Oct. 10, 2011

Game Notes

Northwestern (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten) at Iowa (3-2, 0-1 Big Ten)
6 p.m. CT • Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011
Kinnick Stadium (70,585) • Iowa City, Iowa

Television: Big Ten Network
Radio: ESPN1000, WNUR (89.3 FM), Sirius (Channel 93)
Internet: WGNradio.com, WNUR.org
Gametracker: NUsports.com
In-game Twitter Updates: @NU_SportsLIVE

For Openers
• With both teams looking to remain in the race for a Legends Division crown, Northwestern and Iowa renew their rivalry at 6 p.m. Saturday in Iowa's Kinnick Stadium. The 'Cats have a chance to extend their recent success against the Hawkeyes having won five of the last six matchups.

• Saturday marks Northwestern's first true night game (6 p.m. or later start) on the road since the 2010 season opener at Vanderbilt, a 23-21 NU victory. The Wildcats are 3-2 in road night games under Pat Fitzgerald.

• Northwestern's three-game losing skid has come despite the Wildcats climbing to the top of the Big Ten rankings in turnover margin. After finishing the 2010 campaign ranked 12th in the nation in turnover margin, Northwestern again sits in that position with a per-game average of +1.20. NU's four giveaways on offense are tied for the fifth fewest nationally.

• Turnovers have been instrumental in NU's success against the Hawkeyes over the last six years. In their five victories over Iowa since 2005, the Wildcats are a combined +6 in turnover margin after turning the Hawkeyes over five times in 2008 and four times in 2009. Both teams threw one interception in last year's matchup.

• In just his second game back from injury, Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa posted numbers reminiscent of the career day he turned in last season against Iowa, the same game in which he sustained a torn Achilles tendon. Persa compiled a career-best 331 passing yards vs. Michigan and tied his personal single-game standard of 32 completions. That effort came after Persa set a career high with four TD passes in his 2011 debut at Illinois. He has followed up on his Big Ten-record 73.5 completion percentage a year ago by hitting on 72.4 percent of his attempts through two games this season.

A Win Against Iowa Would ...
• Be Northwestern's sixth victory in the last seven meetings with Iowa and its fourth straight in Iowa City.
• Improve NU's Big Ten road record since the start of 2008 to 9-5.
• Bring NU's current senior class to within one victory of matching the school record for most wins by a five-year class (34, set by 2009 and 2010 seniors).
• Move Pat Fitzgerald ahead of Ara Parseghian (1956-63) and Dick Hanley (1927-34) for third place on NU's career coaching wins list.

Ticket Information/Next Game
• Tickets are still available for next Saturday's homecoming game vs. Penn State on Oct. 22 at Ryan Field. Call 1-888-GO-PURPLE to speak to a ticket sales representative.

• Following the Penn State game, the Wildcats will hit the road for their final two away contests of 2011 (Indiana and Nebraska) before closing out the regular season with three straight home games: vs. Rice (Nov. 12), Minnesota (Nov. 19) and Michigan State (Nov. 26).

(For complete game notes, download the PDF linked at the top of the page.)

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