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Northwestern Postgame Notes
Northwestern 43, No. 15/16 Notre Dame 40 Nov. 15, 2014
Notre Dame Stadium
Attendance: 80,795
Northwestern Team Notes
Northwestern today made its first appearance at Notre Dame Stadium since Sept. 2, 1995, when the Wildcats earned a 17-15 season-opening win over the ninth-ranked Irish to kick off their run to the Rose Bowl. Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald was the starting linebacker and NU's leading tackler in that win.
Saturday marked the 48th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Notre Dame. The Wildcats have won in Notre Dame Stadium on five occasions: 1935, 1959, 1961, 1995 and 2014.
Northwestern and Notre Dame are inextricably linked by the career of legendary head coach Ara Parseghian. Parseghian directed the Wildcats program from 1956-63 and was 36-35-1 in his NU tenure, leading the 'Cats to a No. 1 national ranking for two weeks in the 1962 season. Parseghian, who coached Notre Dame to national championships in 1966 and 1973, also was 4-0 against the Fighting Irish during his time at the helm in Evanston.
Northwestern was playing just its second November nonconference game in Pat Fitzgerald's nine seasons at the helm in Evanston. The only other came in 2011 when the Wildcats defeated Rice on Nov. 12, 2011.
Northwestern's victory snapped Notre Dame's seven-game home winning streak. The Irish had not lost at Notre Dame Stadium since Sept. 28, 2013, a 35-21 defeat at the hands of No. 14 Oklahoma.
The win represented Northwestern's first overtime victory since 2007, Fitzgerald's second season as head coach at NU. The Wildcats had lost five consecutive overtime games dating to 2007.
This is Northwestern's second win against a top-20 opponent this season. The Wildcats also defeated No. 17 Wisconsin on Oct. 4. It marks the first time since 2009 that Northwestern has posted two victories over top-20 foes in the same year (No. 8 Iowa, No. 17 Wisconsin).
The victory marked the first time this season that the Wildcats won a game in which it did not win the turnover battle. Both teams had four turnovers in the game. Entering Saturday, NU was 3-0 when winning the turnover battle and 0-6 when turnovers were equal or in favor of the opponent.
Northwestern posted season highs for points (43, previously 29 vs. Penn State), rushing yards (263, previously 203 vs. Wisconsin) and total offense (547, previously 394 vs. Northern Illinois).
Northwestern its three longest pass play and its two longest rushing plays of the season in today's game (a 60-yard pass play to Cameron Dickerson, a 45-yard rush by Treyvon Green and a 44-yard rush by Justin Jackson).
Northwestern Individual Notes
PK Jack Mitchell drilled four field goals, improving to 12-of-15 on the year. Entering the game, Mitchell had not converted a field goal attempt longer than 30 yards, and on Saturday connected from 31, 46, 45 and 41 yards. It's the 10th performance of four or more field goals in a game in Northwestern history and the first since Jeff Budzien against Michigan in 2013.
True freshman RB Justin Jackson had another stellar day, recording 149 yards on 23 carries to post his fourth 100-yard rushing effort of the season. His 149 yards represent the most by an individual against the Fighting Irish this season.
NU's first drive of the game saw Jackson break off his longest rush of the season, a 44-yard burst that set Northwestern up for its first touchdown. Northwestern's previous-long rush on the year was a 27-yarder by Jackson against Nebraska.
Senior WR Kyle Prater led Northwestern with a career-high 10 receptions, the most by a Wildcat in a single-game this season.
Senior safety Ibraheim Campbell recorded a career-best two forced fumbles, both in the fourth quarter, including his strip with 1:28 remaining as the Irish attempted to run down the clock.
Senior LB Jimmy Hall came up with two critical fumble recoveries for the 'Cats, the first in the end zone early in the fourth quarter and the second on Notre Dame's unexpected fumble with 1:28 remaining in the game. Hall is the first Wildcat with multiple fumble recoveries in a game since Nick VanHoose against Nebraska in 2012.
Junior WR Cameron Dickerson's 97 receiving yards marked a career high and the most by an NU player since Dan Vitale had 113 at Penn State on Sept. 27.
Senior RB Treyvon Green recorded a 45-yard rush to set up NU's second touchdown, eclipsing Jackson's rush as the longest by an NU player this season. Green's career-long rush of 55 yards came in the 2013 season-opener vs. Cal.
Redshirt freshman QB Matt Alviti entered the game with the Wildcats in the red zone in the first quarter and promptly scored his first career touchdown, following the offensive line into the end zone for a 2-yard TD rush.
Redshirt freshman LB Anthony Walker recorded his second career interception on a deflected pass, returning it 65 yards to the 4-yard line to set up NU's third touchdown. Against Penn State on Sept. 27, Walker intercepted a pass and brought it back 49 yards for a Northwestern touchdown.
Walker also notched his first career fumble recovery in the third quarter.
Junior CB Nick VanHoose recorded his third blocked kick of the season, with two coming on extra point attempts and one on a field goal. VanHoose scooped up the blocked kick and returned it more than 85 yards for a two-point defensive conversion.
True freshman SB Garrett Dickerson made his first career start and caught a pass on NU's first offensive play from scrimmage.
Junior SB Dan Vitale surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards in today's game. With 24 yards against the Fighting Irish, Vitale now has 1,017 receiving yards in his three years with the Wildcats.