Although the game quickly turned into a battle of two running backs, Northwestern’s 38-37 win over Northern Illinois was almost decided in the air.
The teams’ starting running backs, NU freshman Tyrell Sutton and Northern Illinois junior Garrett Wolfe, rushed for more than 500 yards combined and scored seven of the game’s nine offensive touchdowns.
But after Northern Illinois junior quarterback Phil Horvath led his team on a seven play, 71-yard touchdown drive all in the air, the Huskies (0-2) went for the win, instead of overtime.
“We talked about that choice about five minutes before going down the field,” NIU coach Joe Novak said. “If we scored, we were going for two.
“The call I thought was good, I’d do it again. We hadn’t stopped them very well all day. Our defensive kids were tired.”
The two-point conversion failed when Northern Illinois senior wideout Sam Hurd slipped and could not catch the ball, and NU (2-0) held on for the win.
Throughout the game, Sutton sparked the Cats with his highlight-reel carries, and tied a team single-game record with four touchdowns. In two games he has matched the Cats’ freshman record for touchdowns in a season with six.
“You always wonder about a young man, especially a freshman, having too much too soon,” NU coach Randy Walker said. “But here we’re talking about a guy who rushed for 2,000 yards his freshman year in high school. He’s kind of used to getting yards.”
Sutton carried the ball 30 times, rushed for 218 yards and scored all four of the Cats offensive touchdowns.
Northern Illinois kicked a 32-yard field goal to tie the game at 31 with three and a half minutes remaining. At that point the Cats put the game in Sutton’s hands again.
He broke off consecutive runs of 20 and 21 yards before scoring the game-winner on a 5-yard run.
“It’s great to be called on in certain situations like that,” Sutton said. “When you know you’re only a freshman and everyone doubts you because of your experience. To be called on like that, it makes me feel like a leader.”
Wolfe almost tainted Sutton’s record-setting effort by gaining 248 yards on the ground and scoring three touchdowns.
It was the fifth time in Wolfe’s 13-game career that he rushed for at least 200-yards.
“I had a chance to visit with him briefly after the game,” Walker said. “I said, ‘You’re my hero, man. You play your butt off, I love watching you play.’ I’m glad I don’t have to do it again, because he’s a heck of a football player.”
The Cats gave up 539 yards overall, and allowed the Huskies to score on all four of their second half drives.
“I’m anxious to see the film and see where we’re at with the defense,” Walker said. “(NIU was) a good offense against Michigan last week, so I’m not sure I’m going to hit the panic button. If they don’t turn it over five times, it’s an interesting day up there in Ann Arbor.”
Although he was somewhat overshadowed by the performances of the running backs, NU senior quarterback Brett Basanez also had a record setting day.
Basanez was 21 for 32 with 220 yards, and set Cats career records in total offense, passing yards and pass completions.
“It’s a testament to this team,” Basanez said. “Offense, coaching staff, and wide receivers – they’re the best I’ve had and without them and the offensive line, none of this is possible. It’s a great team thing and it was great to get the win out of it.”
NIU got off to a quick 14-3 lead behind two Wolfe touchdown runs. But NU responded with 21 unanswered points in the second quarter, including a 81-yard punt return for a touchdown by junior cornerback Marquice Cole.
The Cats never trailed after Sutton’s second touchdown of the second quarter, capping off the 21-point frame with just fewer than two minutes left in the half.
The Cats begin the season 2-0 for the first time since 2001 and extended their home winning streak to seven games.
Reach Abe Rakov at [email protected].
