• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Northwestern looks to end bowl drought

Dec 29, 2008 - 4:08 PM (20) Northwestern (9-3) vs. (23) Missouri (9-4), 8:00 pm EST

SAN ANTONIO (Ticker) -- No. 20 Northwestern's game against 23rd-ranked Missouri in the Alamo Bowl on Monday has special meaning for Wildcats coach Pat Fitzgerald.

The first of three postseason games Northwestern played in under the late Randy Walker, Fitzgerald's predecessor, was the 2000 Alamo Bowl.

"As a Northwestern head football coach and to have my first bowl game as a head football coach here (at the Alamo Bowl), I think it's just another link between him and I," Fitzgerald said. "I'm just humbled and honored to continue on his legacy."

Fitzgerald was named Northwestern coach on July 7, 2006, following the unexpected death of Walker, who died of a heart attack at age 52.

A star linebacker on Northwestern's 1995 Rose Bowl team, Fitzgerald is looking to become the first Wildcats coach to win a postseason game in 59 years.

Northwestern's only bowl victory came in 1949, when it defeated California, 20-14, in the Rose Bowl.

Since then, the Wildcats (9-3) have played in only five postseason contests, losing all five. Fitzgerald was involved in four of the bowl defeats - two as a player and two as an assistant coach under Walker.

He is not shying away from reminding his players of the school's bowl futility.

"I had two opportunities as a student-athlete to get that monkey off our back and two as an assistant coach and now as a head football coach," Fitzgerald said. "I wish the challenge was a little easier, but nothing is easy in life and this experience will make our entire football program stronger."

Northwestern also is looking to reach 10 wins for only the third time in school history. Its only previous 10-win seasons came in 1903 and 1995.

Missouri ended a lengthy bowl drought last season, defeating Arkansas, 38-7, in the Cotton Bowl for its first bowl win on New Year's Day or later since the 1966 Sugar Bowl.

However, the Tigers (9-4) endured a disappointing 2008 season following capped by a 62-21 loss to Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game - and their motivation could be a factor.

Still, Northwestern did not face a team as potent as Missouri during the regular season, as the Tigers averaged 43.2 points per game.

Quarterback Chase Daniel and fellow senior Chase Coffman, the Mackey Award winner as the nation's top tight end, will be making their final appearances for the Tigers.

Earlier this year, Daniel became the school's all-time passing leader, but he struggled somewhat down the the stretch after being a Heisman Trophy finalist last season.

Sophomore Jeremy Maclin, a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award given to the top receiver, also could be playing in his final game for the Tigers. There has been considerable speculation that Maclin will enter next year's NFL draft.