Hall has big hand in Wildcats’ thrilling victory over Spartans
EVANSTON, Ill. — A gory injury couldn’t knock Nate Hall out of the game, or stop him from coming up with Northwestern’s biggest interception of the season.
Hall picked off Brian Lewerke in the end zone on the game’s final play — even though he had 30 stitches in his left hand — and Clayton Thorson threw a 22- yard touchdown to Flynn Nagel in the third overtime to lead the Wildcats to a 39- 31 victory over No. 16 Michigan State on Saturday.
Northwestern had a third down at the 22 when Thorson hit Nagel on a crossing pattern for the go- ahead TD. Cameron Green caught the two- point conversion to make it an eight- point game, and two big plays by the defense on one snap preserved the victory.
Lineman Joe Gaziano stripped Lewerke as he dropped back to pass on second down at the 25. Hall heard the crowd roar and figured there was a sack, but he stayed locked in coverage.
Lewerke picked up the loose ball and fired toward the goal line, where Hall reached up and came down with a pass intended for Matt Sokol.
“We’re taught to stay in coverage,” Hall said. “That’s exactly what I did.”
That Hall finished the game was quite an achievement. He missed most of the second quarter after his middle and index fingers got bent so far back they broke the skin.
His interception set off a wild celebration, with the sideline emptying and fans pouring out of the stands.
“We kept playing,” Thorson said. “So proud of our guys.”
The win was the third straight for the Wildcats
( 5- 3, 3- 2 Big Ten) and their second in overtime in as many weeks. Michigan State ( 6- 2, 4- 1) came up short after winning four in a row.
The Spartans face Penn State and Ohio State in the next two weeks.
Thorson threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns. Star running back Austin Jackson had 41 yards rushing and 51 receiving, and he also threw for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter on his first career pass.
Lewerke threw for 445 yards and four touchdowns, including a
13- yarder to Felton Davis in the left corner of the end zone to tie it with 25 seconds left in regulation.
Cody White had 165 yards receiving and two TDs for the Spartans.
Jackson gave Northwestern a 17- 10 lead early in the fourth quarter when he took a handoff from Thorson and threw a wobbly 12- yard touchdown to Bennett Skowronek in the back of the end zone.
Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald was asked whether Jackson will throw any more passes. “No, we will not be calling more throws for him,” Fitzgerald said.