Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1054400
28 > > > Northwestern Digital Program NU CLINCHES THE WEST IOWA CITY, Iowa. – With a 14-10 victory over No. 21 Iowa (6-4, 3-4 Big Ten) and losses by Wisconsin and Purdue, Northwestern (6-4, 6-1 Big Ten) won the Big Ten West Division title for the first time in program history at Kinnick Stadium on November 10. The Wildcats became bowl eligible for the eighth time under head coach Pat Fitzgerald and improved to 6-1 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1996 while extending their road winning streak to seven games - a program best. Senior quarterback Clayton Thorson made his 914th career completion to set a new school record at the beginning of the fourth quarter with a two-yard completion to sophomore wide receiver Riley Lees. He finished the game 15-for-30 with 122 yards and one touchdown. First-year running back Isaiah Bowser posted his third career 100-yard game with 31 carries for a career-high 165 yards. He also had back-to-back 100-yard games against Rutgers and Wisconsin earlier this season. Junior wide receiver Bennet Skowronek caught his second touchdown of the season in the game while also posting five receptions for 45 yards. Northwestern and Iowa would spend the majority of the first and second quarters trading scoreless possessions back-and-forth as both defenses dominated. The Hawkeyes opened the scoring with 56 seconds left in the half when, after Iowa started the drive on their own 46-yard line, Miguel Recinos converted a 46-yard field goal to complete a six-play, 26-yard scoring drive. Iowa took a 3-0 advantage into the locker room. Sophomore defensive back Travis Whillock totaled seven tackles, including four solo, in the first half alone while senior cornerback Montre Hartage picked up five tackles and four solo. Whillock finished with a team-leading nine tackles. Sophomore linebacker Paddy Fisher totaled eight tackles, with four solo, including 0.5 tackle for loss. Northwestern scored its first points of the day on its second possession of the third quarter. After a seven-yard rush by junior superback Cameron Green, Bowser ran the ball on back-to- back plays for eight yards and then 10, moving the 'Cats up to their own 47-yard line. After a four-yard completion by sophomore superback Trey Pugh, Bowser rushed for 34 yards down the left sideline to the endzone at 9:19 to put the Wildcats up 7-3. On Iowa's next possession, junior defensive back Roderick Campbell knocked the ball away from Iowa's Max Cooper on third down, forcing the Hawkeyes to kick a field goal. Recinos' 38-yard kick hit off the upright though, maintaining Northwestern's four-point advantage. On Northwestern's next possession, Thorson's pass to Skowronek was intercepted by Jake Gervase, who returned it three yards to the Northwestern 42-yard line. Two plays into Iowa's ensuing possession, Stanley competed a 28-yard touchdown pass to Ihmir Smith-Marsette at 4:27 in the third quarter to give Iowa a 10-7 lead.