Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1177122
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 . O h i o S t a t e THE MATCHUP: NORTHWESTERN VS. OHIO STATE Game 6 // Northwestern vs. Ohio State // Friday, October 18, 2019 KICKOFF NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS Record 1-4, 0-3 Big Ten Rankings n/a Head Coach Pat Fitzgerald Record at NU (Yrs.) 97-74 (14th) Home Record 52-38 (.520) Big Ten Record 56-54 (.509) vs. Ohio State 0-5 (.000) Offensive Coordinator Mick McCall Defensive Coordinator Mike Hankwitz OHIO STATE BUCKEYES Record 6-0, 3-0 Big Ten Rankings 4 (Coaches) / 4 (AP) Head Coach Ryan Day Record at Ohio State (Yrs.) 9-0 (1st) Home Record 7-0 (1.000) Big Ten Record 3-0 (1.000) vs. Northwestern n/a Offensive Coordinator Kevin Wilson Defensive Coordinator Greg Mattison/Jeff Hafley Evanston, Ill. 7:30 p.m. Ryan Field BTN WIND 560Am statbroadcast.com FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS Northwestern will host the first Friday night game in Ryan Field history when it plays host to No. 4 Ohio State in a rematch of the 2018 Big Ten Championship Game. The Wildcats are looking to snap a three-game losing streak after falling at Nebraska as time expired, 13-10, on Oct. 5. PARTY IN THE BACKFIELD The Wildcats matched a season high with nine tackles for loss at Nebraska. Senior defensive end Joe Gaziano (3), sophomore cornerback Cam Ruiz (2) and junior linebacker Chris Bergin (2) each set career highs, becoming the first trio of 'Cats to have at least two tackles for loss in a game since Tyler Lancaster, Dean Lowry and Joe Jones each had a pair versus Minnesota on October 3, 2015. STEPPING IN AND STEPPING UP Sophomore cornerback Cam Ruiz has started each of the last two games in place of injured senior captain Trae Williams. Ruiz has set career highs in tackles in each of the last two games, recording seven at No. 8 Wisconsin before besting the mark with eight at Nebraska. LEES ON THE LOOSE Junior wide receiver Riley Lees has set career highs in receptions each of the last three games, racking up 17 total during the three-game stretch. Lees had a career-high seven catches for 49 yards at Nebraska two weeks ago after hauling in five in back-to-back games versus Michigan State and No. 8 Wisconsin. BRICK WALL The Northwestern defense has been among the best in the nation this season. The Wildcats enter Friday night's game ranked seventh in first downs allowed (82), 14th in passing yards allowed (140.4/gm), 19th in red zone defense (.714), 26th in total defense (318.8/gm) and 30th in scoring defense (19.8). NO FLY ZONE Sophomore cornerback Greg Newsome II has stepped right into the top corner spot left by three-year starter Montre Hartage. Newsome leads the Wildcats with eight pass breakups and recorded a career-high four versus Michigan State on Sept. 21. He is second in the Big Ten and ranks 12th in the country with 1.6 passes defended per game. SMITH MAKES FIRST CAREER START Junior quarterback Aidan Smith made his first career start at Nebraska on Oct. 5, completing 19-of-32 passes for 136 yards while rushing for 64 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. Smith's first career rushing touchdown tied the game in the third quarter, 10-10, and his 16 rushing attempts were the most by a NU quarterback since Kain Colter had 19 versus Michigan on Nov. 16, 2013. GAZIANO HAS SACK RECORD IN SIGHT Senior defensive end Joe Gaziano is on the verge of becoming the program's all-time leader in sacks after he moved into sole possesion of second on the list with a sack at Nebraska. Gaziano has 24.5 career sacks in his career, just 3.5 shy of Casey Dailey's record set from 1994-97. Gaziano is second nationally among active players in career sacks, trailing only Boise State's Curtis Weaver (29.5). He is also second in career forced fumbles with nine, trailing only his teammate Paddy Fisher (10). CHARLIE AND THE FIELD GOAL FACTORY Junior kicker Charlie Kuhbander made his sixth field goal of the season at Nebraska, moving him into eighth in program history for points scored by a kicker. The field goal was the 24th of his career, moving him past Joel Howells (2003-06) for sole possession of 10th on the all-time field goals made list in NU history. Kuhbander enters Friday night's game third in the Big Ten in field goals per game (1.2) and fifth in field goal percentage (6/8; .750). 24 45 LAST MEETING Dec. 1, 2018 • Indianapolis, Ind. 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 288.5 246.0 534.5 49.3 82.0 234.0 +1.17 49.00 152.4 140.4 292.8 14.4 142.8 318.8 -0.80 48.60