Northwestern bowl-eligible after one win in ’22

Nov 18, 2023, 03:45 PM ET EVANSTON, Ill.– Northwestern fans and trainees ran onto the field Saturday afternoon to commemorate a victory. Such a home ending didn’t seem likely for the Wildcats a couple of months ago.Cam Porter scored a set of hurrying goals to assist Northwestern become bowl-eligible with a 23-15 win over Purdue.After beginning the

season under the cloud of a hazing scandal and subsequent firing of longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Wildcats( 6-5, 4-4 Big Ten)are writing an unlikely however delighted ending for the school.Editor’s Picks 1 Related”It’s been an extraordinary week,”Northwestern coach David Braun said.”We achieved something unique today.”Braun, made interim head coach this summer season after Fitzgerald’s dismissal, got his first win as head coach. The school promoted him Thursday.Ben Bryant(13-of-24 passing, 230 backyards)hit Cam Johnson in stride for a 52-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to retake the momentum after Purdue (3-8, 2-6)scored to cut the result in 9-7.”It’s an actually good sensation,” Bryant said.”All the things we have actually been through and how far we have actually come, it’s truly something to

be proud of.”Porter( 17 brings, 95 lawns)gave Northwestern the lead early with a 7-yard touchdown on its first possession and included a 34-yard scuttle early in the 4th quarter.The Boilermakers scratched beginning quarterback Hudson Card hours before kickoff and hardly ever captured a break against a Northwestern defense that showed up big when most required. The Wildcats stopped a pair of fourth-down tries and had a pair of takeaways in the first half to lead 6-0 at intermission then recovered a muffed punt early in the second half that resulted in a short basket.”I knew moving the ball and trying to get points was going to be tough throughout the game,”first-year Purdue coach Ryan Walters said.” We came down to the 1-yard line 2 times and couldn’t act.”Linebacker Xander Mueller sealed the triumph with an interception of Ryan Browne at the Northwestern 30 with 19 seconds left. “It gives us a lots of self-confidence,” Johnson said of the defense’s first-half effort.”It enables us to play loose knowing we’re going to get the ball back quickly.”Tyrone Tracy Jr. had 160 lawns on 16 brings and scored a goal for Purdue, which has lost five of six.EXTREME MAKEOVER?Ryan Field, Northwestern’s football home for practically a century, might look a lot different the next time the Wildcats run out of the tunnel. The Evanston City Council is scheduled to vote Monday on the school’s proposed demolition and erection of a new arena on the website.

The university already has actually moved spring beginning from the arena to the United Center on the city’s west side.”Knowing this may be Ryan Field’s last game definitely made it unique,”said Johnson, who had 3 catches for 88 yards.AT LEAST IT DIDN’T SNOW It would have been hard to blame fans for striking the exits at halftime. The groups combined to go 4-for-14 on third down, and each missed a basket. Northwestern surrendered five sacks

in the opening half while Purdue fumbled twice.BOWL STREAK An expected postseason berth would be Northwestern’s very first considering that the 2020 season, when the Wildcats defeated Auburn in the Citrus Bowl. The school would be seeking its fifth straight bowl win, and Braun would be simply the 5th coach to direct the Wildcats to a bowl game.QB SHUFFLE Redshirt Bennett Meredith made his very first career start in location of Card, however the lion’s share of snaps wound up going to fellow freshman

Browne, who ended the day 12-for-16 for 104 backyards with two interceptions.Walters did not elaborate on Card’s injury after the game, stating just that he hoped it was not serious.THE TAKEAWAY Purdue: Card’s absence hurt, however the Boilermakers twice stopped working to convert fourth-and-1 possibilities deep in Northwestern territory in the opening

half. Purdue had

the ball for more than 19 minutes but went to halftime with absolutely nothing to show for it.Northwestern: The Wildcats won consecutive games for the first time this season and head to in-state rival Illinois next weekend without the added pressure of needing a win to be bowl-eligible. UP NEXT Purdue: Ends its season next Saturday against going to Indiana.Northwestern: Plays at Illinois next Saturday

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