CATS IN CATBIRD SEAT
Improbable win vs. Huskers puts NU in 1st in Big Ten West
Ninety-nine yards. And go on and add a half-yard more to that, as Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald did.
It was the drive to end all drives — the full football field, really, in the final two minutes as the Wildcats (3-3) rallied at Ryan Field to force overtime and eventually top winless Nebraska 34-31.
“That’s about as good as you can get,” Fitzgerald said.
It was a definitive drive for quarterback Clayton Thorson, a four-year starter and one of the best at his position in school history. It was a character drive for the offense and a program drive for all the Wildcats, who refuse to slip into irrelevance.
They could’ve caved after a 20-17 loss to Michigan three Saturdays ago in which they blew a 17-0 lead. But they responded with a 25-19 upset victory at Michigan State and now this — the 99½-yard gut check that got them to 3-1 in the Big Ten.
Worth noting: The Wildcats have a half-game lead over Wisconsin, Iowa and Purdue in the West division. Might a path that began with three losses in four games lead to the league title game in Indianapolis?
Probably not, but it’s a kick to think about.
On to the rest of the “Big 10” (where 10 actually means 10):
2Are we there yet? I can’t be the only one who watched Michigan’s 38-13 dismantling of Wisconsin and found his imagination drifting into the near future. No, not to this weekend’s game at Michigan State. No, not to the matchup with Penn State on Nov. 3.
I’m talking about Nov. 24 at Ohio State, but you probably knew that already.
Early line, per Bovada: Buckeyes -7½. Discuss.
3Sparty on, dudes: Speaking of Michigan State and Penn State, the Spartans’ 21-17 upset victory in Happy Valley was a reminder of just how deep the Big Ten East is. Yes, MSU is good enough to play with anybody. Yes, PSU is, too.
Wisconsin and the rest of the West? Not so much.
4Little brother: Not to pick on the West, but when the best team (it’s still Wisconsin, isn’t it?) has no playmakers on defense and a quarterback, Alex Hornibrook, who struggles with accuracy and offers zero running threat, well, let’s just say the sky isn’t the limit.
Someday, the gap between the divisions will shrink. Maybe.
5You’re . . . not good:
Did you catch the big touchdown drive by Illinois? It was the story of the day in Champaign, unless you count the (ahem) 46 consecutive points scored by Purdue that came after it.
Yeah, that’ll leave a mark.
6Bum and bummer: More proof that Illinois hired the wrong Toledo coach after the 2011 season came in the form of Iowa State’s 30-14 dismantling of unbeaten West Virginia. The Cyclones are coached by Matt Campbell, who was Toledo’s offensive coordinator under Tim Beckman. Speaking of whom, have Becks and former Illini athletic director Mike Thomas made that buddy movie yet?
7Pitt stop: We’ve gone a long time without mentioning Notre Dame, which looked nothing like a playoff contender in a 19-14 victory against Pittsburgh. Weird game. Inconsistent team. I’m still betting on the Irish to make the playoff, but I’ll deny ever having said it if they lose to Navy on Saturday in San Diego.
8Fab five: One of these men will be national coach of the year — Texas’ Tom Herman, Oregon’s Mario Cristobal, LSU’s Ed Orgeron, Kentucky’s Mark Stoops or Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly.
Unless it’s — what’s his name again? — that Nick Saban fella.
9Fab two? There just might be only two real Heisman Trophy candidates. Any guesses? If you’ve been paying attention, you answered Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Ohio State quarterback Dwayne Haskins very quickly.
10Mea culpa: A week ago in this space, I remarked how “stressed out” and “miserable” Ohio State coach Urban Meyer appeared during a game against Indiana. What I missed — and shouldn’t have — was that Meyer was suffering from headaches due to an arachnoid cyst. That’s 15 yards on me for piling on.