Northwestern holds off pesky Kentucky
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 his back. The Wildcats broke up Kentucky’s 2-point conversion, and No. 21 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 (10-3) finished off consecutive bowl victories 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 32nd 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.”
Johnson ran for his second TD of the second half with 37 seconds left. Kentucky Coach Mark Stoops went for the twopoint conversion rather than play for overtime. Johnson couldn’t connect with Tavin Richardson on the pass. That cost Kentucky a chance at its best season since 2007 and a second consecutive bowl loss.
“We just lost a heartbreaker by inches,” Stoops said.
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 by taking Northwestern’s second interception 26 yards for a TD with 7:49 left. three Sun Bowl appearances — in 1997, 2004 and 2014.
North Carolina State played without standout defensive end Bradley Chubb, a projected top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. The school announced a few hours before the game that he wouldn’t play.
It marked the second year in a row that the biggest star at the game didn’t play. Last year, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey skipped the game.