Final
Northwestern rallies for 29-28 win over Indiana
Oct 24, 2009 - 8:48 PM By RICK GANO AP Sports WriterEVANSTON, Ill.(AP) -- Stefan Demos kicked a 19-yard field goal with 21 seconds left Saturday and Northwestern completed a comeback from a 25-point deficit to beat Indiana 29-28.
The Wildcats (5-3, 2-2) trailed 28-3 in the second quarter after Indiana used a 70-yard TD run from Darius Willis on the game's first scrimmage play and a 93-yard kickoff return from Ray Fisher to build the big lead.
But Mike Kafka shook off three second-half interceptions and helped the Wildcats stage their comeback.
Kafka hit Andrew Brewer on a 51-yard TD pass early in the fourth quarter to cap a 98-yard drive that started after Indiana failed to score on a fourth-and-goal from Northwestern's 1. That got Northwestern within 28-26.
The Hoosiers gambled again on fourth-and-3 in the fourth quarter from the Northwestern 33, but a pass from Ben Chappell was tipped away.
After some tough running by Scott Concannon, Kafka hit Brewer on a key fourth-down pass of 6 yards to the Hoosiers' 29. Jeravin Matthews broke off a 15-yard run to the Indiana 10 as the Wildcats got Demos in position.
Indiana (4-4, 1-3) tried a last-play field goal but Nick Freeland's 59-yard attempt fell short.
Willis, who had an 85-yard TD run against Michigan earlier this season, broke around the right side, got into the clear and sprinted down the sidelines to give the Hoosiers the lead 20 seconds into the game.
Fisher, who also had a nifty punt return to set up a score, weaved his way through early would-be tacklers and took off down the left sideline to put the Hoosiers up 28-3 midway through the second quarter.
Chappell, who threw for 333 yards last week in a victory over Illinois, completed 8 of his first 9 passes. He finished 15 of 26 for 159 yards. Kafka was 26 of 46 for 312 yards.
Willis had a 3-yard run early in the second quarter to cap a 76-yard drive that featured a 22-yard keeper by Chappell and his 19-yard pass to Damarlo Belcher. That made it 21-0.
With his team trailing 28-3, Kafka directed a pair of long scoring drives in the final 4:07 of the half to get Northwestern back in the game. He sneaked in from the 1 to end a 75-yard march that featured a pass interference call on the Hoosiers.
Kafka lofted an 8-yard TD pass to Zeke Markshausen with seven seconds to go in the half, a play upheld by video review, completing an 84-yard drive.
Late in the third, Northwestern's Ricky Weina blocked a punt by Indiana's Chrids Hagerup and the ball bounded to the end zone. But Indiana's Terrance Thomas was able to recover, giving Northwestern a safety instead of a touchdown, making it 28-19.
After Austin Thomas intercepted Kafka and returned 38 yards to the Wildcats 23, the Hoosiers appeared on the verge of putting it away. Indiana went for it on a fourth-and-goal from the 1, but a scrambling Evans tripped over his own blocker and went down at the 2.
- NCAAF FINAL
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
INDIANA 14 14 0 0 28
NORTHWSTRN 0 17 2 10 29 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: INDIANA - TD, DARIUS WILLIS 70 YD RUN (NICK
FREELAND KICK), 0:20. INDIANA
7-0
INDIANA - TD, BEN CHAPPELL 1 YD RUN (NICK
FREELAND KICK), 11:21.
INDIANA 14-0
2ND QUARTER: INDIANA - T
Oct 24 3:18 PM - NCAAF
INDIANA 28
NORTHWSTRN 29 0:00 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Oct 24 3:18 PM
TD NORTHWESTERN ANDREW BREWER 51 YD PASS FROM MIKE KAFKA (STEFAN DEMOS KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 26 4th - 12:33Oct 24 2:39 PM
TD NORTHWESTERN ANDREW BREWER 51 YD PASS FROM MIKE KAFKA (STEFAN DEMOS KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 26 4th - 12:33Oct 24 2:39 PM
TD NORTHWESTERN ANDREW BREWER 51 YD PASS FROM MIKE KAFKA (STEFAN DEMOS KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 26 4th - 12:33Oct 24 2:39 PM- NCAAF
INDIANA 28
NORTHWSTRN 26 12:33 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Indiana 28, Northwestern 26 4th - 12:33Oct 24 2:39 PM - NCAAF
INDIANA 28
NORTHWSTRN 19 0:00 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Oct 24 2:31 PM - NCAAF
INDIANA 28
NORTHWSTRN 17 0:00 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Oct 24 1:34 PM
TD NORTHWESTERN ZEKE MARKSHAUSEN 8 YD PASS FROM MIKE KAFKA (STEFAN DEMOS KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 17 2nd - 0:07Oct 24 1:32 PM
TD NORTHWESTERN ZEKE MARKSHAUSEN 8 YD PASS FROM MIKE KAFKA (STEFAN DEMOS KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 17 2nd - 0:07Oct 24 1:32 PM
TD NORTHWESTERN ZEKE MARKSHAUSEN 8 YD PASS FROM MIKE KAFKA (STEFAN DEMOS KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 17 2nd - 0:07Oct 24 1:32 PM
TD NORTHWESTERN MIKE KAFKA 1 YD RUN (STEFAN DEMOS KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 10 2nd - 4:07Oct 24 1:15 PM
TD NORTHWESTERN MIKE KAFKA 1 YD RUN (STEFAN DEMOS KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 10 2nd - 4:07Oct 24 1:15 PM
TD INDIANA RAY FISHER 93 YD KICKOFF RETURN (NICK FREELAND KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 3 2nd - 7:32Oct 24 1:03 PM
TD INDIANA RAY FISHER 93 YD KICKOFF RETURN (NICK FREELAND KICK)
Indiana 28, Northwestern 3 2nd - 7:32Oct 24 1:03 PM
TD INDIANA DARIUS WILLIS 3 YD RUN (NICK FREELAND KICK)
Indiana 21, Northwestern 0 2nd - 12:25Oct 24 12:49 PM
TD INDIANA DARIUS WILLIS 3 YD RUN (NICK FREELAND KICK)
Indiana 21, Northwestern 0 2nd - 12:25Oct 24 12:49 PM- NCAAF
INDIANA 21
NORTHWSTRN 0 12:25 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Indiana 21, Northwestern 0 2nd - 12:25Oct 24 12:49 PM - NCAAF
INDIANA 14
NORTHWSTRN 0 0:00 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Oct 24 12:41 PM
TD INDIANA BEN CHAPPELL 1 YD RUN (NICK FREELAND KICK)
Indiana 14, Northwestern 0 1st - 3:39Oct 24 12:31 PM
TD INDIANA BEN CHAPPELL 1 YD RUN (NICK FREELAND KICK)
Indiana 14, Northwestern 0 1st - 3:39Oct 24 12:31 PM
TD INDIANA DARIUS WILLIS 70 YD RUN (NICK FREELAND KICK)
Indiana 7, Northwestern 0 1st - 14:40Oct 24 12:04 PM
TD INDIANA DARIUS WILLIS 70 YD RUN (NICK FREELAND KICK)
Indiana 7, Northwestern 0 1st - 14:40Oct 24 12:04 PM
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