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Northwestern defeats Stanford 16 – 6: Huge upset in Evanston

ByDani Bostick|
Nov 29, 2014; Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Zack Oliver (10) with the ball during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 29, 2014; Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Zack Oliver (10) with the ball during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Northwestern dominates Stanford

Northwestern hosted Stanford in Evanston, surprising the No. 21 team with a tremendously strong start, leading 10-3 going into halftime. Leading the Wildcats in his NCAA debut was freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson who caught the Stanford defense unaware by scoring a touchdown off of a 42-yard quarterback draw. The Northwestern defense also performed well in the first half, limiting Stanford to just 87 yards.

The second half saw Northwestern’s defense continue their strong performance, with cornerback Nick VanHoose keeping the pressure on Stanford receivers. The Northwestern offense, despite some inaccuracy in the red zone, was able to avoid turnovers and count on kicker Jack Mitchell to extend their lead over the Cardinal.

Stanford had a few opportunities to make game-saving big plays in the fourth quarter that were thwarted by avoidable mistakes such as inexcusable dropped passes. The worst misstep was an interception in the end zone at the end of the fourth quarter.

Three stars

New Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson had the play of the game with his 42-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.

Thorson’s accuracy in the red zone was less than desirable, however, tossing a few passes that were up for grabs more often than they should have been. Still, he kept his composure and was a steady leader of the Northwestern offense. Northwestern running back Justin Jackson was a reliable force on the ground, rushing for 134 yards on 28 carries. He also finished the game with 12 receiving yards.

Kicker Jack Mitchell kicked a career-long 49-yard field go to expand the Wildcats lead when it counted, towards the end of the fourth quarter. With two other successful field goals, Mitchell ones one of the strongest contributors to the Northwestern cause.

Odds

To cover the spread, the Stanford Cardinal needed to beat the Northwestern Wildcats by 13 points. Did they do it? The answer is a resounding “nope.”

Next Week

Saturday, September 12 Stanford takes on the University of Central Florida Knights in a home game at Stanford Stadium. The Golden Knights are coming off of a heartbreaking loss in their season opener which saw them lose to underdog FIU. A win against Stanford could provide a sense of redemption.

Northwestern also has a home game next week when they meet up with Eastern Illinois, whose head coach Kim Dameron is in his second season after finishing with a 5-7 record in 2014. Coming off of this huge upset over Stanford, Northwestern will have some excellent momentum.

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