Wild Times With the Wildcats
October 04, 2006 | Football
Ninety-one contests between the University of Wisconsin and Northwestern University football teams have been held and boy, have there been some exciting games. Before we look ahead to Saturday's game, let's take a stroll down memory lane. Remember '
' last year's shootout, in which 99 points were scored and 1,189 yards of offense were accumulated' Down 51-41 with 3:31 left in the game, the 14th-ranked Badgers got a break when they recovered a Wildcat fumble and scored on their ensuing drive. Wisconsin then forced NU to punt and got the ball back on its own three-yard line. However, QB John Stocco threw an interception on the first play and the 'Cats ran out the clock for the victory.
' the double-overtime game in 2000 at Camp Randall' UW had just defeated Cincinnati in overtime a week earlier, and now it had to play Northwestern in extra innings, so to speak. After both squads scored a TD in the first OT, UW 'which had the first possession'settled for a field goal in the second overtime. But NU countered with a 12-yard run for the win; the loss was the first for Wisconsin when scoring 40 or more points (it was 100-0 entering the game).
' the game-winning field goal made by Matt Davenport in 1997 at Ryan Field ' Trailing 25-23, the Badgers forced a fumble and recovered with 1:16 remaining. They then proceeded to drive 66 yards, and Davenport'who one week earlier kicked a last-second, game-winning field goal against Indiana'nailed a 48-yarder with six seconds remaining.
' the 'just run out the clock' game at home in 1996' A fumbled exchange between QB Mike Samuel and RB Ron Dayne in their own territory with less than one minute left in the game led to a Northwestern touchdown and a 34-30, jaw-dropping decision.
' the 53-14 trouncing by UW in 1993' The 53 points were a season high for the Badgers in their Rose Bowl year. QB Darrell Bevell completed his first 14 passes (a Big Ten record) en route to finishing 17-of-18 (another Big Ten record); RBs Brent Moss and Terrell Fletcher each finished with more than 100 yards of rushing; Wisconsin scored on seven straight possessions; and the Badgers did not punt the entire game.
' the 35-27 victory in 1982 in Evanston' The Badgers were ahead 28-14 through three quarters, but the 'Cats scored twice in a row; after the second TD, NU decided to try a two-point conversion to take a one-point lead despite three minutes left in the game, and after failing to convert, it trailed UW 28-27. On the ensuing possession, Wisconsin earned a first down on third-and-four via a Northwestern holding call, then it scored three plays later. With 42 seconds on the clock, the Wildcats drove to the UW 23, but the Badgers made an interception on the one-yard line to preserve their lead.
