker to claim a share of the Big Ten Championship.
       
  • Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald improved to 70-55 as the head coach of the Wildcats and 36-44 in Big Ten play.
    • Fitzgerald has guided the Wildcats to a pair of their four 10-win seasons (2012: 10-3; 2015: 10-2) and played on a third (1995: 10-2).
       
  • Illinois entered the game averaging 377.5 yards per game and 23.5 points per game and were held to 319 yards of total offense and 14 points. The Wildcats held opponents below their season average in total offense or scoring offense in each of their 10 regular-season victories.
     
  • NU held a 204-to-78 advantage on the ground, improving to 10-0 this season and 53-16 under head coach Pat Fitzgerald when out-rushing its opponent.
     
  • For the first time this season, the turnover battle was even between Northwestern and its opponent. The Wildcats are 15-10 now under Fitzgerald when turnovers are equal. 
Individual Notes
  • SB Dan Vitale’s 19-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter was his fourth of the season and 11th of his career, tying him for 10th in program history.
     
  • With his first tackle of the game, LB Anthony Walker Jr. hit the 100-tackle mark on the season. Walker finished the game with 14 tackles and now has 113 this season.
    • Saturday marked the sixth game this season that Walker finished with 10 or more tackles.
    • Walker also had 3.5 tackles for loss and now has 19.5 this season, marking the third most in NU single-season history.
       
  • RB Warren Long scampered in from three yards out in the first quarter for his fifth rushing touchdown of the season, tying him with QB Clayton Thorson for the team lead.
     
  • RB Justin Jackson surpassed his freshman mark of 1,187 rushing yards in the first quarter.
    • The sophomore carried the ball a career-high 37 times for 172 yards and a touchdown. His 1,344 yards rushing are the eighth most in Northwestern single-season history.
    • Jackson scored from three yards out in the second quarter for his fourth rushing touchdown of the season and the 14th of his career.
    • Jackson now has 2,531 career rushing yards, moving past Greg Boykin (1972-76; 2,465 yards) and Noah Herron (2001-04; 2,524 yards) into sixth in Northwestern history.
    • Jackson totaled 1,289 yards (128.9) in the Wildcats’ 10 victories compared to 27.5 yards per game in their two losses.
       
  • DE Ifeadi Odenigbo recorded his fourth sack of the season to end the first half and is now tied with teammate Dean Lowry for eighth in program history with 12.5 career sacks.
     
  • CB Nick VanHoose and CB Matthew Harris each broke up their 12th passes of the season, tying the seventh-best mark in a single season at NU.
    • Harris intercepted his fourth pass of the season and sixth of his career in the fourth quarter.
       
  • LB Nate Hall matched his career high with 10 tackles and now has had at least eight tackles in each of the last four games.
     
  • WR Austin Carr set a new career high with three receptions and matched his career high with 61 receiving yards. Carr’s 48-yard reception in the first quarter was the longest by a Northwestern wide receiver this season.
     
  • WR Miles Shuler’s 39-yard reception in the second quarter was the longest of his career.
     
  • QB Clayton Thorson completed 12 of 25 passes for 146 yards and his seventh passing touchdown of the season while improving to 10-2 as a starter. Thorson is the first freshman quarterback to win ten games in a season for Northwestern.