Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Northwestern edges Kentucky in wild Music City Bowl
NASHVILLE, TENN. » Go ahead and question Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald’s decisions to go for it over and over on fourth down, even late in a move that nearly cost the Wildcats dearly. His defense had their coach’s back. The Wildcats broke up Kentucky’s 2-point conversion, and No. 20 Northwestern held off Kentucky 24-23 on Friday in a Music City Bowl that might be remembered more for injuries, ejections and a wild finish.
“I’m not sure words can describe that game,” Fitzgerald said. “Wow. What a great job by our young men. We had to persevere through so much.”
Justin Jackson ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns as Northwestern (103) finished off back-to-back bowl wins in consecutive years for the first time in program history. The Wildcats notched their second 10-win season in three years and third in six under Fitzgerald. The senior class also won its 27th game for the best stretch in more than a decade.
Both starting quarterbacks left in the first half with injuries, though Kentucky’s Stephen Johnson returned early in the third quarter. Kentucky lost running back Benny Snell Jr. to an ejection for contact with an official early in the second quarter, and Northwestern lost leading tackler and linebacker Paddy Fisher before halftime when he was ejected for targeting.
Kentucky (7-6) still had a chance to win after Fitzgerald tried to convert his fifth fourth down of the game only to turn it over for the fourth time on downs — this time at his own 39 with 2:31 left.
“Go for the win,” Fitzgerald said of his decision. “We got it did you see the replay? I did. It is what it is, and somebody had to make a play. We went for the win right there.”
With quarterback Clayton Thorson knocked out early in the second with an injured right knee , Northwestern outran Kentucky 333-65. Safety Kyle Quiero provided the winning margin taking Northwestern’s second interception 26 yards for a TD with 7:49 left. NORTH CAROLINA STATE 52, ARIZONA STATE 31 » Nyheim Hines had three 5-yard touchdown runs to help North Carolina State (9-4) beat Arizona State (7-6) in the Sun Bowl.
Hines finished with 72 yards on 16 carries for North Carolina State. The Wolfpack played in their fourth consecutive bowl game and sixth in seven years under coach David Doeren.
Reggie Gallaspy added 79 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries for the Wolfpack, Ryan Finley completed 24 of 29 passes for 318 yards and a score, and Stephen Louis had three catches for 115 yards.
Arizona State played its final game under fired coach Todd Graham, with former NFL coach Herm Edwards taking over the program.
North Carolina State played without standout defensive end Bradley Chubb. Chubb, a projected top-10 pick in the NFL draft. The school announced a few hours before the game that he wouldn’t play. NEW MEXICO STATE 26, UTAH STATE 20 » Larry Rose III scored on a 21-yard run in overtime and New Mexico State (7-6) won in its first bowl game in 57 years, beating Utah State (6-7) in the Arizona Bowl.
Utah State had the ball first in overtime and Dominik Eberle hit the right upright on a 29-yard field goal, sending a groan through the Utah State crowd. Eberle made 16 for 18 field goals during the regular season, but missed three in the Arizona Bowl.
New Mexico State ran two plays in overtime, with Jones bursting through a hole on the left side of the line to send the Aggies and their fans rushing onto the Arizona Stadium field. Jones finished with 142 yards on 16 carries. WAKE FOREST 55, TEXAS A&M 52 » John Wolford threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns, and Matt Colburn ran for 150 yards and the go-ahead score in (8-5) Wake Forest’s victory over Texas A&M (7-6) in the Belk Bowl.
The teams combined for 1,260 yards in one of the highest-scoring games in bowl history.
Wolford, a four-year starter and the game’s Most Valuable Player, threw all four TD passes in the first half for Wake Forest. Colburn had a 1-yard touchdown with 2:18 left in the game to give the Demon Deacons the lead for good.