Oct. 11, 2005

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern linebacker Tim McGarigle (Chicago, Ill./St. Patrick) earned his second Walter Camp Football Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week honor after his performance in Saturday's 51-48 win over 14th-ranked Wisconsin. On Tuesday, he also was named the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week.

McGarigle has been added to the Watch List for the 2005 Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which will be presented to the best defensive player in college football on Dec. 5.

McGarigle notched a career-high 25 tackles (15 solos), including two quarterback sacks, as the Wildcats held off the previously unbeaten Badgers. The 25 tackles are one shy of the NCAA single-game record of 26 (held by Central Michigan's Brian Leigeb and Northwestern's Doug Szymul). The NCAA began keeping official statistics for tackles and other defensive stats in 2000.

McGarigle, who earned the same two honors a year ago for his 21-tackle effort against Purdue, totaled a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss against the Badgers. McGarigle is third on NU's all-time tackle list and closing fast on the school's all-time mark of 503. McGarigle now has 459 tackles.

With the victory, the Wildcats improved to 3-2, 1-1 in the Big Ten.