Sept. 9, 2000
EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - For the second straight week, the Northwestern University football team displayed a powerful offense and used a dominating defense to defeat Duke, 38-5, at Ryan Field. The win improves the Wildcats to 2-0 for the first time since 1975.
The game marked the second straight in which Northwestern has broken the 30-point barrier. The last time that happened was 1996, when the 'Cats downed Air Force (30-6) and Indiana (31-7).
Damien Anderson (Wilmington, Ill./Wilmington) led the way for the Wildcat offense, rushing 21 times for a career-high 187 yards and two long touchdowns. He moved into sixth place on Northwestern's all-time rushing list with 1,940 yards, and needs just seven more to pass Stanley Davenport in fifth place. Quarterback Zak Kustok (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg) completed 16 of 27 passes for 197 yards and a pair of TDs. Overall, the Northwestern offense gained 472 yards -- its best output since a 26-24 win over Minnesota on Oct. 12, 1996 -- while holding Duke to just 174.
Amazingly, the day started ominously for the Wildcats. After holding Duke on downs, Northwestern was pinned onto its own 3-yard line by a Brian Morton punt. On third down, Anderson was stuffed in the end zone by Charles Porter, giving Duke a safety for the first two points of the game.
Northwestern struck back quickly. Raheem Covington (Pine Hill, N.J./Overbrook) intercepted a Spencer Romine pass, and six plays later Anderson ran around the left end and sped to a 56-yard touchdown.
An interception by Napoleon Harris (Dixmoor, Ill./Thornton Twp.) led to a field goal by Tim Long (Altoona, Pa./Altoona), which made it 10-2 by the end of the first quarter. On its first drive of the second quarter, Northwestern again hit paydirt when Kustok ended a 15-play, 80-yard drive with a 26-yard TD pass to Sam Simmons (Kansas City, Kansas/F.L. Schlagle).
Duke came back to get a field goal from Brent Garber to make the score 17-5 at the half.
Northwestern took control of the game early in the second stanza, scoring on its first two possessions. The first drive went 12 plays and 65 yards, ending when Kustok found Kunle Patrick (Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep CD) from nine yards out. The next drive went 14 plays for 91 yards, ending with Kevin Lawrence (Montreal, Que./Avon [Conn.] Old Farms) running it in from eight yards out.
Anderson closed out the scoring in spectacular fashion on the third play of the final quarter. A run play slated for the right side broke down, and Anderson was forced to cut back to the left and outrun the Duke defense for a 66-yard scamper.
On the day, Northwestern intercepted four passes, including two by Harold Blackmon (Chicago, Ill./Leo). It marked the first time a Wildcat player had two INTs in one game since Gerald Conoway did it against Hawaii in 1998.
Northwestern hits the road for the next three weeks, beginning next Saturday when they visit Texas Christian. Kickoff between the Wildcats and TCU is scheduled for 11 a.m. Central.