Coach Pat Fitzgerald walked into the Nicolet Football Center after Saturday’s 27-10 win over Illinois holding the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk trophy.

The 63-year old trophy will stay in Evanston for good. Northwestern’s senior class made sure of it.

Continue reading »

A season ago, C.J. Bachér and the Northwestern offense put up 97 points in back-to-back wins against Michigan State and Minnesota on the way to a standout season. The Wildcats have spent most of this year struggling to recapture that spark.

Led by a quartet of seniors, the offense finally clicked against Illinois.

Bachér and wide receivers Eric Peterman, Ross Lane, and Rasheed Ward led a rejuvenated NU attack that dictated the tempo of the game from start to finish, powering the Cats to an easy 27-10 victory.

The offense put up its second-highest point total of the year in a Big Ten game in its final regular-season contest. Afterwards, Lane said the unit was gelling at the best possible time.

“People always say you want to play your best football at the end of the season,” he said. “Tonight we played a really good game.”

From the outset, NU (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) wore down the Illini defense with a patient game plan and a slow but steady passing attack. Bachér led the offense deep into Illinois territory on its first three drives, coming away with two touchdowns and staking the Cats to a 13-0 lead.

The key to NU’s success was its willingness to stick with what Bachér called a “dinking and dunking” philosophy. While the senior signal-caller passed for 162 yards in the first half, he completed just one pass for more than 20 yards, a 22-yard strike off his back foot to Peterman. The rest of Bachér’s completions were underneath the Illinois secondary, as the Cats moved steadily up the field a few yards at a time.

Bachér credited offensive coordinator Mick McCall’s scheme for the early scores.

“We had a great game plan going in,” Bachér said. “I know that the offense really bought into it, and we stuck to it the entire game.”

While running back Stephen Simmons had his most productive game of the season (68 yards rushing and a touchdown), the Cats did most of their damage through the air. Bachér finished with 220 yards passing, 14 of which came on the offense’s biggest play.

Midway through the second quarter, the Cats faced a third-and-seven at the 14-yard line of the Illini (5-7, 3-5). Bachér was flushed from the pocket and scrambled to his right. Weeks ago, Fitzgerald commented on a different Bachér interception: “I’ve been playing football since the second grade, and you don’t throw across your body.” On Saturday, the senior quarterback ignored his coach’s words, lobbing a throw across his body to a wide-open Lane in the back of the end zone.

The ball got to Lane a split second before the Illini defenders did, and the senior receiver hung on to the ball as he was tackled into the goal post.

“After Ross caught that touchdown, he goes: ‘That was fun,’” Fitzgerald said. “And that’s Ross Lane. He’s a very gregarious young man.”

After failing to score in the third quarter, the offense capitalized on junior Brendan Smith’s 52-yard punt return, which gave NU the ball at the Illinois 20. Two plays later, Peterman broke free on a corner post, and Bachér hit him at the goal line for a game-clinching 18-yard touchdown.

The senior gunslinger had ample time to complete his two touchdown passes, as NU’s offensive line kept the Illinois front four away from Bachér all day. The performance of the “Big Uglies” was a fitting end to a stellar regular season for the linemen.

“It’s been a recurring theme in all of our wins this season,” Bachér said. “Our O-line has just been great, and that’s the reason, in my mind, that we have nine wins.”

Bachér used his time in the pocket to find his three senior receivers. Lane, Peterman, and Ward combined for 19 catches, 212 yards, and two touchdowns in their final regular-season game, as they walked off Ryan Field victorious.

“It looked like Ross and Rasheed and Eric probably played their best game collectively of the season,” Fitzgerald said.

james-simpson@northwestern.edu

To those who bet against Northwestern football this season, my deepest condolences.

When I saw the Wildcats listed as three point underdogs against the Fighting Illini at home, I was puzzled.

Why pick an underachieving road team that has been mediocre at best all season, over a home team that had taken strides every week to produce one of its best seasons in school history?

Continue reading »

It was a point of emphasis in NU’s field position game all season: breaking a big punt return.

With just over ten minutes left in the game, that play arrived thanks to Brendan Smith. The junior free safety made a series of moves, scampering 51 yards down the right sideline for NU’s longest return of the season. Entering the game, the Wildcats were averaging 6.7 yards per punt return.

Three plays later, C.J. Bachér found a wide open Eric Peterman from 18 yards out for a touchdown. With a Stephen Simmons two-point conversion, NU made a one-possession game into two possessions very quickly.

Three minutes later, the costly Illinois turnover finally came. The defense won its battle with Juice Williams, as Kevin Mims stripped the Illinois quarterback just shy of midfield. The ball was recovered by sophomore Quentin Davie.

With less than seven minutes left in this one, it is clear that NU’s offense and defense put together its most complete performance of the season. Coupled with sound play in the return game and a dominant first half, it appears the Wildcats will win nine games in a season for only the fourth time in school history.

At tuesday’s practice, defensive tackle John Gill put stopping Juice Williams into these terms.

“You can’t stop him,” Gill said. “You can only hope to contain him.”

In the third quarter, NU struggled to contain the Illini quarterback. After an erratic first half, Williams completed all three passes he threw in the third quarter, for 44 yards. He also ran 10 times for 85 yards.

With their quarterback clicking, the rest of the Illini followed. With NU facing first and goal from the Illinois 10, the defense made three big stops to force a 21-yard field goal by Amado Villarreal. That kept the game at a one-possession differential.

In NU’s dominant first half, it was clear that the Wildcats had more emotion to come out and attack the Illini as well as they did. But in the third quarter, Illinois’ desperation began to surface. With fifteen minutes left, which of those two factors will win out?

Of note: NU is 18-4 in its last 22 games decided by seven points or less.

In 30 minutes of first half football, the Illini had 86 yards of total offense.

That all changed on their first drive out of the locker room.

The force behind that change? Juice Williams setting the tone for his team. Williams spent most of the first half running ragged from the NU defense. He had nine carries for four yards and was sacked four times.

The Illini came out weakly on special teams, with A.J. Jenkins stumbling in the end zone for a touchback. Williams took matters into his own hands, rushing for five yards up the gut. He then found tight end Michael Hoomanawanui for 10 yards and a first down.

Continue reading »

As the Wildcats and Illini prepare for their regular season finale, let’s take a look at what else is going on around the Big Ten.

Ohio State 42, Michigan 7 — The Buckeyes keep their Rose Bowl hopes alive with a dominating win over the Wolverines at home. Ohio State’s defense held Michigan to 189 yards of total offense and 1 for 16 on third down. Running back Chris Wells led the Buckeyes with 15 carries for 136 yards and a touchdown.

Purdue 62, Indiana 10 — Joe Tiller went out on a high note at home in his final game as Boilermakers’ head coach. Senior quarterback Curtis Painter did as well, throwing a season-high four touchdown passes.

No. 17 MICHIGAN STATE (9-2, 6-1) at No. 7 PENN STATE (10-1, 6-1)
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Place: State College, Pa.
Line: Nittany Lions by 14.5
TV: ABC

What’s at stake: Two teams enter, one leaves as Big Ten champion. Or co-champion. Penn State is the only team that controls its destiny in the conference. If they win, they go the Rose Bowl. If Michigan State wins, Ohio State will have to lose to Michigan to win the Big Ten title.

Continue reading »

The DAILY’s Matt Forman spoke with the pair of senior linebackers.

Daily Sports: What is your favorite song?

Prince Kwateng: “Green Light.” I just like what Andre 3000 says in the song.
Brit Miller: My favorite song is “Please Come to Boston” by Kenny Chesney. I listen to that a lot and love it.

Continue reading »

As ridiculous as it sounds, there are 34 bowl games this year, and you undoubtedly know little about many of them.

Take the following quiz to brush up on your bowl knowledge before they get started.

1. Who sponsors the Liberty Bowl?
a) Amnesty International, b) Auto Zone, c) the descendants of Thomas Jefferson, d) Hot Pockets

Continue reading »