Game Thread: No. 25 Northwestern at Michigan State

[Gocatsgo2003]

We did not play well at all. That’s on us, we are very fortunate.

Never apologize for a conference road win.

 

[Sheffielder]

We did not play well at all. That’s on us, we are very fortunate.

we found a way to win...our final drive was superb. not even the top 1% of teams look great for every game

 

[eddie_gocats]

Sparty looked like a mid B10 team… 55 was killing us. Glad 11 is C tier. Credit to Fitz… but take the L

 

[Zazzy]

Sometimes the best teams have a bad day. We got it out of our system and will learn from this how hard it is to win and how important to focus.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Painful game to watch, then exhilarating. But for some reason, I feel good about a close, last-minute win that must have been an agonizing gut-punch, WTF loss for the losing coach.

Go Cats.

Two gut wrenching loses for Sparty!

Never apologize for a conference road win.

Who is apologizing? I am tickled pink, but it doesn’t remove the fact that we were not at anywhere near our best.

 

[Arlcatsfan]

That's why I don't bet on sports. I didnt give us a snowball chance in Hades we would come back and win. So happy I was wrong. YEAAAAH BUDDY.

 

[stpaulcat]

This said, there will be good reason for us to drop out of the polls after that one. But, I imagine most voters will look at a win and 5-1 and keep us in.

Yoo-hoo ECat, this is the B1G--anything can happen on any given Saturday. What counts is a win, and this a comeback win at that.

 

[Sheffielder]

uh, in case you're not watching...flip over to Ohio State @ IU...Hoosiers down by four but marching w/ 2 mins left. sayin is out

 

[Rodenthater]

The O line…the O line….the O line….STINKS!!!! How we won is beyond me!

 

[freewillie07]

You’re an ahole.

I’m a Northwestern fan. I don’t feel “sorry” for other teams or coaches when we beat them, just as I don’t expect other teams to feel sorry for NU.

 

[corbi296]

I’m a Northwestern fan. I don’t feel “sorry” for other teams or coaches when we beat them, just as I don’t expect other teams to feel sorry for NU.

If you were a real Northwestern fan you wouldn’t repeatedly trash the one individual who probably has had the biggest positive impact on Northwestern football in the modern history of the program.

 

[Anon1756236851]

Yoo-hoo ECat, this is the B1G--anything can happen on any given Saturday. What counts is a win, and this a comeback win at that.

I'm also glad there were not many penalties and the refs did not control the outcome.

 

[EvanstonCat]

I’m perplexed how we ran for 400 on PSU and couldn’t run on these guys. Is PSU just that bad?

 

[Arlcatsfan]

Kudos to #86 Honig. Has really helped the TE room. Really stepped up with Deinicke down Has playrd really well

 

[kaTNap]

I think it was more about Fitz getting Sparty ready for this one to be honest. I don't think we were taking the game lightly and I actually don't think we played "badly" so much as Sparty played pretty well and go up for this one.

Yeah, give credit to Fitz, Rossi (especially), and Sheridan. That was absolutely their best shot ... and it was almost good enough.

 

[Rodenthater]

I’m perplexed how we ran for 400 on PSU and couldn’t run on these guys. Is PSU just that bad?

Likewise!

 

[freewillie07]

If you were a real Northwestern fan you wouldn’t repeatedly trash the one individual who probably has had the biggest positive impact on Northwestern football in the modern history of the program.

I can agree with this while also acknowledging that he lost a step or two at the end.

And I’m not “sorry” that we beat his Spartans today.

GO CATS

 

[corbi296]

I’m perplexed how we ran for 400 on PSU and couldn’t run on these guys. Is PSU just that bad?

Because people are now preparing for the wing T and our OL is not very good.

 

[KikitheCat]

Yeah, give credit to Fitz, Rossi (especially), and Sheridan. That was absolutely their best shot ... and it was almost good enough.

All of our goals are in front of us.

 

[KikitheCat]

It aint over yet

This aged really well

Well check back later and tell me if I was wrong that it's game over

Wrong

 

[KikitheCat]

I guess we don't trust our defense. If they're going to score anyway, might as well give them a short field so we'll have time left to score.

This

 

[KikitheCat]

I've seen NU coaches make a lot of dumb decisions. Congratulations, David Braun! Against your predecessor, you made the dumbest call in the history of NU football!

In the entire history? Hyperbole, much?

 

[kaTNap]

Kudos to #86 Honig. Has really helped the TE room. Really stepped up with Deinicke down Has playrd really well

Herr Honig wird an Sonntagen spielen.

 

[kaTNap]

I’m perplexed how we ran for 400 on PSU and couldn’t run on these guys. Is PSU just that bad?

MSU watched the film of what we did against PSU. PSU didn't yet have that film to watch.

 

[stpaulcat]

I’m perplexed how we ran for 400 on PSU and couldn’t run on these guys. Is PSU just that bad?

Keep in mind, this is only this team's second game in a hostile B1G environment. And Fitz had MSU motivated. Thank you football gods that at least Iowa is at NRF.

 

[KikitheCat]

That adds one win for Braun to the come back from a halftime deficit column, and one more loss for Fitz in the lose when leading at halftime column.

Something about Sparty games and comebacks, eh? Recall standing atop the Ryan Field party deck chatting w Coach Carmody as the roof caved in on that one.

 

[Rodenthater]

The o line NEEDS huge work!!!!

 

[stpaulcat]

The o line NEEDS huge work!!!!

That's funny, they didn't after PSU.

 

[KikitheCat]

Last minute I had confidence that we will drive it and win… haven’t felt that way in awhile!

And obviously on an island here but loved the fake punt: a Ben Johnson call. Win or go home on the road in regulation. Assure yourself of at least 1 (or 2 in this instance) to have the ball in the hands of one of your playmakers. Punt there and Sparty bleeds the entire clock with no recourse but OT

 

[loyolacat]

Sparty looked like a mid B10 team… 55 was killing us. Glad 11 is C tier. Credit to Fitz… but take the L

I think 55 is an example of where we still might not be all the way there....we could use a super nose tackle....

 

[corbi296]

That's funny, they didn't after PSU.

You weren’t paying close attention.

 

[loyolacat]

The O line…the O line….the O line….STINKS!!!!Ye How we won is beyond me!

Yep, I think the smoke and mirrors we used on Penn St has been uncovered and not sure what we do now....? the o-line had a rough day

 

[Rodenthater]

Gerry DiNardo is a classless tool!!!

 

[loyolacat]

And obviously on an island here but loved the fake punt: a Ben Johnson call. Win or go home on the road in regulation. Assure yourself of at least 1 (or 2 in this instance) to have the ball in the hands of one of your playmakers. Punt there and Sparty bleeds the entire clock with no recourse but OT

And obviously on an island here but loved the fake punt: a Ben Johnson call. Win or go home on the road in regulation. Assure yourself of at least 1 (or 2 in this instance) to have the ball in the hands of one of your playmakers. Punt there and Sparty bleeds the entire clock with no recourse but OT

was interesting ..you could see the MSU team all pointing it out....I wonder if we had an abort abort call...or just take a delay of game.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Because people are now preparing for the wing T and our OL is not very good.

*our LT is not very good.

 

[SouthportCat]

Grateful for a near miss win when we were not at our best.

What struck me was how slow we played. Took at least one delay, called a timeout to avoid another. Very little tempo prior to the final couple drives. I thought before the game we’d try to run as many plays as possible with our explosive playmakers and their injuries on d, but our game plan did not align to that. Felt odd.

 

[Arlcatsfan]

Herr Honig wird an Sonntagen spielen.

My high school German which was more than a few years ago, I agree he has a good chance to play on Sundays. Has been a very important part of the O this year. I hope I translated that correctly.

 

[MCC_Cat]

*our LT is not very good.

We lost our stud and we have to make the best of it, hopefully it will come together.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

We lost our stud and we have to make the best of it, hopefully it will come together.

We didn’t lose a LT.

 

[MCC_Cat]

We didn’t lose a LT.

A left guard then? Thought that was Ezomo's position.