Northwestern gets job done
DETROIT -- Is it better to be clutch than good?
That's the question facing Northwestern as it heads into the final stretch of the season.
When it comes to cleat-in-the-throat killer instinct, the Wildcats have none. When it comes to performing in tight spots, particularly on third down, NU is foolproof.
To no one's surprise, the Wildcats needed a pressure-packed pass and bullish red-zone defense to hold off Eastern Michigan 26-14 on Friday night at a near-empty Ford Field.
Nothing has come easy for NU (5-3), which won its third straight and eclipsed its victories total from last season.
"Wins are wins," coach Pat Fitzgerald said. "When you're fighting and scratching and clawing to win football games, it doesn't matter how you win. It matters that you win."
A 71-yard touchdown strike from C.J. Bacher to Detroit area native Kim Thompson with 2:44 left was the decisive blow. The defense then brought down Eagles freshman quarterback Kyle McMahon on fourth-and-goal to seal the victory.
An NU defensive unit that had allowed 89 points the last two weeks forced 4 turnovers, all in its own territory and 3 inside the red zone. It marked the team's highest takeaways total since getting 4 in the 2005 Sun Bowl against UCLA.
NU had forced only 7 turnovers in its previous seven games.
"When you get 1 turnover and you get guys excited, it gets momentum," senior linebacker Adam Kadela said. "When you have momentum, guys play a little bit extra."
Kadela collected a third-quarter interception, his first of the season. Minutes later, with Eastern Michigan (2-6) driving for the go-ahead score, Kadela tipped a McMahon pass and senior cornerback Deante Battle intercepted the ball in the end zone.
"Our seniors, it means so much to them," Fitzgerald said. "They know that the sand is running out of the hourglass. They have a tremendous sense of urgency."
Filling in for injured starter Andy Schmitt, McMahon performed commendably in his first career start, completing 28 of 48 passes for 282 yards with 2 rushing touchdowns. But his inexperience surfaced at inopportune times, as he threw 3 interceptions, 2 right to Wildcats defenders.
Sophomore safety Brad Phillips picked off a pass at the NU 5-yard line after forcing a Dwayne Priest fumble around the same spot moments earlier in the second quarter.
"I don't know if we proved something," Phillips said. "We should have been playing like that all year long. We just attacked."
The defensive playmaking bought enough time for a suddenly sputtering offense. After two spotless performances, Bacher threw an interception on NU's first series, his first since Sept. 29, and completed just 2 of 9 passes in the third quarter.
Running back Omar Conteh (122 yards) had his first fumble of the season. Reliable receivers dropped passes. The offensive line struggled to seal the pocket and committed penalties.
"We were down with our execution," Bacher said, "but we were able to pull out the big plays when we needed to."
The biggest came on third-and-6 from the NU 29 with the Wildcats clinging to a 19-14 lead. Thompson broke free on a post route, bounced off a defender and raced to the end zone.
It marked Thompson's longest career reception.
"C.J. hit me right on the money," Thompson said. "The safety kind of overran it, and I just had to outrun the rest of the defense."