Nov. 22, 2009

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka (Chicago, Ill./St. Rita) and place-kicker Stefan Demos (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon) were honored by the Big Ten Conference Sunday night after leading the Wildcats to a 33-31 win over No. 16 (BCS) Wisconsin on Saturday. The announcement was made on the Big Ten Network's "Big Ten Tonight" program.

Kafka was named the league's Co-Offensive Player of the Week (sharing the honor with Penn State's Darryl Clark) while Demos was tabbed the Big Ten's special teams player of the week. For Kafka, it was his second weekly honor of the year and the third of his career, while Demos picked up special teams kudos for a third time this season and the fourth of his career.

Kafka completed 26-of-40 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns, and totaled 343 yards of total offense, as he directed NU's offense to a 437-yard, 33-point performance against the Badgers. Kafka, who leads the Big Ten in fewest interceptions thrown, did not throw an interception for the fourth consecutive game (and his sixth Big Ten game overall).

Kafka threw a pair of TD passes to classmate Andrew Brewer (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks) -- tosses of 26 and 12 yards.

Demos booted four field goals (on four attempts) for the second time this season. He converted kicks of 45, 38, 45 and 34 yards to up his season total to 18 field goals (out of 23 attempts). His 18 field goals place him fourth on NU's single-season list, two shy of the school record. Demos' fourth field goal, a 34-yarder with 14:50 remaining in the fourth quarter, proved to be the game-winner.

With the victory, Northwestern won its third straight Big Ten game and its fourth in the last five weeks. The Wildcats also knocked off their second top-20 team of the month and won their 17th game since the start of the 2008 season.

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