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6 n o r t h w e s t e r n f o o t b a l l • D I G I T A L P R O G R A M • N O R T H W E S T E R N v s . M I C H I G A N S T A T E THE MATCHUP: NORTHWESTERN VS. MICHIGAN STATE Game 2 // Northwestern vs. UNLV // Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019 KICKOFF NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS Record 1-1 Rankings n/a Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Record at NU (Yrs.) 97-71 (14th) Home Record 52-37 (.584) Big Ten Record 56-51 (.523) vs. MSU 5-5 (.500) Offensive Coordinator Mick McCall Defensive Coordinator Mike Hankwitz MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS Record 2-1 Rankings AP (RV) / Coaches (RV) Head Coach Mark Dantonio Record at MSU (Yrs.) 107-51 (13th) Away Record 36-23 (.610) Big Ten Record 65-34 (.657) vs. Northwestern 4-5 (.444) Offensive Coordinator Brad Salem Defensive Coordinator Mike Tressel Evanston, Ill. 11 a.m. Ryan Field ABC wgn 720 statbroadcast.com LET'S GET IT STARTED Northwestern will open Big Ten play and the defense of its West Division title Saturday when it hosts Michigan State at Ryan Field. The Wildcats have won each of the last three meetings versus the Spartans, including a 39-31 triple-overtime thriller at home on Oct. 28, 2017. INSIDE THE STREAK VERSUS MICHIGAN STATE NU is averaging 40.6 points and 340 passing yards per game during its three-game winning streak over the Spartans. The 'Cats started the streak with 54 points on the road in 2016. MSU enters Saturday's game ranked in the top-12 nationally in rushing defense (2nd; 23.3), total defense (3rd; 216.0) and scoring defense (12th; 11.3). GROUND AND POUND The Wildcats racked up a season-high 276 rushing yards in their victory over UNLV last week. It marked the 'Cats' most yards since equaling the tally versus Illinois on Nov. 24 of last season. Redshirt first-year running back Drake Anderson (141), sophomore running back Jesse Brown (79) and sophomore quarterback Hunter Johnson (55) each set career highs in the contest. B1G TIME HONORS Senior defensive end Joe Gaziano and redshirt first-year running back Drake Anderson were honored by the Big Ten Conference Monday as the Defensive Player of the Week and Co-Freshman of the Week, respectively. Gaziano had a career-high nine tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery. Anderson replaced an injured Isaiah Bowser and rushed for the eighth most yards by a NU first year in program history with 141 while scoring his first career touchdown. More notes on Gaziano and Anderson can be found on page 2. KEEP IT ROLLIN' Chicago's Big Ten Team enters the contest having won eight-straight regular season games versus Big Ten foes and is 15-1 in its last 16 in conference play. The Wildcats set a program record with eight conference wins last season en route to claiming their first Big Ten West Division title and a trip to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game. LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON Redshirt first year Drake Anderson set career highs with 26 carries, 141 rushing yards and a touchdown versus UNLV last week — 18 years after his father Damien Anderson had 113 rushing yards versus the Rebels. Playing in just his fourth career game, Anderson averaged 5.5 yards per carry and capped the performance with a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Anderson finished the game with a remarkable 101 yards after contact. Damien Anderson (1998-2001) ranks second in program history with 4,485 rushing yards. His 2,063 rushing yards in the 2000 season still ranks atop the NU record book and helped him finish fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting that season. SHAKE AND DRAKE Anderson is one of just five Big Ten players to rush for 141 and a touchdown while averaging 5.4 yards per carry this season. His 141 yards were the eighth-most by a NU first year in program history and marked the Wildcats' first 100-yard performance of the season. He enters the week ranked sixth in the Big Ten in yards per carry (5.21). PARTY IN THE BACKFIELD Senior defensive end Joe Gaziano compiled a stat line not seen in the Big Ten since 2016 with his career-high nine tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, forced fumble and fumble recovery versus UNLV. Gaziano is the only player in the country to record such a stat line this season and is the first Big Ten player since Maryland's Jermaine Carter did so versus Rutgers on Nov. 26, 2016. ALL GAZ, NO BRAKES Gaziano now ranks third in program history with 22.5 career sacks and is second nationally among active players behind only Boise State's Curtis Weaver (26.5). THE HUNTER, NOT THE HUNTED Sophomore quarterback Hunter Johnson made his first start at Ryan Field and led the Wildcats to victory by completing 12-of-25 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns (1 passing, 1 rushing). Johnson is the first NU quarterback with a passing and rushing touchdown in his first home start since Dan Persa versus Illinois State on Sept. 11, 2010. MORE ON JOHNSON'S FIRST WIN Johnson finished the game with career highs in completions, attempts, passing yards, yards per completion and rushing yards. His first touchdown pass as a Wildcat came on a 50-yard strike to sophomore JJ Jefferson. He finished the game with 13.75 yards per completion. It marked just the sixth time in the last five seasons the 'Cats finished with at least 13.75 yards per completion. 29 19 LAST MEETING Oct. 6, 2018 • East Lansing, Mich. Penalty Yards/GM Turnover Margin Total Defense Rushing Defense Scoring Offense Total Offense Passing Yards/GM Rushing Yards/GM Penalty Yards/GM Turnover Margin Total Defense Rushing Defense Scoring Offense Total Offense Passing Yards/GM Rushing Yards/GM 157.3 272.33 429.7 28.7 23.3 216.0 +1.0 32.39 184.5 141.0 325.5 18.5 171.0 347.5 0.0 72.5