Wildcats' bowl hopes in jeopardy after fourth-quarter collapse
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Throughout a wildly inconsistent season, Northwestern's identity has yet to come into focus.
It began to take shape the last three weeks, as the Wildcats won games with poised play in the fourth quarter and beyond. NU's back-to-the-wall resolve put a bowl berth in the viewfinder.
But the identity is hazy again after a disastrous finish Saturday. Without a quick turnaround, it could fade away for good.
NU lost a fourth-quarter lead and fell apart in every facet, falling to Purdue 35-17 at Ross-Ade Stadium. The Boilermakers (7-2, 3-2 Big Ten) scored 21 unanswered points and shut down C.J. Bacher and the Wildcats' offense.
After taking a 17-14 lead with 3:01 left in the third quarter, NU (5-4, 2-3) failed to gain another first down and generated 4 net yards in the fourth quarter.
"We preach the fourth quarter and then we don't do anything in it, it kind of makes you think twice about what we're doing," said running back Tyrell Sutton, who gained 72 yards on 12 carries in his first start since Sept. 8. "It was 2-on-1. We were playing them and we were beating ourselves.
"I don't think we played off the cornerstones of our program today. We didn't play with any of the cornerstones -- the field, the force, the focus, the football -- none of those, and we definitely didn't finish."
NU's defense held Purdue to only 197 yards through three quarters and gave the offense a chance to build on the 3-point lead. But the Wildcats attempted three unsuccessful passes and punted, which became a common theme.
Next NU possession: Three passes and a punt.
Next possession: Three passes and a punt.
Next possession: Two pass plays, a sack and a punt.
"We ran four different plays probably 10 times in a row -- that sequence of four plays," wide receiver Eric Peterman said. "They were open, but each play -- C.J. would get pressured or we'd drop a ball, bad pass -- something different went wrong."
What had been a stellar month for Bacher ended on a down note. The junior completed 1 of 8 passes for 8 yards in the fourth quarter after dominating the final period in the three previous games. He was regularly pressured and sacked five times, twice by both Eugene Bright and Cliff Avril.
"It's hard to beat two teams in one day," Bacher said.
Purdue gained 205 yards in the fourth quarter, 137 on the ground. Running back Jaycen Taylor gashed NU for 2 touchdowns and 102 of his career-high 157 rushing yards in the fourth. Taylor scooted in for the go-ahead score on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line with 11:21 left.
"We knew we had to stop the run, we just didn't," linebacker Adam Kadela said. "I don't know what happened. We didn't get the job done when we needed to, and Purdue did."
Like many coaches, Fitzgerald divides the season into quarters. After losing the fourth Saturday, NU likely needs two wins in its final three games to secure a bowl berth.
The Wildcats host Iowa and Indiana before finishing at Illinois.
"This is the start of the fourth quarter," Sutton said. "We always feel added pressure. We're supposed to be the bottom feeders of the Big Ten and we're right in the middle.
"We like the pressure. That's what our program's built on."