Where was this offensive juggernaut in the first couple games of the season? Two weeks ago the Northwestern Wildcats (3-3, 2-1 Big Ten) scored 38 in a victory at Iowa and on Saturday coach Pat Fitzgerald’s team dropped 54 points on the defending Big Ten champions Michigan State Spartans (2-4, 0-3 Big Ten) in East Lansing, MI.
After starting the season 0-2, the Wildcats have won three of four and the last two wins being on the road.
“Our guys have really been grinding,” Fitzgerald stated. “Earlier in the year we weren’t a very good team. We could either pout and feel sorry for ourselves and start to point fingers, or we could just stay on the grind and keep the pedal down.”
Wildcats stud running back Justin Jackson looks like he’s back to 100% after an early season injury. Jackson finished the game rushing for 188 yards and two scores. He also had 4 grabs on the day.
Quarterback Clayton Thorson finished the contest completing 27 of his 35 passes and tallied 281 yards and three scores in route to downing the Spartans 54-40 and handing Michigan State their fourth straight loss. Thorson rallied the Wildcats from an early deficit to give MSU coach Mark Dantonio’s squad its longest losing streak in the 10 seasons Dantonio has been at MSU. The offense was able to move the ball down field after starting the game off slow.
“It was a good one today, but I think we’re just showing what we can do,” Thorson stated. “Passing the ball, running the ball, everything.”
Wide Receiver Austin Carr snagged 11 balls for 130 yards and 2 scores and receiver Flynn Nagel had 5 catches for 81 yards for the Wildcats offense.
Solomon Vault blew the game open as he took a late third quarter kickoff and returned it 95 yards to the house for a 40-31 lead.
The Wildcats have been clicking in all phases of the game in recent weeks though the defense did give up a few long TD’s in the second half.
Next up for the Wildcats is a home date with the Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday.
