CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ?After several weeks of relying on its passing game, Northwestern coach Randy Walker and the Wildcats turned to the ground in Saturday? 38-21 win at Illinois.
NU (7-4, 5-3 Big Ten) ran 61 times for 356 yards, both season highs. The Cats had rushed for only 300 yards the previous three weeks and were held to less than 100 yards twice.
?e were just taking what they gave us,?senior quarterback Brett Basanez said.
Freshman running back Tyrell Sutton ran 34 times for 212 yards. Basanez also played a large part in the running game, carrying 17 times for 85 yards and two touchdowns.
?hey were obviously keying on Tyrell because he had such a monster game,?Basanez said. ?The coaches) just needed me to pick up a couple yards here and there so they can keep (Illinois) honest.?/p>
Sutton eclipsed the 200-yard mark for the third time this season. Sutton had not run for 100 yards since amassing 109 at Michigan State.
? come in optimistic about everything, whether it? getting a lot of carries or getting a lot of catches,?Sutton said. ?t doesn? matter to me as long as I feel as though I? into the game.?/p>
BAD BLOOD
Though only 31,000 people showed up to watch one team play for pride and the other play for bowl positioning, it didn? keep NU? trophy game from getting scrappy.
Big hits and trash talk filled the fight for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, culminating on NU? final drive of the first half.
An Illinois personal foul on the kickoff was followed by two more Illini personal fouls ?on the same series.
Defensive back Sharriff Abdullah hit Basanez out of bounds, leading to an altercation between several NU and Illinois players. During the quarrel, Illinois safety Kevin Mitchell shoved NU senior offensive tackle Zach Strief, leading to first-and-goal at the two-yard line.
NU settled for a field goal, taking a 24-21 lead into the half.
?e both wanted this game pretty bad,?Basanez said. ?hey obviously came to play, and emotions run high out there. I mean, that? kind of what you expect from rivalry games. It? good to see kind of that heat out there and that tenacity.?/p>
INCHES TO GO
Basanez broke his own record for single-game completion percentage, completing 25-of-31 passes for an 80.6 completion percentage. The previous record was 80 percent, set by Basanez against Michigan State ?Basanez also passed Heisman Trophy-winning, former Southern California quarterback Carson Palmer on the NCAA all-time total offense list and No. 1 draft pick Eli Manning. He currently is 17th. ? Sophomore cornerback Deante Battle was suspended before the game for academic reasons, giving the start to junior cornerback Cory Dious. Walker declined to comment on the situation ? Senior wide receiver Mark Philmore returned a first-quarter punt 15 yards, six yards more than NU? combined total the previous seven weeks.
Reach Patrick Dorsey at [email protected].
