Given the newfound fame, an open date and a less-notable opponent, what happened next was predictable. Northwestern prepared well for Miami Ohio and led in the fourth quarter. But all-too-familiar miscues, namely several poor snaps by a backup snapper, led to a loss. We let our guard down. Many players now point to Miami Ohio as a necessary setback. Amid little hype the following weeks, Northwestern handily beat Air Force and Indiana. A trip to Michigan loomed. Barnett, who worked for ex-Wolverines assistant Bill McCartney at Colorado, and the players had great respect for Michigan.
Running back Tim Biakabutuka was a load. Jason Horn led a mauling defense that included freshman Charles Woodson. But thanks to playmaking defense four takeaways , Autry's legs yards and Valenzisi's foot four field goals , the Wildcats won -- their first win in Ann Arbor since Bowl eligibility had been a realistic goal entering the fall. At , Northwestern could think bigger. Northwestern was halfway through a historic season. Autry, Fitzgerald, defensive back Hudhaifa Ismaeli and others were becoming national names.
But the team's biggest moments had occurred on the road, with the latest wins at Michigan and Minnesota. The schedule's back stretch allowed a suddenly engaged fan base to celebrate their team up close. Alumni streamed into town for homecoming.
Barnett allowed the entire team to attend a pregame pep rally, where Valenzisi told the crowd: "Tomorrow's going to be a great day to be a Wildcat. Northwestern blanked Wisconsin , forcing seven turnovers.
Reserve cornerback Chris Rooney stopped Wisconsin on the final play at the 3-yard line to preserve the shutout. Other than losing Valenzisi to a knee injury, it had been a great day for the Wildcats.
As the wins and the hype increased, so did the demands on an athletic department unfamiliar with either. Ticket manager Krista Fortman and two other full-time staffers would take orders from 9 to 5. When the phones switched off, they began processing orders and mailing tickets. On weekends, they solicited help from other department employees and even spouses.
Fortman remembers one spouse balancing his month-old on his lap as he ran credit cards. We were all exhausted but having a blast. Obviously, had never been through it before. It just came out of nowhere. At a practice that spring, Barnett summoned Hurlbut, hired weeks earlier from Penn.
The coach asked why more reporters weren't there, reminding Hurlbut, "That's your job. By October, reporters filled a purple tent for every practice. I did my job. In early November, Northwestern held the most anticipated home game in decades against No.
Stadium lights were driven in. Northwestern had to turn away some national newspapers. There was no room. A national audience watched Fitzgerald 20 tackles and the defense smother Penn State. Autry scored three touchdowns and posted his 10th straight yard game.
Northwestern's warts showed, too. Jackson couldn't talk over the blaring public-address system. In the second half, Schnur summoned the referee with a request: Tell the fans blocking the second clock in the South end of the stadium to sit down. At that point in time, we knew what was at stake, and we were not going to let go of it. Northwestern still needed to beat Iowa, Barnett's handpicked rival.
Iowa appeared in red letters on the team schedule. During Iowa week, Northwestern's scout team dressed in a separate locker room. Iowa surged to a lead. Fitzgerald, en route to the first of two national Defensive Player of the Year awards, suffered a broken ankle in the third quarter. His season was over, but Northwestern rallied to win, Northwestern had a perfect league record and a top-5 ranking, but it needed help to reach the Rose Bowl.
Michigan had to beat undefeated, second-ranked Ohio State. Several dozen players gathered in the team room at the Nicolet Football Center. There were watch parties all around Evanston, but by afternoon, many had found their way to Nicolet.
Who are they going to pick? Northwestern hadn't made a bowl for 47 years, and the Citrus carried prestige. But everyone wanted the Rose. Michigan began to take control behind Biakabutuka yards.
After: three consecutive sellouts, a student body that finally cared as much about football scores as SAT scores and fired-up fans who flooded onto the field to congratulate their heroes after a win over Penn State on national television. Before: Rick Venturi goes as head coach, lands head coaching job with a pro team.
He stays because he wants to be at Northwestern. By the end of the year, the Wildcats' success had brought a bevy of accolades: They even got a shot on "The Tonight Show" before the Rose Bowl. Despite the glitz, the team was still able to focus on the New Year's Day game. After falling behind the USC Trojans , the Cats stormed back, using two field goals by Brian Gowins and a perfectly executed onside kick.
When running back Darnell Autry rambled for a 2-yard score early in the fourth quarter, Northwestern had its first lead at In fact, early speculation in the Daily Northwestern assumed that Minnesota, Purdue or Wisconsin would be making the trip to Pasadena.
Thus, by default, Northwestern entered its first Rose Bowl. To celebrate, there was a large rally at which it was announced by University President Franklin B. Snyder and team captain Alex Sarkisian that classes would be suspended for a week. The game was made even more exciting by the announcement that the Wildcats would be facing the California Golden Bears lead by ex-Northwestern coach Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf.
Aschenbrenner's touchdown stunned everyone watching, and players later recounted that the massive stadium fell into total silence. In one of the most controversial decisions in Rose Bowl history, the play was ruled a touchdown for Northwestern. The Wildcats missed the extra point, giving Northwestern a lead. Despite the contentious ruling, California returned from the half time and set up the go-ahead score, giving them a one point lead.
Newspapers remarked on the tight win by Northwestern and praised the the Northwestern Marching Band. Northwestern did not return to the Rose Bowl for another 47 years.
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