Kafka leads Northwestern over Wisconsin 33-31
Pat Fitzgerald isn't running for mayor, governor or Notre Dame coach.
Yet Fitzgerald launched a few political campaigns near and dear to his heart after Northwestern held off No. 16 Wisconsin 33-31 in a riveting and emotional Senior Day finale at Ryan Field.
After forcing 2 turnovers in the final 1:44 of a perfect Saturday afternoon in Evanston - including Jordan Mabin's interception of a Scott Tolzien bomb with 33 seconds left - the exultant Wildcats were engulfed at midfield by hundreds of classmates and other giddy fans.
When they finally escaped to the safety of their locker room beyond the north end zone, they presented the game ball to 61-year-old defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz.
Hankwitz came to Northwestern in January 2008 after being fired from the same job at Wisconsin.
"I know he felt good," Mabin said. "Seeing where he came from, obviously Wisconsin, I know it felt good for us to give him a win."
Though "Hank" wasn't one of the beneficiaries of Fitzgerald's postgame rants, he and the Wildcats (8-4, 5-3 Big Ten) have political capital to burn after whistling through November with wins over No. 4 Iowa and Illinois as well as the red-hot Badgers (8-3, 5-3).
Fitz Campaign No. 1? The program's first New Year's Day bowl berth since he led the 1996 co-Big Ten champs to the Citrus Bowl.
Presuming the Big Ten earns an at-large BCS berth, Northwestern and Wisconsin are the only teams competing for the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla. (Jan. 1 vs. an SEC team). The team that doesn't get the Outback goes to the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando (Dec. 29 vs. an ACC team).
Fitzgerald didn't hesitate to raise his voice while hyping his team and slapping down naysayers.
"Our fan base will travel well, although you will write other things," he said. "Our fan base travels outstanding to bowl games. So make sure you check your facts, OK?
"And if you need any, you see (NU athletic director) Dr. Jim Phillips and he'll make sure you have them and they're crystal clear when you write about the facts of our bowl attendance tomorrow, OK?"
Fitz Campaign No. 2? A last-minute plea for senior quarterback Mike Kafka as the Big Ten's Most Valuable Player.
Kafka did his best to rock the vote (ballots are due Sunday at 2 p.m.) by hitting 26 of 40 passes for 326 yards. He also fired 2 touchdown strikes to senior Andrew Brewer to build NU's 27-14 halftime lead.
Oh, he also launched the long lateral that set up wide receiver Zeke Markshausen's 38-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Stewart that put Northwestern ahead 24-14 with 6:02 left in the first half.
"Super-trickeration," Fitzgerald said.
In Big Ten play, Kafka led the league in completions (193), attempts (297), completion percentage (65.0) and fewest interceptions (4) while ranking third in yards (1,967). He threw for 9 touchdowns and ran for 4 more.
"I am a little biased, obviously," Fitzgerald said, "but I don't think there is any player in this conference that means more to his football team than Mike Kafka. To me, that's what an MVP is.
"Obviously, there's a lot of great players in this league, a lot of talent in this league. But at the end of the day I think Mike Kafka is not only our MVP, I believe he's an all-Big Ten quarterback and the MVP of the Big Ten conference."
Then Kafka furthered his campaign by suggesting he won't stand for such an honor.
"I'm glad my head coach said that about me," Kafka said. "That's a great feeling. You know, I think all the praise and all that should really go to the offensive line. They really stepped it up."