Follow @NU_Sports
| 2014 Northwestern Football -- Game Nine |
|
| Northwestern (3-5, 2-3 Big Ten) vs. Michigan (4-5, 2-3 Big Ten) |
|
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 8 | 2:30 p.m. CT |
| Location | Ryan Field (47,330) | Evanston, Ill. |
| TV: | ESPN2 | WatchESPN |
| Gametracker | NUsports.com |
| Radio | WGN720 | 87.7 FM The Game | WNUR Online |
| Game Notes | Northwestern  | Michigan
|
| Social Media | @NU_SportsLIVE  | @NUFBFamily | Facebook  |
| Buy Future NU Football Tickets |
888-GO-PURPLE | Online Ticket Office |
Monday Press Conference Video: Coach Fitzgerald | Student-Athletes
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Two programs seeking to bolster their postseason aspirations square off this Saturday at Ryan Field when Northwestern hosts Michigan for the third time in four seasons at 2:30 p.m. CT. Each of the last two games in the series have required overtime to decide a winner, with last year's matchup entering triple OT before the Wolverines escaped Evanston with a victory.
The game will be carried live to a national audience on ESPN2, with Mike Patrick, Ed Cunningham and Jeannine Edwards on the call. Fans may also choose to watch the game online or on their mobile devices via BTN2Go. On the radio, the game can be found on WGN720 and 87.7 FM The Game in Chicago or TheGameChicago.com, with the veteran tandem of Dave Eanet and Ted Albrecht being joined on the sideline by Jordan Bernfield.
Series Notes
Northwestern is looking for its first win over Michigan since the 2008 season when it scored a 21-14 victory at the Big House. The teams did not meet in 2009 or 2010 and were on the verge of splitting their meetings over the last two seasons before the Wolverines rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to win in overtime, 38-31.
Prior to the 2008 victory, Northwestern's previous three wins over Michigan had come in NU's Big Ten championship seasons (1995, 1996, 2000). The last of those meetings was one of the most memorable games in recent history for NU, with the 'Cats pulling out a wild 54-51 win at Ryan Field thanks to a late Anthony Thomas fumble.
Wildcats defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz is a 1970 graduate of Michigan, where he was a tight end for the Wolverines from 1967-69 and a starter on the 1969 Big Ten championship Rose Bowl squad. Hankwitz then began his coaching career as a graduate assistant under Bo Schembechler.
Northwestern Game Notes
Northwestern's ground game has thrived in Big Ten play thanks largely to dynamic freshman Justin Jackson, who enters today's game ranked sixth in the conference with 90.8 yards per contest. Jackson, who made his first career start at Iowa and fell just four yards shy of a fourth consecutive 100-yard rushing performance, claims the sixth-best per-game rushing average among all FBS freshmen.
As Northwestern continues to face powerful downhill running attacks each week in the Big Ten, junior safety Traveon Henry has displayed his willingness to enter the box and be a run-stopper for the Wildcats. Henry is coming off a career-best 14-tackle performance against Iowa, one week after also leading Northwestern in stops against Nebraska with 12. Linebacker Chi Chi Ariguzo continues to lead NU with 9.0 tackles per game -- good for fifth in the Big Ten -- and Henry is now second on the squad with 7.1 per outing.
Continuing a trend in recent seasons, Northwestern has succeeded in taking care of the ball on offense, entering today ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 15 nationally in fewest turnovers lost this year with nine. The 'Cats are tied with Wisconsin for fewest fumbles lost this season with three. The school record for fewest fumbles lost in a season is two, set by the 2004 Wildcats.
Conversely, Michigan has struggled with its turnover differential this year, ranking last in the conference as the only Big Ten school with a per-game turnover deficit greater than 1.0 per game. The Wolverines `D' has intercepted just three passes in 2014, fewest in the league.
Sophomore WR Mike McHugh made his fourth career reception in spectacular fashion last week at Iowa. With the Wildcats driving in the third quarter, Trevor Siemian lofted a pass toward the front corner of the end zone, where McHugh managed to sky over his defender and get one hand to the ball at its highest point. McHugh collected possession on his way down while somehow landing one foot inside the boundary, completing a 24-yard reception and what is undoubtedly one of the catches of the year in college football.
Michigan Notes
Coming off a 34-10 thumping of Indiana at Michigan Stadium last Saturday, the Wolverines arrive in Evanston seeking to get back to .500 on the year. After today's game, Michigan will host one final home game against Maryland before traveling to take on rival Ohio State on Saturday, Nov. 29.
Michigan ranks 1st in the Big Ten and 9th in the NCAA in red zone offense. The Wolverines are 23-of-25 (.920) in the Red Zone this season. The Wolverines have scored a touchdown on 72.0 percent of their trips to the red zone (18-of-25), which ranks 3rd in the Big Ten and 14th in the NCAA. On the other side of the ball, the UM defense has allowed opponents to score a touchdown on 51.72 percent of trips inside the Red Zone (15-of-29), the 4th-lowest percentage in the Big Ten and 29th lowest in the NCAA.
Michigan is holding its opponents to an average of 3.15 yards per rush, which ranks 2nd in the Big Ten and 13th in the country. The Wolverines have held five of their nine opponents to an average of 2.5 yards per carry or less. The squad's seven rushing touchdowns allowed are tied for the fewest in the Big Ten.
Michigan recorded 12.0 tackles for loss vs. Indiana, the highest by a Big Ten team in a conference game this year and the Wolverines' highest single-game TFL total since registering 12 on Sept. 15, 2007 vs. Notre Dame. Michigan has at least 11.0 TFLs in three games in one season for the first time since 2003.
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter and Instagram, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook and sign up to receive promotional text alerts for the latest news, schedule updates and video and to interact with NU. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!