GATOR BOWL & NU SEASON NOTES TAXSLAYER.COM GATOR BOWL ‘CATS STRIVE FOR 10-WIN SEASON IN GATOR BOWL TILT WITH MSU Jan. 1, 2013 For Openers 21/17/20 vs. Mississippi State (8-4, 4-4, SEC) •to Jacksonville,On the heels Fla., of an to e competexciting 9-3 in theregular 2013 season, TaxSlayer.com Northwestern (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) Northwestern’sGator Bowl on New fifth Year’s bowl bidDay. in NU five is yearsset to bringsface Southeastern the ’Cats Game Facts Conference representative Mississippi State (8-4) and battle Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013 11 a.m. CT EverBank Field for Northwestern’s first 10-win season since 1995. (67,164, Natural Grass) in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl—which in its 68th season Jacksonville, Fla. • is theNorth sixth-oldestwestern willcollege be makingbowl game—and its first-ever is squaring appearance off Broadcast Info: respective histories. MSU is the third different SEC opponent Chicagoland Radio— withNorthwestern the Mississippi has encountered State for the in first bowl time competition; in the schools’ the ’Cats previously faced Tennessee in the Citrus Bowl following the 1996 season, and on Jan. 1, 2010, faced Auburn in the Outback •GN 720 W Bowl. Play-by-Play: Dave Eanet Dynamic RB Venric Mark ranked No. Analyst: Ted Albrecht How They Got Here 1 in the Big Ten and No. 9 nationally in • WNUR (NU Student Radio, 89.3 FM) all-purpose yards this year and recorded Television— eight 100-yard rushing games. • Sirius Satellite Radio (123) and XM (195) season in which it recorded its highest win total since 2008, • along North the westernway becoming is coming bowl off eligible a highly for successful the sixth regulartime in Pat Fitzgerald’s seven seasons at the • ESPN2 Play-by-Play: Bob Wischusen Analyst: Danny Kanell helmconferences of his alma (BIG mater. EAST, SEC,The ’CatsACC andopened Big Ten)the year in the with same five regular straight season. wins, in After the splittingprocess becoming its OnlineSideline:— Allison Williams thefour first Big FBSTen outingsconference-affiliated in the month teamof October, since 2006NU continued to defeat its opponents tradition fromof playing four different well down BCS the stretch, picking up a 23-20 road win at Michigan State before dominating rival Illinois to gain momentum heading into the bowl season. The ’Cats claim four wins over teams heading to • WatchESPN postseason bowl destinations (Syracuse, Vanderbilt, Minnesota, Michigan State). 2012 Schedule and Results Fitz Poised to Become Top ’Cat (9-3, 5-3 Big Ten) e Dat Opponent (TV) Time (CT)/Result one victory to become the winningest head coach in NU football history. Fitzgerald’s next head Sept. 1 at Syracuse (ESPN2) ...........................W, 42-41 • In his seventh year as head coach of his alma mater, Pat Fitzgerald enters bowl season needing Sept. 8 Vanderbilt (BTN) ..........................W, 23-13 Sept. 15 Boston College (BTN) ..................W, 22-13 coaching win will be his 50th, one better than Lynn Waldorf’s record of 49 set from 1936-45. Sept. 22 South Dakota (BTN) ....................... W, 38-7 Winningest NU Senior Class Aims to Add to Legacy Sept. 29 Indiana * (BTN) .............................W, 44-29 Oct. 6 at Penn State * (ESPN) ........................L, 39-28 . Oct 13 at Minnesota * F (ESPN2) ...............W, 21-13 • Northwestern’s trip to the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl marks the final game for members of Oct. 20 Nebraska * F (ABC/ESPN2).........L, 29-28 the winningest senior class in school history. The group has been part of 38 victories in their five Oct. 27 Iowa * F (ESPN2) ...........................W, 28-17 years on campus—three more than the previous record—and became the first class to go to a Nov. 10 at Michigan * F (ESPN) ...........L, 38-31 (OT) Nov. 17 at Michigan State * F (ESPN2) .......W, 23-20 bowl game all five years of their careers. A few other notable achievements by the 2012 seniors Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas (2011). Three of those four games were decided by seven points or less, Nov. 24 Illinois * (BTN) ...............................W, 50-14 include: with two going into overtime. Jan. 1 Mississippi State ^ (ESPN2) ............... 11 a.m. • Prior bowl apperances in the Alamo Bowl (2008), Outback Bowl (2009), TicketCity Bowl (2010) and F * Big Ten game Divisional (Legends) Game • 21(2009), Big T No.en wins, 13 Io includingwa (2010) victories and No. over9 Nebraska all but two(2011). teams in the conference (Ohio State, Penn State) Home games in bold ^ TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl • Five wins vs. nationally ranked teams: No. 20 Minnesota (2008), No. 8 Iowa and No. 17 Wisconsin That Winning Feeling Below is a look at a few winning trends that Pat Fitzgerald has established during his tenure as head Northwestern Wildcats Staff coach and that the Wildcats extended during the 2012 regular season: Head Coach.. Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern ’97) NU & Career Record ..... 49-39, Seventh Year wins over four ranked opponents in the month. Two of NU’s six defeats came in 2010 following Big Ten Record ........................................ 26-29 • the Ovseason-endinger the last four injury seasons, to quarterback Northwestern Dan hasPersa. compiled a 12-6 record in November and secured Assistant Coaches: - Jerry Brown (Asst. Head Coach/Defensive ally, the 2012 ’Cats posted a record of 3-0 in games following a loss. Backs), Mike Hankwitz (Defensive • The Wildcats are 13-4 in their last 17 regular season games dating to Oct. 29, 2011. Addition Coordinator), Mick McCall (Offensive Coordinator), Randy Bates (Linebackers), • of 2008,North includingwestern finisheda 12-8 road with mark a 3-2 in mark Big Ten on the play road during this that year, stretch. securing a .500 or better road Adam Cushing (Offensive Line), Bob Heffner record for the fifth consecutive season. The ’Cats are 17-10 in enemy territory since the beginning (Superbacks), Marty Long (Defensive Line), Matt MacPherson (Running Backs), NORTHWESTERN ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION Dennis Springer (Wide Receivers) Director/Football Contact: Office Phone: (847) 491-7503 • Office Fax: (847) 491-8818 Assistant Director/Asst. Football Paul Kennedy Contact: • (847) 467-2028 (direct office) • (312) 497-5990 (cell) • Email Address: [email protected] Scott Hammer • (847) 491-8800 (direct office) • (847) 791-4651 (cell) • Email Address: [email protected] 2 // 2013 TAXSLAYER.COM GATOR BOWL // NUSPORTS.COM NATIONAL RANKINGS Northwestern-Mississippi State Series Information Associated Press Poll (Dec. 2) All-Time Series Record: N/A (First meeting) 1. Notre Dame (60) ...........12-0 ............. Last Meeting: N/A (First meeting) 2. Alabama ............................12-1 .............1424 3. Ohio State .........................12-0 .............15001302 247 years of football history meet for 4. Florida ................................11-1 .............1279 ...............................11-1 ............. •miles Two apart, major-conference programs with a combined 6. Georgia...............................11-2 .............1213 the first time on Jan. 1, 2013, in the TaxSlayer.com Gator Bowl. Located approximatey 650 5.7. OrKansasegon State ....................11-1 .............12501129 8. Stanford .............................11-2 .............1094 SU9. L ......................................10-2 ............. seven straight victories and climbed 10. Texas A&M ........................10-2 ............. •as Mississippi high as No. State 11 in began the AP the poll year before with TALE OF THE TAPE 11. South Carolina ................10-2 ................1051907 (2012 STATISTICS) 12. Oklahoma .........................10-2 ................1025 national title contender Alabama. It was 13. Florida State ....................11-2 ................789 suffering its first setback on Oct. 27 to Northwestern Mississippi State 14. Clemson .............................10-2 ................851691 tier SEC foes as the Bulldogs lost to Texas ..............................Scoring Per Game ..........................30.2 ..................... 9-3 ..................638 theA&M first and of LSU three in ensuingstraight lossesweeks. to top- 22.8 .....................Scoring Defense Per Game .................22.4 16. Northern Illinois ............12-1 ................ 31.5 .........................First Downs Per Game .....................20.3 15.17. OrUCLAegon .................................... State 9-4 ..................440 230.9 .....................Rushing Yards Per Game ................ 140.7 18. Utah State .........................10-2 ................534379 22.5 .................................Average Per Rush .............................4.3 19. Michigan ........................ 8-4 .............. 306 matchup brings together two teams 28 ..............................Rushing Touchdowns ..........................18 20. Boise State ........................10-2 ................276 •that The led Northwestern-Mississippi their respective conferences State 5.0166.8 ..................... Passing Yards Per Game ................ 248.8 21. NORTHWESTERN ........ 9-3 .............. 266 in turnover margin during the regular 14 .............................. Passing Touchdowns ..........................26 22. Louisville ..........................10-2 ................248 season. At +17, Mississippi State led the 397.8 ......................Total Offense Per Game ................. 389.4 23. Nebraska ......................10-3 ............. 227 20.9 ...........................Kick Return Average .......................23.8 24. San Jose State