Home
With a still bad taste in their mouths after their return trip from Champagne, the Northwestern Wildcats looked to get things back on track at home against the Wolverines. From the way the game started you would think that it would have ended in a blowout. The Wildcats forced a turnover on Michigan's first possession inside their own red zone, but failed to put it in the end zone and had to settle for three. The red zones woes continue for the Wildcats as they did a week ago against Illinois. Persa would hit Demetrius Fields in stride for an 80 yrd TD to put the Cats up 10 nothing. After another costly turnover on Michigan's side of the 50 Persa would connect with Jeremy Ebert for a 14 yrd strike and at the end of one the Cats were looking to run away with this one.
After adding another field goal and extending the lead to 20-0, Michigan would wake up and drive the length of the field and score to make it 20-7 and then Persa turned into the Persa from Champagne. Thomas Gordon would step in front of a Persa pass and take it to the house to cut the lead to 20-14 and on 3rd and goal for the Cats, Persa would be picked off again to keep the score 20-14 at the half.
The third quarter would start like the first in Persa throwing his 3rd TD strike to a 3rd different receiver. Charles Brown would be on the receiving end of this 30 yrd strike to put the wildcats up 27-14 early in the 3rd quarter. Another Persa red zone INT would stall the Wildcats out to end the 3rd quarter.
Mike Trumpy would walk in from 6 yards out to start the 4th quarter putting the Wildcats up 34-14.Trumpy had a nice day with 19 carries for 73 yards and TD. Michigan would put together another long TD drive capped off by Vincent Smith taking a 10 yard screen pass in for 6, cutting the lead to 34-21. Northwestern would then work the clock and trade possessions to the end of the game.
Northwestern looked very good at times in this game but also still has many questions and concerns heading into the meat of their schedule. "Too many turnovers and a real concern on red zone efficiency." Is what Coach Ryan was most concerned about. "You cannot win in the Big 10, playing these elite teams week in and week out, by turning the ball over 4-6 times a game. We were lucky our Defense was able to hold them in check for the most part. We still have alot of work to do." said Ryan in his Post game news conference.
Northwestern moves to 3-1 on the season and 1-1 in the Big Ten. Next week they travel to Iowa to face the Hawkeyes. They will need to improve on the turnovers and red zone performance, if they want to come out with another victory.
Game Stats
Northwestern
1st Downs 13
3rd down efficiency 40%
4th down efficiency 100%
Total Yards 483
Passing 270
Completion Attempts 12 - 25
Yards Per Pass 10.8
Rushing 89
Rushing Attempts 24
Yards Per Rush 3.71
Turnovers 4
Fumbles Lost 1
Interceptions Thrown 3
Possession 15:18
Michigan
1st Downs 12
3rd down efficiency 28.57%
4th down efficiency 50%
Total Yards 420
Passing 114
Completion Attempts 8 - 16
Yards Per Pass 7.13
Rushing 164
Rushing Attempts 33
Yards Per Rush 4.97
Turnovers 4
Fumbles Lost 3
Interceptions Thrown 1
Possession 12:42
Player Stats
Passing
(NU) Dan Persa 12-25 270 yards 3 TD's 3 INT's
(UM) Devin Gardner 8-16 114 yards 1 TD 1 INT
Rushing
(NU) Mike Trumpy 19 carries 73 yards 1 TD
(NU) Dan Persa 5 carries for 16 yards
(UM) Michael Shaw 17 carries 96 yards
(UM) Devin Gardner 12 carries 51 yards
(UM) Fitzgerald Toussaint 3 carries 15 yards 1 TD
(UM) John McColgan 1 carries 2 yards
Receiving
(NU) Demetrius Fields 2 receptions 99 yards 1 TD
(NU) Charles Brown 4 receptions 76 yards 1 TD
(NU) Jeremy Ebert 3 receptions 63 yards 1 TD
(NU) Tony Jones 1 reception 20 yards
(NU) Mike Trumpy 2 receptions 12 yards
(UM) Roy Roundtree 2 receptions 58 yards
(UM) Kelvin Grady 1 receptions 21 yards
(UM) Michael Shaw 2 receptions 19 yards
(UM) Vincent Smith 1 receptions 10 yards 1 TD
(UM) Kevin Koger 2 receptions 6 yards
After adding another field goal and extending the lead to 20-0, Michigan would wake up and drive the length of the field and score to make it 20-7 and then Persa turned into the Persa from Champagne. Thomas Gordon would step in front of a Persa pass and take it to the house to cut the lead to 20-14 and on 3rd and goal for the Cats, Persa would be picked off again to keep the score 20-14 at the half.
The third quarter would start like the first in Persa throwing his 3rd TD strike to a 3rd different receiver. Charles Brown would be on the receiving end of this 30 yrd strike to put the wildcats up 27-14 early in the 3rd quarter. Another Persa red zone INT would stall the Wildcats out to end the 3rd quarter.
Mike Trumpy would walk in from 6 yards out to start the 4th quarter putting the Wildcats up 34-14.Trumpy had a nice day with 19 carries for 73 yards and TD. Michigan would put together another long TD drive capped off by Vincent Smith taking a 10 yard screen pass in for 6, cutting the lead to 34-21. Northwestern would then work the clock and trade possessions to the end of the game.
Northwestern looked very good at times in this game but also still has many questions and concerns heading into the meat of their schedule. "Too many turnovers and a real concern on red zone efficiency." Is what Coach Ryan was most concerned about. "You cannot win in the Big 10, playing these elite teams week in and week out, by turning the ball over 4-6 times a game. We were lucky our Defense was able to hold them in check for the most part. We still have alot of work to do." said Ryan in his Post game news conference.
Northwestern moves to 3-1 on the season and 1-1 in the Big Ten. Next week they travel to Iowa to face the Hawkeyes. They will need to improve on the turnovers and red zone performance, if they want to come out with another victory.
Game Stats
Northwestern
1st Downs 13
3rd down efficiency 40%
4th down efficiency 100%
Total Yards 483
Passing 270
Completion Attempts 12 - 25
Yards Per Pass 10.8
Rushing 89
Rushing Attempts 24
Yards Per Rush 3.71
Turnovers 4
Fumbles Lost 1
Interceptions Thrown 3
Possession 15:18
Michigan
1st Downs 12
3rd down efficiency 28.57%
4th down efficiency 50%
Total Yards 420
Passing 114
Completion Attempts 8 - 16
Yards Per Pass 7.13
Rushing 164
Rushing Attempts 33
Yards Per Rush 4.97
Turnovers 4
Fumbles Lost 3
Interceptions Thrown 1
Possession 12:42
Player Stats
Passing
(NU) Dan Persa 12-25 270 yards 3 TD's 3 INT's
(UM) Devin Gardner 8-16 114 yards 1 TD 1 INT
Rushing
(NU) Mike Trumpy 19 carries 73 yards 1 TD
(NU) Dan Persa 5 carries for 16 yards
(UM) Michael Shaw 17 carries 96 yards
(UM) Devin Gardner 12 carries 51 yards
(UM) Fitzgerald Toussaint 3 carries 15 yards 1 TD
(UM) John McColgan 1 carries 2 yards
Receiving
(NU) Demetrius Fields 2 receptions 99 yards 1 TD
(NU) Charles Brown 4 receptions 76 yards 1 TD
(NU) Jeremy Ebert 3 receptions 63 yards 1 TD
(NU) Tony Jones 1 reception 20 yards
(NU) Mike Trumpy 2 receptions 12 yards
(UM) Roy Roundtree 2 receptions 58 yards
(UM) Kelvin Grady 1 receptions 21 yards
(UM) Michael Shaw 2 receptions 19 yards
(UM) Vincent Smith 1 receptions 10 yards 1 TD
(UM) Kevin Koger 2 receptions 6 yards