WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Northwestern sprinted onto Ross-Ade Stadium’s manicured grass as favorites in Big Ten play for the first time this season Saturday. While the visitors entered the game on a two-game losing streak, Purdue had dropped six straight.
Although the Wildcats (4-5, 2-4 Big Ten) saw an early lead evaporate, they ultimately prevailed in a 26-20 overtime victory over the Boilermakers (1-7, 0-5 Big Ten).
NU opened the scoring with redshirt junior punter Luke Akers draining a 39-yard kick. Purdue evened the tally on the following drive with kicker Spencer Porath converting a 26-yard attempt.
Redshirt sophomore running back Joseph Himon II’s first two carries on the next drive totaled 10 yards, but his third carry ultimately became his last, as on his own 49-yard line, Himon jetted down the field for a 51-yard touchdown.
With just minutes remaining in the first half, the ’Cats marched down the field. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jack Lausch’s eight-yard completion to graduate student running back Cam Porter placed NU on the one yard-line. Two plays later, Porter punched in a rushing score.
The Boilermakers retook the field for a two-minute drill, where quarterback Hudson Card led his unit up the field for an 87-yard drive that resulted in a 17-10 scoreline heading into halftime.
Purdue’s five-minute drive, starting halfway through the third quarter, ultimately seated the offense on the ’Cats’ six-yard line. The defense held strong, forcing a 24-yard kick from Porath.
After the Boilermakers cut to it a four-point game, NU went on a 16-play drive that resulted in Akers’ second field goal of the game, this one from 43 yards, went through the uprights to extend the lead to seven.
The lead, which the ’Cats held for 40 minutes of game time, was soon erased with a one-yard rushing touchdown by running back Devin Mockobee.
Neither offense could muster up another point in the final five minutes, sending the game to overtime.
NU iced the game in overtime by completing 2-of-2 passes, one to Porter for 18 yards and the other to Himon for 22 yards to conclude the game.
Here are five takeaways from the ’Cats’ overtime victory in West Lafayette.
1. Injury issues persist
Three hours before kickoff, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that graduate student wide receiver Bryce Kirtz and graduate student linebacker Xander Mueller would be inactive.
Entering the game, Kirtz led NU in receiving yards with 414. On the other side of the ball, Mueller totaled 43 tackles, which is second on the team.
Before he left the game due to a lower-body injury in the second quarter, redshirt freshman wide receiver Frank Covey IV recorded two receptions for 43 yards, setting a new career-high.
Despite not having their All-Big Ten Third Team linebacker, the ’Cats embraced their “next man up” mentality. In Mueller’s absence, graduate student Greyson Metz finished the game with eight tackles and one tackle for loss.
2. The ’Cats create chunks plays early
During Monday’s press conference, coach David Braun stressed the importance of his offense netting large downfield gains to keep the defense on its heels consistently.
In each of its prior two games, NU had just two gains of 20+ yards.
In the first quarter alone, the ’Cats offense matched the total count of explosive plays from the previous games against Wisconsin and Iowa. Covey’s 27-yard reception on the opening drive helped move the chains for NU on third and sixteen. The drive resulted in an Akers field goal.
On the ensuing drive, Himon’s 51-yard rushing touchdown marked the largest gain for the ’Cats since Oct. 11 against Maryland.
Midway through the second quarter, Lausch found graduate student tight end Marshall Lang open on a crossing route, resulting in a 21-yard completion. NU then took a 17-3 lead a handful of plays later.
3. Run defense rejuvenates to early season form
In the ’Cats’ previous two matchups, they allowed a total of 401 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Their performance marked a stark contrast to the front seven’s early season form, where they ranked among the nation’s top 10 run defenses through three weeks.
As the clock hit all zeroes at the end of the first half, NU held Purdue running backs Mockobee and Reggie Love III to a combined 10 carries for 15 yards. Purdue garnered just four yards on the ground in the third quarter.
The Boilermakers’ two-headed monster in the backfield combined for 118.4 yards per game entering Saturday’s action. At the end of the NU win, the two were held to just 35 combined yards.
Graduate student defensive lineman Jaylen Pate shined with three tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry. The defense totaled five tackles for loss.
4. Lausch looks more comfortable
After Lausch had consecutive games with fewer than 100 passing yards, Braun stuck by the Chicago native as his starter.
Lausch responded by exceeding 100 yards by the conclusion of the first half, consistently finding open receivers beyond the line to gain. Lausch had just four completions in the previous two games that exceeded 15 yards, a figure he matched in Saturday’s game alone.
Lausch’s flawless overtime performance, finding each of his top two running backs, to ice the game was his first career overtime win.
He concluded the game completing 23-of-35 passes for 250 yards.
5. NU enters bye week
Following their fourth win of the season, the ’Cats enter their second bye week of the season in preparation of a three-game gauntlet — No. 4 Ohio State, Michigan and No. 24 Illinois.
NU needs to find at least one upset either at Wrigley Field or Michigan Stadium to potentially be bowl-eligible. Its high APR could put them in contention to land in a bowl game for the second consecutive season.
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