2012 Northwestern Wildcats football team
{{{year}}} [[{{{team}}} football]] | |
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Ranking | |
Coaches | No. 16 |
AP | No. 17 |
Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Legends Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 25 Nebraska xy | 7 | – | 1 | 10 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 24 Michigan | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 17 Northwestern | 5 | – | 3 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Michigan State | 3 | – | 5 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Iowa | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Minnesota | 2 | – | 6 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Leaders Division | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
No. 3 Ohio State* x | 8 | – | 0 | 12 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Penn State* | 6 | – | 2 | 8 | – | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wisconsin y$ | 4 | – | 4 | 8 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Purdue | 3 | – | 5 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Indiana | 2 | – | 6 | 4 | – | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Illinois | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Championship: Wisconsin 70, Nebraska 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2012 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University during the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his seventh season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach. The Wildcats home games were played at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. They were members of the Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference. The Wildcats won their first bowl game since the 1949 Rose Bowl against California by defeating Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl 34–20.[1] They finished the season 10–3 (5–3 Big Ten).
Previous season
In 2011 the Wildcats had a 6–7 record, ending the season with a 33–22 loss to Texas A&M in the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas.
Preseason
Recruiting
Northwestern signed 21 recruits to letters-of-intent on National Signing Day on February 1, 2012.[2]
Transfers
Wide receiver Kyle Prater transferred to Northwestern from USC on January 28, 2012, after being injured during most of the 2011 season and redshirting in 2010.[3] The Wildcats requested a waiver to allow Prater to play immediately in 2012, as he transferred to a school close to home in order to care for a family member.[4] Sophomore running back Adonis Smith, who was thought to be a candidate for the starting running back job in 2012 after rushing for 266 yards in 2011, announced his intent to transfer from Northwestern on February 22.[5] He decided to transfer to UNLV.[6] Defensive back Quinn Evans transferred to Northwestern after graduating from Stanford in June 2012. After missing the entire 2011 season because of injury, he chose to attend Northwestern as a graduate student with a year of college football eligibility remaining.[7]
Schedule
The schedule is as follows:[8]
September 111:00 AMat Syracuse*
ESPN2W 42–41 37,830[9] September 87:00 PMVanderbilt*
BTNW 23–13 31,644[10] September 152:30 PMBoston College*
- Ryan Field
- Evanston, IL
BTNW 22–13 32,597[11] September 222:30 PMSouth Dakota*
- Ryan Field
- Evanston, IL
BTNW 38–7 28,641[12] September 2911:00 AMIndiana
- Ryan Field
- Evanston, IL
BTNW 44–29 33,129[13] October 611:00 AMat Penn StateNo. 24
ESPNL 28–39 95,796[14] October 1311:00 AMat Minnesota
ESPN2W 21–13 49,651[15] October 202:30 PMNebraska
- Ryan Field
- Evanston, IL
ABC/ESPN2L 28–29 47,330[16] October 2711:00 AMIowa
- Ryan Field
- Evanston, IL
ESPN2W 28–17 44,121[17] November 1011:00 AMat MichiganNo. 24
ESPNL 31–38 OT112,510[18] November 1711:00 AMat Michigan State
ESPN2W 23–20 75,101[19] November 2411:00 AMIllinois
- Ryan Field
- Evanston, IL (Land of Lincoln Trophy)
BTNW 50–14 32,415[20] January 111:00 AMvs. Mississippi StateNo. 21
ESPN2W 34–20 48,612[21]
Rankings
Week | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
AP | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24 | RV | RV | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | 22 | 21 | 17 |
Coaches | — | RV | RV | RV | RV | 22 | RV | RV | RV | RV | 21 | RV | RV | 20 | 17 | 16 |
Harris | Not released | RV | RV | RV | RV | 24 | RV | RV | 21 | 20 | Not released | |||||
BCS | Not released | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | 22 | 20 | Not released |
Game Notes
Syracuse
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Overall Record | Last Meeting | Result[23] |
---|---|---|
4–5 | 2009 | SYR 37–34 |
The game got off to a slow start with some notable miscues on Northwestern's special teams play. All of which was quickly forgotten when Venric Mark scored an 82-yard touchdown on a punt return, the first return touchdown of his career. Northwestern continued to dominate offensively on the work of Mark and Kain Colter, taking a 35–13 lead in the middle of the 3rd quarter. The Orange then scored 4 straight touchdowns to lead 41–35 by attacking the young Northwestern secondary with deep passes to the outside. With under 3 minutes left and needing a score to win, Northwestern changed quarterbacks. Trevor Siemian came on to lead a 75-yard drive that scored the go-ahead touchdown. Northwestern survived to win and remain 7–0 in season openers under Pat Fitzgerald.
Vanderbilt
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Overall Record | Last Meeting | Result[25] |
---|---|---|
1–1–1 | 2010 | NU 23–21 |
Boston College
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Overall Record | Last Meeting | Result[27] |
---|---|---|
3–1 | 2011 | NU 24–17 |
South Dakota
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Overall Record | Last Meeting | Result[29] |
---|---|---|
4–0 | 1927 | NU 47–2 |
Indiana
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Overall Record | Last Meeting | Result[31] |
---|---|---|
45–34–1 | 2011 | NU 59–38 |
Penn State
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Overall Record | Last Meeting | Result[32] |
---|---|---|
3–12 | 2011 | PSU 34–24 |
Roster
2012 Northwestern Wildcats roster[33][34]
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Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Superbacks |
Offensive Line
Defensive Line
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Linebackers
Defensive Backs
Cornerbacks
Safeties
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Punters Punters/Kickers
Kickers Long Snappers
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References
- ^ Greenstein, Teddy (January 1, 2013). "Northwestern Wins Gator Bowl to End Drought". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- ^ Taylor, John (February 1, 2012). "Northwestern announces 2012 recruiting class". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ "WR Prater transfers from So. Cal to Northwestern". Sports Illustrated. January 28, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ Greenstein, Teddy (June 27, 2012). "Prater, NU Expect to Hear From NCAA in July". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
- ^ Powers, Scott (February 22, 2012). "Adonis Smith Leaving Northwestern". ESPN. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ Taylor, John (March 8, 2012). "Ex-Northwestern RB Headed to UNLV". NBC Sports. Retrieved March 8, 2012.
- ^ "Northwestern Announces Addition of Transfer Quinn Evans". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
- ^ "2012 Northwestern Football Schedule". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
- ^ a b "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Syracuse Orange Box Score". ESPN. September 1, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ a b "Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. September 8, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ a b "Boston College Eagles vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. September 15, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ a b "South Dakota Coyotes vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. September 22, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ a b "Indiana Hoosiers vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. September 29, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Box Score". ESPN. October 6, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
- ^ "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers Box Score". ESPN. October 13, 2012. Retrieved October 13, 2012.
- ^ "Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. October 20, 2012. Retrieved October 21, 2012.
- ^ "Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. October 27, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2012.
- ^ "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Michigan Wolverines Box Score". ESPN. November 10, 2012. Retrieved November 12, 2012.
- ^ "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Michigan State Spartans Box Score". ESPN. November 17, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
- ^ "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. November 24, 2012. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
- ^ "Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". ESPN. January 1, 2013. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
- ^ "Northwestern 42, Syracuse 41". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. September 1, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2012.
- ^ DeLassus, David. "Northwestern vs Syracuse (NY)". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ "Northwestern 23, Vanderbilt 13". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. September 8, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
- ^ DeLassus, David. "Northwestern vs Vanderbilt (TN)". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ "Northwestern 22, Boston College 13". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. September 15, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2012.
- ^ DeLassus, David. "Northwestern vs Boston College (MA)". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ "Northwestern 38, South Dakota 7". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. September 22, 2012. Retrieved September 23, 2012.
- ^ DeLassus, David. "Northwestern vs South Dakota". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ "Indiana vs Northwestern". Northwestern University Department of Athletics. September 29, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
- ^ DeLassus, David. "Northwestern vs Indiana". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ DeLassus, David. "Northwestern vs Penn State". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved December 27, 2014.
- ^ 2012 Northwestern Wildcats football roster
- ^ 2012 Northwestern Wildcats captains announcement
External links
Media related to 2012 Northwestern Wildcats football team at Wikimedia Commons