Offense Game Notes Senior running back Justin Jackson
OFFENSIVE STARTERS POS
No.
Name
Career Start
QB
#18
Clayton Thorson
39
RB
#21
Justin Jackson
44
SB
#9
Garrett Dickerson
25
WR
#15
Macan Wilson
11
WR
#2
Flynn Nagel
23
WR
#88
Bennett Skowronek
11
LT
#72
Blake Hance
35
LG
#59
J.B. Butler
17
C
#69
Brad North
30
RG
#71
Tommy Doles
26
RT
#70
Rashawn Slater
12
POS
No.
Name
Career Start
DE
#97
Joe Gaziano
13
DT
#67
Tyler Lancaster
39
DT
#99
Jordan Thompson
24
DE
#91
Samdup Miller
13
WLB
#10
Brett Walsh
18
MLB
#42
Paddy Fisher
12
SLB
#13
Warren Long
1
CB
#7
Marcus McShepard
7
S
#21
Kyle Queiro
25
S
#16
Godwin Igwebuike
43
CB
#24
Montre Hartage
24
Offense Game Notes ● Senior running back Justin Jackson surpassed 100 yards rushing for the 27th time in his career. Jackson finished with 32 carries for 157 yards and two touchdowns to earn Most Valuable Player honors for the secondstraight year. (2016 New Era Pinstripe Bowl vs. Pittsburgh) ○ Jackson finished his career with 1,142 carries, 5,440 rushing yards and 41 rushing touchdowns. He ranks first in program history in all three categories. ○ Jackson moved into 10th in NCAA history in career rushing yards with a 14yard carry in the second quarter. Jackson moved past Southern Mississippi’s Damion Fletcher (5,302). ○ Jackson also moved into third in Big Ten history with the carry, passing Indiana’s Anthony Thompson (5,299). ○ The senior scored a fiveyard touchdown in the second quarter to give Northwestern a 107 lead. ○ Jackson scored his second touchdown of the game on a 1yard rush in the second quarter to extend the Wildcats’ lead to 177. ■ This marks Jackson’s 11th career multitouchdown game. ○ Northwestern went 234 in Jackson’s career when he rushed for at least 100 yards and was a perfect 170 when he rushed for 131 yards or more. ○ Jackson finished the 2017 season with 1,311 yards, the third most by a Northwestern Wildcat in his senior season. ●
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Redshirt firstyear running back Jeremy Larkin rushed the ball nine times for a careerhigh 112 yards, marking his first career 100yard rushing game. ○ Friday marked the first time the Wildcats had two players with at least 100 rushing yards in the same game since Justin Jackson and John Moten IV accomplished the feat in the 2016 regular season finale versus Illinois. ○ Larkin also completed a 24yard pass to junior quarterback Clayton Thorson to setup Jackson’s touchdown run. ○ The firstyear back had a seasonlong 64yard rush in the fourth quarter, marking the Wildcats’ secondlongest play from scrimmage of the season Senior quarterback Matt Alviti entered the game in the second quarter when starting quarterback Clayton Thorson was lost to injury. Alviti finished the game 4for11 with 50 yards passing and 54 yards rushing. The Wildcats’ did not commit a turnover in the game. ○ Alviti completed a careerlong 28yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Charlie Fessler in the second quarter. Firstyear wide receiver Jace James was Alviti’s favorite target, catching a seasonhigh two passes for 16 yards. Both receptions resulted in thirddown conversions. Sophomore wide receiver Bennett Skowronek caught a teamhigh three passes for 25 yards before leaving the game in the first quarter due to injury. Skowronek finished his sophomore season with a teamhigh 644 yards receiving.
Defense/Special Teams Notes ● Senior safety Kyle Queiro intercepted his teamleading fifth pass of the season and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats a 2414 lead. ○ The interception was the eighth of Queiro’s career, tying him with Bobby Anderson (198992), Dick McCauley (196264) and Nick VanHoose (201215) for 10th in program history. ● Junior cornerback Montre Hartage intercepted his third pass of the season in the second quarter. The interception was the eighth of his career, moving him into a tie for 10th in program history.
FOOTBALL GAME NOTES: NORTHWESTERN vs. Kentucky (Dec. 28, 2017)
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Senior linebacker Warren Long made his first career start filling in for injured junior linebacker Nate Hall. Hall started all 12 games during the regular season. ○ Long finished with three tackles, including a pair for loss, and the first sack of his career. Firstyear kicker Charlie Kuhbander made a 33yard field goal with 3:14 left in the first quarter. The field goal was Kuhbander’s 13th of the season, extending his NU record for most makes by a firstyear kicker. ○ Kuhbander moved into the top 10 for points scored by a kicker with 79, tying Jack Mitchell (2015) and Brian Gowins (1997) for the seventhbest singleseason mark in program history. Redshirt firstyear linebacker Paddy Fisher was ejected for targeting in the second quarter. Fisher had three tackles in the game finished his first season with 113 tackles. Sophomore defensive end Joe Gaziano recorded his teambest ninth sack of the season on the final play of the second quarter. Gaziano broke a tie with Dean Lowry (12.5; 201215) and now stands alone for ninth in program history with 13.5 career sacks. ○ Gaziano matched his career high with six tackles (tying Godwin Igwebuike for the team lead), set a new career high with five solo stops and forced his third career fumble. He also had a careerhigh two pass breakups. Sophomore defensive back Joe Bergin matched his career high with two tackles in the first half. Senior safety Godwin Igwebuike tied Joe Gaziano for the team lead with six tackles. Igwebuike finished his career with 324 career tackles.
Career Highs ● QB Matt Alviti : Long Pass (28), Completions (4; tied), Attempts (11) ● WR Charlie Fessler : Long Reception (28) ● RB Jeremy Larkin : Long Pass (24), Long Run (64), Rushing Yards (112) ● QB Clayton Thorson : Long Reception (24), Reception (1) ● WR Jace James : Receptions (2) ● LB Warren Long : Sack (1) ● DE Joe Gaziano: Tackles (6; tied), Solo Tackles (5), Forced Fumble (1; tied), Pass Breakups (2; tied) ● DB Joe Bergin: Tackles (2; tied), Solo Tackles (2; Tied) Team Notes ● Northwestern won its eighthstraight game with the 2423 victory over Kentucky, finishing with 10 wins for the fifth time in program history and third time over the last six seasons. ○ NU’s eightstraight wins are the most to end a season in program history. ○ The ’Cats’ current eightgame winning streak is tied with Oklahoma for the longest by a Power 5 team and the third longest in FBS. ● The victory over Kentucky gave NU backtoback bowl wins for the first time in program history. The Wildcats defeated No. 23 Pittsburgh in the 2016 New Era Pinstripe Bowl, 3124. ● This marks just the fourth bowl win in program history. Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald has three of the program’s four bowl wins. ● Northwestern has averaged nine victories over the last three seasons (2712), setting a program record for wins during a threeyear span. The previous high was 26 wins from 190305. ● Northwestern won the turnover battle, 20, with a pair of interceptions. NU finished the 2017 campaign with a 71 record when it forced more turnovers than its opponent and is now 5416 under Fitz when it does so. ● Kentucky served as the visiting team and chose heads during the pregame coin toss. Northwestern won the toss and deferred its choice to the second half. Kentucky chose to receive and defend the north end zone. ● After giving up a touchdown on Kentucky’s opening drive, Northwestern held UK scoreless for the final 27:42 of the first half. NU held Kentucky without a score in the second quarter, marking the 19th time this season an opponent has failed to score on the ’Cats in a quarter. ● Northwestern rushed for a seasonhigh 333 yards on 56 carries. The Wildcats finished the season with threestraight games of 275 rushing yards or more, including backtoback games with 300plus yards rushing. ● Attendance: 48,675
FOOTBALL GAME NOTES: NORTHWESTERN vs. Kentucky (Dec. 28, 2017)
