Inside NU - Big Ten Championship gameweekRoll Damn 'Catshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52532/insidenu_fav.png2018-12-03T12:24:02-06:00http://www.insidenu.com/rss/stream/178789532018-12-03T12:24:02-06:002018-12-03T12:24:02-06:00Northwestern leaves Indianapolis seeking a “new normal”
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<figcaption>Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Saturday was a purple-crazed party, but Northwestern wants more. </p> <p id="nG9U4Z">INDIANAPOLIS — As confetti fell on the turf at Lucas Oil Stadium, <span>Clayton Thorson</span>, the last Northwestern player still on the field, jogged toward his team’s tunnel, then stopped. </p>
<p id="DCLEel">He turned around, pivoting toward the stadium’s hulking JumboTron, and took one final look at a field that represented so much more than the yardage markers and hash marks. After about a second, reality set back in, and he turned and continued on his path to the locker room. </p>
<p id="IbwsyC">“That’s something we’ve worked for for a long time,” Thorson said. “So just want to take it all in. Just trying to enjoy the moment. You know, there’s only so many times where you can be in games, trophy games like that.”</p>
<p id="oC9YDx">The Northwestern fans got the memo there — Saturday was a purple celebration rivaled only by the 2017 <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/a/march-madness-2018-ncaa-tournament">NCAA Tournament</a> in recent memory. Pat Fitzgerald said he wants the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-championship-game">Big Ten Championship</a> to become the “new normal” for his program, but Saturday was not normal. </p>
<p id="FDy729">When Northwestern took the field, the purple corner of the stadium roared, and purple towels twirled for a group of players fans were proud to call their own. In a sea of red, the outnumbered purple held its own. There was an electricity in the air, an unquantifiable fighting spirit that made the experience more than just an appearance — Northwestern, both on the field and in the stands, made its presence felt. </p>
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<cite>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="g35nbU">“They created the new standard in our program,” Fitzgerald said of the seniors, “and, you know, to see them emotional in the locker room after the game, you’re a mentor first, and to see that it just breaks my heart for them because they gave everything that they have and I’m incredibly thankful for ‘em.”</p>
<p id="ufUSfv">All over the field, the Northwestern senior class made its presence felt in Indianapolis. Thorson, in his 52nd career start, ignited Northwestern’s offense in the third quarter to bring his team with in striking distance of the mighty Buckeyes. Jordan Thompson, often underappreciated, plugged gaps all night on the defensive line, and produced a key sack and forced fumble in what was one of the best games of his career. <span>Montre Hartage</span>, fighting an injury that eventually forced him out of the game, picked off Ohio State quarterback <span>Dwayne Haskins</span> — one of the only moments when Haskins looked flustered. Not to mention all of the offensive lineman that gave NU a chance throughout, and others. </p>
<p id="Rt1d7w">After giving up a touchdown on the opening series and punting on the ensuing possession, and it looked like the lights might’ve been too bright for the newcomer Wildcats, Northwestern responded. John Moten dashed 77 yards for a score that shocked everyone in attendance, except maybe the players themselves. </p>
<p id="RhZ8e3">When Haskins delivered a ready-made 43-yard touchdown strike to <span>Terry McLaurin</span> to put Ohio State up 24-7 at halftime, the Buckeyes looked poised to turn the second half into a blowout. Nope. Northwestern marched right down the field on the first drive of the half, and then did it again on the next possession to cut the OSU lead to three. </p>
<p id="C9lFff">At almost every opportunity when it seemed like the less talented Northwestern would fold, it didn’t. And when its corners kept dropping like flies, and mistakes looked like they could end the game, Northwestern kept coming, because that’s what Northwestern does. It’s a cliche, yet it’s true: Northwestern bends, but doesn’t break. It plays up to bigger, faster and stronger teams. It doesn’t often beat itself. Week to week, Northwestern is one of conference’s toughest outs. </p>
<p id="YiJOrz">“I think we proved that we weren’t just happy to be here,” Fitzgerald said. </p>
<p id="iGV2tM">Fitzgerald couldn’t help but come back to the senior class at his press conference. Discussing the postgame scene in the locker room, Fitzgerald began to get emotional. “I’m so thankful that I get one more game to coach ‘em,” he said. “And just so thankful for all that they’ve done for our program.”</p>
<p id="2VMugi">Fitzgerald and players alike called the game a learning experience for all involved. </p>
<p id="L5bCsY">“Now [the players] know what it takes to win a Big Ten championship,” he said. “And I think until you’re in this game, you really don’t quite understand all that extra work that needs to go in to getting you know onto that field for the celebration.”</p>
<p id="rF6Kbc">Thorson acknowledged the magnitude of their accomplishment, saying he was proud he was on the team that broke through to Indianapolis. Still, there was disappointment. Ohio State, after all, was the team on the field for the celebration. Thorson said he dreamed of having a rose in his mouth on the field after the game. </p>
<p id="idncR3">“We’re really proud to get here, but that wasn’t the end goal,” Thorson said. </p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/3/18121697/northwestern-ohio-state-big-ten-championship-recap-pat-fitzgerald-clayton-thorsonCaleb Friedman2018-12-03T09:46:03-06:002018-12-03T09:46:03-06:00Six of the weirdest things that happened during Northwestern-Ohio State
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<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>For the Big Ten Championship, there was certainly some absurdity.</p> <p id="h0jyry"><em>Every college football game has some element of weirdness to it, but Saturday’s </em><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-championship-game"><em>Big Ten Championship</em></a><em> felt like it went off the rails at times. Outcomes ranged from the weird (</em><span><em>John Moten IV</em></span><em> scoring a long touchdown) to the rare (Northwestern blocking a field goal) to the absurd (</em><span><em>Jelani Roberts</em></span><em> registering the game-long reception for the Wildcats). Here’s a look at six odd occurrences in Saturday’s game:</em></p>
<p id="BG7d9H"><strong>1. John Moten IV’s 77-yard touchdown run. </strong>The junior got hurt during the Nebraska game and missed Northwestern’s next five contests. He got eight carries in NU’s win over Illinois, but I don’t think many were expecting Moten to channel his inner Anthony McFarland Jr. and gash OSU for a long touchdown in the Big Ten Championship. But sure enough, it was Moten who got a first-quarter carry and ran through the entire Buckeye defense to tie the game at 7. To make matters weirder, Gus Johnson exclaimed “Touchdown, Wisconsin!” on the FOX broadcast before correcting himself.</p>
<p id="xQEoai">Moten had three carries for -1 yards following his touchdown.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There's <a href="https://twitter.com/NUFBFamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NUFBFamily</a>'s answer. And it's one long answer.<br><br>Tie game.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GFCG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GFCG</a> <a href="https://t.co/ciYFI5L4IG">pic.twitter.com/ciYFI5L4IG</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1069044507969110017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="7N3fkv"><strong>2. </strong><span><strong>Dwayne Haskins</strong></span><strong>’s second touchdown throw to Terry McLaurin. </strong>Northwestern held Ohio State to a field goal after <span>Clayton Thorson</span> fumbled in NU territory, and it looked like the Wildcats would head into the half down only 17-7. With 1:21 left in the half, Ohio State had a 3rd and 20 from the NU 42. The Wildcats dropped eight defenders, but Haskins still threw an absolute dime to McLaurin, dropping the 50-yard pass just outside the reach of <span>Greg Newsome II</span>. It’s hard to consider anything Haskins did “weird” because he’s just such a talented player, but this was an absurd throw.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"You're not going to find many throws that are better than that. " <a href="https://twitter.com/OhioStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OhioStateFB</a> leads the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GFCG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GFCG</a> 24-7. <a href="https://t.co/KoqrGNewiv">pic.twitter.com/KoqrGNewiv</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1069059665290395648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="l87sKt"><strong>3. The </strong><span><strong>Charlie Fessler</strong></span><strong> non-fumble. </strong>Of course, the Ohio State touchdown before the half didn’t put the game away, and NU marched right down the field to open the third quarter before forcing a Ohio State punt. Clayton Thorson and the NU offense penetrated the Buckeye redzone again on its next possession. On 1st and 10 from the OSU 20, Thorson found Charlie Fessler inside the 5-yard-line. As Damon Arnette Jr. wrestled Fessler to the ground, he appeared the rip the ball out and subsequently recover it. The call on the field was a fumble, but the refs overturned the decision, ruling that Fessler’s knee was down before the ball came out. I was surprised the call was overturned, but you can be the judge:</p>
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<p id="GrbiEH">Regardless, this was a huge play because instead of handing the ball back to the Buckeyes, NU scored two plays later to cut the lead to three.</p>
<p id="vRP2IT"><strong>4. Clayton Thorson and </strong><span><strong>Jared Thomas</strong></span><strong> get intercepted, but there are no huge consequences. </strong>Northwestern had ALL the momentum following another Buckeye punt. But, two plays into its own drive, the Wildcats turned the ball over for the third time. <span>Chase Young</span> managed to get a piece of Thorson’s arm as he was throwing, and No. 18’s pass boinked off center Jared Thomas’s head and into the arms of Arnette. It was weird and frustrating.</p>
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<p id="GsuknA">Doink. Anyways, Ohio State couldn’t capitalize because <span>Jordan Thompson</span> forced a <span>Mike Weber</span> fumbled that <span>Travis Whillock</span> pounced on. The Wildcats lived on.</p>
<p id="FHTB6d"><strong>5. </strong><span><strong>Fred Wyatt</strong></span><strong> blocked a field goal.</strong> Ohio State had a chance to push its advantage to 13 with a fourth-quarter field goal attempt. Northwestern didn’t get a particularly good push, but Fred Wyatt got his hand on the low kick attempt (seriously, how do you kick it so low?) and the ball fell harmlessly to the turf. Buckeye kicker <span>Blake Haubeil</span> had made 10 of his last 12 attempts and hadn’t missed a kick inside of 30 yards.</p>
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<p id="sZTJN7">This was an odd outcome. Understandable, I guess, given how the second half went. Fitz was very pumped, perhaps because we don’t think NU has blocked a field goal attempt in like, 20 years.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Seriously, does anybody remember the last time Northwestern blocked a field goal? A cursory google search brings up a Chicago tribune article from 1997.</p>— Inside NU (@insidenu) <a href="https://twitter.com/insidenu/status/1069082877437112320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="iuCEY4"><strong>6. Jelani Roberts snags a 33-yard reception. </strong>In the car back to the hotel, we were joking about how much of a Northwestern football deep-cut Jelani Roberts is. He’s a wide receiver by name, but the Wildcats pretty much only use Roberts on fly sweeps and special teams. Before Saturday, he had nine receptions in his NU career compared to 24 rushing attempts. His longest reception was 12 yards. So we were pretty shocked when Clayton Thorson let a deep pass fly to Roberts in the fourth quarter of the Big Ten Championship game. </p>
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<p id="2FBFzI">Give lots of credit to Roberts. He burns <span>Shaun Wade</span> and adjusts well to the ball to make an excellent catch. Weird, but a good outcome. NU kicked a field goal to cap off the drive, bringing the deficit to seven. </p>
<h2 id="0yhm3F">Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments?</h2>
https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/3/18121950/northwestern-ohio-state-big-ten-championship-weird-odd-jelani-roberts-john-motenDavis Rich2018-12-03T08:30:45-06:002018-12-03T08:30:45-06:00For a day in Indianapolis, Northwestern was a football school
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<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Saturday was different. </p> <p id="FtoJhn">Over 47 years, the Norris University Center had never seen anything like this. Before the doors to the aging student center on Lake Michigan had even opened, there were students lined up waiting. They would soon be joined by thousands of their compatriots on a pilgrimage to Indianapolis, filling a caravan of buses down I-65 and into the maw of the Midwest. </p>
<p id="C5vkw9">The Norris Center has hosted thousands of meetings and social events since it was constructed in 1971. It wasn’t supposed to make it this far. A plan to refurbish Norris into a glass palace starting in 2017 still sits in the ground floor. But the donations have dried up and the school is in debt, leaving Norris intact to become the staging ground for one of the most surreal events in Northwestern history, as it should be.</p>
<p id="AXYTTa">“It’s cool to see Northwestern hyped for something like this,” my friend and, full disclosure, erstwhile Indianapolis traveling partner, Grace Kelly said. </p>
<p id="BBYqMi">Never before had Northwestern sent thousands of students via bus to a football game, for free. The full realization of this moment, the idea that Northwestern as a school would both have the ability to make a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-championship-game">Big Ten Championship</a> Game and care enough to make this worthwhile, was there. The vast chain of unlikely events for this grand migration to occur, from the hiring of Gary Barnett to the 99-yard drive against Nebraska, at least felt worth it. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is dope. For a day, Northwestern is a football school. <a href="https://t.co/ooqMducbbt">pic.twitter.com/ooqMducbbt</a></p>— Davis Rich (@DavisRich1) <a href="https://twitter.com/DavisRich1/status/1068968041961201669?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 1, 2018</a>
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<p id="eGymDe">They lined up in droves near the bookstore. They lined up out the door into a cold Evanston morning. They lined up: engineers, English students, violinists and even a smattering graduate students. There were hundreds waiting before the noon departure time. In all, Northwestern sent 37 buses and about 3,000 students to Indianapolis. They funneled through a hastily improvised set of tables with six laptops accessing a huge Google Sheet to mark down names. They walked to the buses on the other side of the building and ventured to watch a Northwestern football game. </p>
<p id="PE5Ebn">“I’m just so thankful for our fans. I’m so thankful for our students that made the commitment and the trip to come down here this weekend,” <span>Clayton Thorson</span> said after the game. “You know, I can’t thank them enough and I hope they get used to this being the new normal. We’re going to need them wherever we get to go and you know for us to continue to go to great destinations.”</p>
<p id="FCbttm">In that moment, watching people stream into the ground floor of Norris, there was unity. They would be joined by a wave of alumni supporters who created a block of purple in the corner of the stadium. And that, in and of itself, was enough for the day, no matter how the game went. </p>
<p id="UYtz3A">The original plan was to charge students $45 to attend, which would’ve depressed turnout to a pitiful amount. Northwestern students are notoriously fickle. On a good day, they will fill one section at Ryan Field. A $45 surcharge would’ve been devastating. Then, an anonymous donor handed Northwestern an absurd sum of money to make sure the school looked respectable. It was exorbitant. You must account for the cost of the sandwiches and chips provided for every attendee, as well as the huge stacks of $14 Lucas Oil Stadium meal vouchers and thousands of seats. Not all seats were used, of course. Northwestern’s sports culture may never reach that level. But it was enough to make a solid showing, enough to give this remarkable season an atmosphere to remember. Northwestern fans were heavily outnumbered, but present. </p>
<p id="R8PYr4">While queueing to leave, a panicked administrator went around imploring students to volunteer with handing out wristbands. I couldn’t say no, for some reason, and I spent an hour handing out purple wristbands to students. They kept on coming. It was a logistical nightmare. The lines were crowded, the process was slow. The buses leaked in the pouring rain. But none of that mattered. For the first time in forever, I felt an overwhelming since of unity, the giddiness you feel when you are part of something that has never been done before. This actually happened. </p>
<p id="0s9n1I">At around 2 p.m., the final buses left Evanston. The remaining student staffers cleaned up the wreckage and put the tables back in their normal places. The sandwiches were eaten and discarded. Lucas Oil concessions were purchased. The students returned to a confusing maze of buses in a parking lot and fumbled around for their correct buses for hours. They returned to campus around 2 a.m. But even as the physical spaces and objects are changed and forgotten, the memory will endure.</p>
<p id="pWKcxH">“At the end of the day, we may have lost, but we played a classy game of college football, made school history and brought together fans of all ages coast to coast,” Keiko Quinones-Osumi, a graduate student, said. </p>
<p id="gdTR2P">That, in the end, was enough to make Northwestern a presence in the stadium. That corner of the stadium rocked from <span>John Moten IV</span>’s 77-yard score through to the last five minutes of the game. In a Northwestern football season that I would describe as surreal and brilliant, Northwestern’s fanbase fully shared in the spectacle. </p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/3/18121565/northwestern-ohio-state-big-ten-championship-students-busses-fans-jim-phillipsTristan Jung2018-12-02T00:47:46-06:002018-12-02T00:47:46-06:00Three up and three down for Northwestern’s Big Ten Championship loss
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<p>The Wildcats battled the Buckeyes to the final whistle, but couldn’t overcome Dwayne Haskins.</p> <p id="FOSbRe"><em>The Buckeyes hung 45 points on Northwestern, but there were at least a few positives to take away from the game.</em></p>
<h1 id="TnJclY">Stock up</h1>
<h3 id="USdsrg"><strong>Run defense</strong></h3>
<p id="9Usf6B">Though they didn’t break off anything big, Ohio State’s running game was fine in the first half, gaining 85 yards on 26 attempts plus a touchdown. But after the break, Northwestern put the clamps on. The Buckeyes attempted 20 runs in the second half, but turned them into just 21 yards. Meanwhile, Northwestern made plenty of impact plays in the run game, finishing with six non-sack tackles for loss.</p>
<h3 id="TcRJL6"><strong>Explosive offense</strong></h3>
<p id="sOxYmj"><span>Clayton Thorson</span> had another inconsistent performance on Saturday, but he hit some big plays. The senior completed nine passes of 15 yards or more while drawing a pass interference on a missed connection with Skowrownek. Meanwhile, <span>John Moten IV</span>’s 77-yard touchdown run (though it feels like ages ago now) was one of four Northwestern carries that went for at least 15 yards, including a trickeration-laden <span>Riley Lees</span> reverse and <span>Thorson</span>’s touchdown scramble. Despite the Wildcats being one of the worst big-play teams in the country all year, they were pretty explosive against Ohio State. </p>
<h3 id="saWtVR"><strong>Playmaking defense (and special teams!)</strong></h3>
<p id="BcSonp">Though the pass defense struggled, the Wildcats created some havoc. NU added four sacks, a <span>Montre Hartage</span> interception, and a fumble recovery to the aforementioned six tackles for loss. For good measure, <span>Fred Wyatt</span> added an impressive field goal block. The Wildcats didn’t make enough happen defensively to hang with <span>Dwayne Haskins</span>, but the defense’s impact remained impressive. </p>
<p id="acDzuk"><em>Honorable Mentions: Receiving depth, Defensive line as a whole, Northwestern students</em></p>
<h1 id="EKAwul">Stock down</h1>
<h3 id="DQCC2R"><strong>Secondary</strong></h3>
<p id="qdoH1k">They battled injuries, but <span>Haskins</span> finished 34-of-41 for 499 yards and five touchdowns. That speaks for itself. When Northwestern played soft coverage, which non-Hartage corners did for most of the game, Haskins destroyed them underneath. The Buckeye wide receivers did their thing too — the Wildcats got beaten on post routes, wheel routes, and corner routes. All said, OSU had even more of a field day than most expected.</p>
<h3 id="9x9eCb"><strong>General health</strong></h3>
<p id="hz0RmB">Besides their secondary woes (Hartage, <span>Trae Williams</span>, Cam Ruiz, Greg Newsome and <span>Jared McGee</span> all missed at least some of the game), Northwestern had plenty of other players go down. <span>Flynn Nagel</span>, clearly not at 100 percent, left the game early on, and Riley Lees missed time in the second half. <span>Fred Wyatt</span> and Earnest Brown had to come out for multiple plays as well. Suffice it to say that this one was injury-filled.</p>
<h3 id="6RiY31"><strong>Field position</strong></h3>
<p id="l9cWa7">Both teams turned it over multiple times, but two of Northwestern’s occurred in their own end. Ohio State won the punting battle resoundingly, with <span>Drue Chrisman</span> averaging nearly 14 more yards per punt than Jake Collins. Both teams did turn it over multiple times, but two of Northwestern’s occurred in their own end. Those factors combined to create a game in which Northwestern never started a drive at their own 40 or better, while the Buckeyes did so five times.</p>
<p id="SpDbxW"><em>Honorable Mentions: Defense with the quarterback out of the pocket, offensive line, dreams of Pasadena</em></p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/2/18121863/three-up-three-down-for-northwestern-ohio-state-big-ten-championship-secondary-dwayne-haskinsNoah Coffman2018-12-01T22:52:45-06:002018-12-01T22:52:45-06:00Northwestern-Ohio State final score: Haskins dominates as Buckeyes fly past Wildcats 45-24
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<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The game got downright weird, but the Ohio State signal-caller was sensational.</p> <p id="xXFT0e">INDIANAPOLIS — Northwestern did nearly everything it could to upset Ohio State in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-championship-game">Big Ten Championship</a>.</p>
<p id="1jB1yf">The Wildcats (8-5, 8-1 B1G) couldn’t control <span>Dwayne Haskins</span>, however, and the Buckeyes (12-1, 8-1) topped the Wildcats 45-24 on the strength of their superstar quarterback.</p>
<p id="cjDuJK">To distill Saturday’s absurd game down to Dwayne Haskins feels wrong, but the Buckeye signal-caller was the answer every time the result was in doubt. </p>
<p id="EFhuWZ">Down 17 at the half, Northwestern pulled within three late in the third quarter, but Haskins tossed two crucial second half touchdowns as a part of a 499-yard, 5-touchdown evening. He broke the Big Ten Championship game record for passing yards, completions and touchdowns.</p>
<p id="BIaThW">OSU receivers ran wild through the thin Wildcat secondary all night; Northwestern was without the services of <span>Trae Williams</span> for Saturday’s contest, and Montre Hartage, Jared McGee and Cam Ruiz missed a couple drives as well.</p>
<p id="Crfx9W">After a lifeless first half, Northwestern’s offense ripped off three scoring drives early in the second half. <span>Clayton Thorson</span> finished 27-of-44 for 267 yards, but tossed two interceptions and lost a fumble as well. The Wildcats were nipping at OSU’s heels all night, but never quite caught up.</p>
<p id="tEcUze">Ohio State wasted no time on their first drive, penetrating the NU red zone in just six plays. The Wildcats forced Ohio State into a 3rd and 11, but Dwayne Haskins danced several would-be sacks and found <span>Terry McLaurin</span> in the end zone to cap off a 10-play, 77-yard drive.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dwayne Haskins Jr. kept that play alive. <br> <a href="https://twitter.com/OhioStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OhioStateFB</a> 7, <a href="https://twitter.com/NUFBFamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NUFBFamily</a> 0<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GFCG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GFCG</a> <a href="https://t.co/Pd2K0NzxVJ">pic.twitter.com/Pd2K0NzxVJ</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1069040474323804160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="ge8e26">The two teams traded three-and-outs. Then, the game took a turn for the weird. Northwestern was involved, so that was to be expected. <span>John Moten IV</span>, who missed five of the last six games, broke off a 77-yard touchdown run, eluding tackles and outrunning the Buckeye defense to tie the game at seven.</p>
<div id="y85r0P">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">There's <a href="https://twitter.com/NUFBFamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NUFBFamily</a>'s answer. And it's one long answer.<br><br>Tie game.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GFCG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GFCG</a> <a href="https://t.co/ciYFI5L4IG">pic.twitter.com/ciYFI5L4IG</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1069044507969110017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="kZDfMk">The Buckeyes responded quickly with a 65-yard drive lasting less than three minutes. Haskins accounted for three more Buckeye chunk plays. He was 10-of-13 for 142 yards in the first quarter.</p>
<p id="uGwHnd">Northwestern was able to move the ball across midfield on its next drive, but Clayton Thorson’s deep throw towards <span>Flynn Nagel</span> was intercepted by <span>Shaun Wade</span> near the goal-line. </p>
<p id="tLWajP">The Wildcats caught a break when Haskins overthrew <span>K.J. Hill</span> Jr. and was intercepted by Montre Hartage deep in Northwestern territory. NU picked up a couple first downs before <span>Chase Young</span> nearly split Thorson in half on 3rd and 10, forcing a fumble that the Buckeyes pounced on near midfield. Northwestern’s defense stood tall, allowing just a 42-yard field goal to push the Buckeye advantage to ten with 6:09 remaining in the first half.</p>
<p id="KWOGM8">When it looked like Northwestern was going to get to the half within striking distance, Haskins stuck a pin in NU’s Pasadena hopes for good with a 42-yard dime to Terry McLaurin on 3rd and 20. The Buckeyes led 24-7 at the half. </p>
<div id="v2S2Ya">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"You're not going to find many throws that are better than that. " <a href="https://twitter.com/OhioStateFB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OhioStateFB</a> leads the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GFCG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GFCG</a> 24-7. <a href="https://t.co/KoqrGNewiv">pic.twitter.com/KoqrGNewiv</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1069059665290395648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="xMwm5N">Thorson rebounded from a shaky first half to guide Northwestern down the field in just five plays. He was 3-of-3 for 48 yards before scampering for an 18-yard touchdown, his ninth rushing touchdown of the year.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Five plays, 75 yards. Clayton Thorson gives <a href="https://twitter.com/NUFBFamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NUFBFamily</a> 7 points.<br><br>It's 24-14 at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GFCG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GFCG</a>. <a href="https://t.co/T5nZnG50hc">pic.twitter.com/T5nZnG50hc</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1069068702706917376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="uTjBi3">A <span>Joe Gaziano</span> sack forced the Buckeyes to punt, and the Northwestern offense responded once again. Thorson converted a couple important third downs and <span>Charlie Fessler</span> was ruled down before he fumbled near the goal line. Two plays later, Thorson found a wide open Cam Green in the end zone to bring the Wildcats within a field goal.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"Northwestern. MOJO RISING!" - Gus Johnson at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/B1GFCG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#B1GFCG</a>.<br><br>And just like that, <a href="https://twitter.com/NUFBFamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NUFBFamily</a> cuts the lead to 3.<br><br>Ohio State 24, Northwestern 21 <a href="https://t.co/frEPQtyM7B">pic.twitter.com/frEPQtyM7B</a></p>— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigTenNetwork/status/1069074110850842626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="dvh5o0">Northwestern’s momentum looked to have finally crashed after Thorson was intercepted by Damon Arnette Jr. by way of <span>Jared Thomas</span>’s helmet, but <span>Jordan Thompson</span> forced a <span>Mike Weber</span> fumble deep in Wildcat territory. <span>Travis Whillock</span> recovered, and NU was able to stave off Ohio State for another possession.</p>
<p id="Eh6hNF">NU could only hold off Haskins and Co. for so long, though. Following a shanked punt from <span>Jake Collins</span>, the Buckeyes drove 60 yards in six plays, capped off by a 29-yard strike from Haskins to <span>Chris Olave</span>. </p>
<p id="oZ4NtW">It looked like Ohio State would bury Northwestern, but the absurdity refused to end. <span>Fred Wyatt</span> blocked a field goal attempt that would have pushed the Buckeye advantage to 13. Then, Thorson found <span>Jelani Roberts</span>, of all people, for a 33-yard completion, part of a 76-yard drive that culminated in a field goal (although NU couldn’t punch it in from the Buckeye 4).</p>
<p id="cZhdh7">Haskins did it one more time, though, on the strength of a 63-yard pitch-and-catch with <span>Johnnie Dixon</span>, who scored on a nine-yard touchdown a couple plays later to put the Buckeyes up 38-24. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"This kid is masterclass right now!" – <a href="https://twitter.com/joelklatt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@joelklatt</a> on Dwayne Haskins <a href="https://t.co/fhwcF1b3uv">pic.twitter.com/fhwcF1b3uv</a></p>— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) <a href="https://twitter.com/CFBONFOX/status/1069086583641407489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2018</a>
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<p id="G0vc6N">The Buckeyes scored once more to seal their trip to Pasadena.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/1/18121623/northwestern-ohio-state-final-score-big-ten-championship-dwayne-haskins-pat-fitzgeraldDavis Rich2018-12-01T18:07:04-06:002018-12-01T18:07:04-06:00Big Ten Championship Game Thread
<figure>
<img alt="NCAA Football: Northwestern at Iowa" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/uhCmaJE0EShCNeK4l2gStbH34jo=/0x0:3149x2099/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62608274/usa_today_11640695.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>It’s the game of the year. Follow along here.</p> <p id="n4id3K">We’re live from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and the Big Ten Championship is about an hour away from kickoff.</p>
<p id="1aTCxJ"><a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/30/18114912/big-ten-championship-gameweek">Here is everything you need to know</a> ahead of the game. Make sure you know <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/1/18120604/how-to-watch-northwestern-ohio-state-tv-channel-radio-live-streaming-start-time-betting-lines">how to watch</a>, too.</p>
<p id="z1veCT">And as always, feel free to comment in the thread below as you watch.</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/1/18121560/northwestern-football-ohio-state-big-ten-championship-indianapolis-pat-fitzgerald-urban-meyerDavis Rich2018-12-01T08:58:07-06:002018-12-01T08:58:07-06:00How to watch Northwestern-Ohio State: TV channel, radio, live streaming, start time, betting lines
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<img alt="Northwestern v Ohio State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6HvpEfD_fFr5yN5qWvvp2jwqzH0=/8x0:4928x3280/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62605317/619116240.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The day you’ve been waiting for. </p> <p id="uKDE5V">It’s here. It’s the day Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern have been building toward for years. </p>
<p id="0F4nt7">It’s the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/big-ten-championship-game">Big Ten Championship</a>. </p>
<p id="qCJ363">Northwestern faces Ohio State with a <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/rose-bowl">Rose Bowl</a> trip on the line, and a chance to pull a national upset. We’ve been churning out the preview content here at Inside NU all week, so here’s what you need to know:</p>
<h1 id="aR65rz">Preview Links</h1>
<p id="t9dhPs">-Here’s former EIC Zach Pereles on <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/26/18109609/northwestern-football-big-ten-west-championship-pat-fitzgerald-clayton-thorson-chad-hanaoka-success">why Northwestern is one of college football’s greatest success stories</a></p>
<p id="p2BeDt">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/26/18112774/northwestern-football-big-ten-championship-pat-fitzgerald-ohio-state">what Pat Fitzgerald and several players had to say ahead of the game</a></p>
<p id="zHQpr8">-Here are <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/26/18113066/ohio-state-northwestern-preview-dwayne-haskins-urban-meyer-big-ten-championship">three things to know about the Buckeyes</a></p>
<p id="7J4MT2">-Here are <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/27/18112029/northwestern-winning-streak-ranked-big-ten-west-pat-fitzgerald-clayton-thorson">Northwestern’s last 15 Big Ten wins, ranked</a></p>
<p id="ncpyDB">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/27/18113653/big-ten-championship-indianapolis-northwestern-fans-meetup-pregame-tailgate">an open thread dedicated to logistics and meet-ups surrounding the game</a></p>
<p id="13otjO">-Here are <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/27/18114850/northwestern-ohio-state-preview-big-ten-championship-dwayne-haskins-paris-campbell-paddy-fisher">three key matchups to watch in the game</a></p>
<p id="PwX8Ej">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/28/18114524/northwestern-bowl-selection-breakdown-citrus-holiday-outback-bowl-big-ten-championship">a breakdown of Northwestern’s bowl possibilities</a></p>
<p id="q0VG94">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/29/18111931/thorsons-throws-recapping-hat-and-looking-ahead-to-the-buckeyes">a film breakdown of Clayton Thorson’s performance against Illinois, and a film preview of Ohio State’s defense</a></p>
<p id="ATKlfj">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/29/18069002/northwestern-football-tommy-doles-pat-fitzgerald-offensive-line-community-big-ten-championship">our feature on offensive lineman Tommy Doles, who stands tall on and off the field</a></p>
<p id="nitqo7">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/29/18116949/mailbag-big-ten-championship-inside-nu-northwestern-football-ohio-state-pat-fitzgerald">a mailbag answering all the questions you had about anything</a></p>
<p id="7TmVXq">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/30/18118631/northwestern-ohio-state-preview-opponent-q-a-with-eleven-warriors-dwayne-haskins-urban-meyer">a Q&A with Ohio State blog Eleven Warriors</a></p>
<p id="D9BoRQ">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/30/18118449/northwestern-ohio-state-football-2004-retrospective-rivalry-big-ten-championship">a piece detailing the last time Northwestern beat Ohio State</a></p>
<p id="PKLY3f">-<a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/30/18118667/northwestern-ohio-state-predictions-preview-big-ten-championship">Picks, picks, picks. Our staffers’ predictions for the game</a></p>
<p id="bFsHKN">-Here’s <a href="https://www.insidenu.com/2018/11/30/18119707/watch-hype-video-northwestern-big-ten-championship-brent-musberger-trust-yourself">a hype video that will give you all the feels</a></p>
<h1 id="8j91Hm">Broadcast Information</h1>
<p id="paragraph20"><strong>Game Time:</strong> 7 p.m. CT</p>
<p id="5HOpxU"><strong>TV:</strong> Fox</p>
<p id="Ibt6Ny"><strong>Radio:</strong> WGN Radio AM-720 </p>
<p id="LrSSoo"><strong>Online:</strong> FoxSportsGo</p>
<p id="Cy78Ab"><strong>Betting Line:</strong> Northwestern +14.5, over/under 61</p>
https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/1/18120604/how-to-watch-northwestern-ohio-state-tv-channel-radio-live-streaming-start-time-betting-linesCaleb Friedman2018-12-01T08:00:05-06:002018-12-01T08:00:05-06:00Ranking the Big Ten Championship Games and where this one will land among them
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Big Ten Championship-Ohio State vs Wisconsin" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/0usr-rajbsnXAoPLcvQQvpYr24E=/0x1:3243x2163/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62605258/usa_today_10455350.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Which Ohio State team shows up may drastically affect where this game ends up.</p> <p id="8zG1VU">The Big Ten Championship Game will turn eight years old this Saturday. Since the Big Ten changed its divisions from Leaders and Legends to East and West in 2014, fans have been treated to some classics and some stinkers.</p>
<p id="kW6rZ2">Saturday’s matchup spurs national surprise and maybe not as much national interest as past championship games. However, they play the games for a reason, and most matchups Indy has seen have been respectable. I thought it would be fun to rank the Big Ten Championships of the East/West era and project where this one will place among them when it’s over. So, let’s get to it.</p>
<p id="Vhj79v"><strong>5. 2014 - No. 6 Ohio State 59, No. 11 Wisconsin 0</strong></p>
<p id="VKvybX">Yuck. Ohio State needed to run up the score to have any shot at the College Football Playoff, and it did. Sounds unpleasantly familiar. </p>
<p id="JNqJal"><strong>4. 2018 - No. 6 Ohio State 33, No. 21 Northwestern 20 (prediction)</strong></p>
<p id="94ay0U">This game lacked the ranked eye-candy and storylines that other Big Ten Championships boasted. People looked at the matchup and did a double take when they see Northwestern was playing Urban Meyer’s Buckeyes. The ‘Cats would be a feel-good story to reach the Rose Bowl for the casual football fan, but they are not a team people are flocking to watch. Ohio State had to convincingly beat feisty Northwestern to give itself any hope of leapfrogging Oklahoma for the final playoff spot. It dominated in yards and was comfortably in control for the entire game, even though the Wildcats wouldn’t let it break away until late when the Buckeyes went up by three scores midway through the fourth quarter. Not the magic NU fans were hoping for, but it certainly put the ‘Cats on the map of the college football world. Nothing about this game was especially notable for a conference championship, and only one team had an opportunity to make National Championship noise.</p>
<p id="VYW3PV"><strong>3. 2017 - No. 8 Ohio State 27, No. 4 Wisconsin 21</strong></p>
<p id="AF4WLs">A top-10 matchup produced what fans expected. Wisconsin was going for the perfect season and a CFP spot, while two-loss Ohio State was hoping to sneak into the final four if it thrashed the Badgers like it did three years prior. Just six days removed from knee surgery, tOSU quarterback J.T. Barrett threw for two scores and made just enough timely plays to secure the victory, but it was the defense that came up large. The Badgers had trouble all game finding the end zone, and when they did, there was a delay to repair the field. Neither team made the playoff, and the absence of notable drama besides it being a one-possession contest in the fourth quarter lands this B1G Championship at number three. </p>
<div id="ZIuGu0"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.2493%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6SevTnFTdpA?rel=0" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media"></iframe></div></div>
<p id="9YbpK3"><strong>2. 2016 - No. 7 Penn State 38, No. 6 Wisconsin 31</strong></p>
<p id="8O6qd0">There was an outside chance for either of these then-two-loss teams to make the CFP if it won the Big Ten. After being down 21 (!) points in the first half, Trace McSorley led the Penn State offense on four consecutive touchdown drives en route to 384 passing yards and four touchdowns. Both the Wisconsin offense and defense sputtered after establishing such a large cushion, and Penn State stopped Wisconsin running back Corey Clement on a fourth-and-1 to seal the comeback victory. The Nittany Lions did not make the CFP, but they did play in an epic Rose Bowl game. This game could have topped MSU-Iowa if the game was more competitive throughout and not almost two separate games in which one team dominated each.</p>
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<p id="CQdoCM"><strong>1. 2015 - No. 5 Michigan State 16, No. 4 Iowa 13</strong></p>
<p id="erHYgW">This game had all of the storylines going in. Either team would secure a College Football Playoff berth with a win. Iowa, a defensive stalwart, was the unlikely undefeated, and it was a classic, once-every-five-years overachieving season for Kirk Ferentz. Michigan State had veteran signal-caller Connor Cook, and Mark Dantonio turned in another fine coaching job. The majority of the game was darn boring, with Iowa leading 6-3 at half, but things got spicy in the second. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Iowa quarterback CJ Beathard hit Tevaun Smith on an 85-yard touchdown to regain a 13-9 lead. It was one of the game’s only showings of explosive offense. Michigan State would then take the ball and methodically dissect a gassed Hawkeye defense for over nine minutes, culminating in a game-winning LJ Scott touchdown plunge with 27 seconds remaining. The game for stretches was not entertaining, but the magnitude of a CFP play-in game plus fourth quarter drama put this game atop the list. Michigan State wanted Bama, and oh did it get it. </p>
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https://www.insidenu.com/2018/12/1/18120299/big-ten-championship-rankings-history-ohio-state-wisconsin-iowa-michigan-state-penn-stateEli Karp