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football Edit

Huskers just too much for Northwestern

Pat Fitzgerald post-game video


EVANSTON-Nebraska’s fans took over the stands at Ryan Field. Then, its football team took over the field.

The Huskers rolled up 556 yards of offense and pulled away from Northwestern in the second half to post a 24-13 win that wasn’t really as close as the score indicated.

Here are our six points on the game:


The explosion plays weren’t there for the offense this week: Last week against Duke, Clayton Thorson connected on six passes that went for 25 or more yards as Northwestern ripped off yards in chunks for the first time all season. This week against Nebraska, he didn’t hit any. The Wildcat offense had a respectable output, generating 388 yards, but they only had one explosion play all night, a 42-yard touchdown run by Thorson. They weren’t efficient enough to drive the field, converting just 5 of 14 third downs, a big reason why they were able to put up just two touchdowns all night.


Once again, the defense couldn’t get off the field: Nebraska’s high-powered offense simply had its way with Northwestern’s defense. The Huskers rolled up 285 yards in the first half but had just 10 points on the scoreboard to show for it. Why? It wasn’t really anything the defense did; it was because they had two fumbles at the goal line that went for touchbacks. The Huskers rushed for 310 yards and threw for 246 while holding the ball more than 35 minutes. Quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. proved to be as dangerous as head coach Pat Fitzgerald said he was earlier this week, leading Nebraska in rushing (132), as well as passing (246, 1 TD).


Thorson had his most efficient game of the season: Northwestern’s quarterback came into Saturday’s game completing just 49 percent of his passes, but he came out firing bullets against the Huskers, connecting on eight of his first 10 throws. He finished 24 of 37 (64.9 percent) for 249 yards and one score. He was especially sharp on NU’s third-quarter touchdown drive, when he accounted for all 52 yards, completing 3 of 4 passes for 47 yards and running once for 5. He was far from perfect, throwing two interceptions, including one in the end zone in the third, but his overall efficiency throwing the ball was encouraging for an offense that has struggled all season. Thorson also used his feet to produce the Wildcats’ biggest play all night, his 42-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.


Mitchell just isn’t getting it done: Saturday night’s game was a nightmare for Jack Mitchell. The senior placekicker missed a 27-yard field goal on his only attempt and then blew an extra point in the third quarter. Mitchell has now made just 1 of 4 field-goal attempts on the year, including 0-for-3 from less than 40 yards. Fitzgerald demonstrated how much confidence he has in Mitchell at the end of the first half, when he eschewed a 40-yard try trailing by just three points. NU ran a comical fake on fourth-and-7 that Nebraska saw coming and stopped five yards short of the marker. Northwestern may have to try out other kickers at this point because Mitchell seems to be a shattered player.


Red was the dominant color at Ryan Field: Well, the Husker Horde did not disappoint. More than half of the fans at Ryan Field were wearing red on Saturday night, and “Husker Power!” and “Go Big Red!” chants held sway all night. That was expected. What wasn’t expected was Northwestern students failing to fill their corner of the field. Students packed it for Duke last week – and drew praise from Fitzgerald and players – but somehow couldn’t fill their three sections for a prime-time tilt against a Big Ten rival? That’s unacceptable.


Northwestern’s bowl hopes are fading fast: The Wildcats’ best path to six wins consisted of stacking wins early, before the calendar turned to October. Well, they now find themselves at 1-3 heading into a six-week stretch that sends them to Iowa, Michigan State and Ohio State, with home matchups against Indiana and Wisconsin thrown in. Northwestern closes with a manageable slate of Purdue, Minnesota and Illinois. Even if the Wildcats win all three of those – far from a sure, or even probable thing – they have to find a way to win two more in that five-game, six-week gauntlet. That’s going to be a tall order.

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