[dropcap]N[/dropcap]orthwestern (3-0) has opened the season with a 3-0 record for the first time since 2013. The Wildcats and coach Pat Fitzgerald don’t want the same result when the team dropped seven in a row after starting 4-0. But this is 2015 and this Wildcat team just handled the Duke Blue Devils (2-1) on the road for a 19-10 victory.
“Everybody (in the locker room) really is not concerned with what other people think of us,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve been a part of that roller-coaster ride for a couple years. We tore down that roller coaster. Burned it.”
Running back Justin Jackson scampered for 120 yards on the ground as the Wildcats rushed for 201 yards against a Duke defense that stymied their first two opponents to a combined 79 yards rushing.
In the fourth quarter, Wildcats running back Warren Long took a handoff from quarterback Clayton Thorson and burst through the line untouched into the end zone for a 55 yard touchdown. Long also recovered a fumbled punt return late in the game to help secure the Wildcats third victory.
Thorson, who was making his first career road start, completed just 9 of 23 passes for 70 yards in the air and had two interceptions for Northwestern.
The Wildcat defense forced three turnovers but gave up 327 total yards. Blue Devis quarterback Thomas Sirk finished completing 24 of 39 for 150 yards and the defense snagged an interception from Sirk.
Next up for the Wildcats is a home matchup Saturday against Ball State at 7:00pm.
