1995 Northwestern Wildcats football team
American college football season
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The 1995 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University in the 1995 NCAA Division I-A college football season. The 1995 season was a highly memorable one for the Northwestern program, as the Wildcats went 10–2 overall and 8–0 in the Big Ten Conference, earning their first winning season since 1971, their first conference championship since 1936, and their first 10-win season since 1903.[2] They also broke several long-standing losing streaks to regular opponents, including a 22-game losing streak to Iowa, a 19-game losing streak against Michigan, and a 14-game losing streak to Notre Dame.
| 1995 Northwestern Wildcats football | |
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Big Ten champion | |
| Conference | Big Ten Conference |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 7 |
| AP | No. 8 |
| Record | 10–2 (8–0 Big Ten) |
| Head coach |
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| Offensive coordinator | Greg Meyer (4th season) |
| Defensive coordinator | Ron Vanderlinden (4th season) |
| Captains |
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| Home stadium | Dyche Stadium |
| Conf. | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 8 Northwestern $ | 8 | – | 0 | – | 0 | 10 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 6 Ohio State | 7 | – | 1 | – | 0 | 11 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Penn State | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 17 Michigan | 5 | – | 3 | – | 0 | 9 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Michigan State | 4 | – | 3 | – | 1 | 6 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 25 Iowa | 4 | – | 4 | – | 0 | 8 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 5 | – | 5 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wisconsin | 3 | – | 4 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 5 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Purdue | 2 | – | 5 | – | 1 | 4 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Minnesota | 1 | – | 7 | – | 0 | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana | 0 | – | 8 | – | 0 | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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"Expect Victory" was the motto even as Northwestern began the season as 28-point underdogs against Notre Dame, whom they upset 17–15, propelling into the AP poll at #25. An upset loss to the Miami Redhawks in the second game of the season caused the Wildcats to drop out of the rankings. However, subsequent wins over ranked Michigan (19–13), Wisconsin (35–0), and Penn State (21–10) pushed the Wildcats into the top-10 while making them national media darlings.
Nine consecutive wins (including eight against Big Ten opponents) brought Northwestern their highest ranking since 1962 (#3), a conference title, and their first Rose Bowl appearance, and their first bowl appearance of any kind since 1949. In the Rose Bowl, the Wildcats' Cinderella season came to a conclusion with a 41–32 loss to the USC Trojans, and they finished the season at #8.
Northwestern was coached by Gary Barnett, who won multiple coach of the year awards for leading the dramatic turnaround of the program. Star players included the trio of quarterback Steve Schnur, running back Darnell Autry, and linebacker Pat Fitzgerald, who was named Big Ten and national defensive player of the year.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
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| September 2 | 1:30 pm | at No. 9 Notre Dame* | NBC | W 17–15 | 59,075 | ||
| September 16 | 11:00 am | Miami (OH)* | No. 25 | ESPN2 | L 28–30 | 26,352 | |
| September 23 | 11:30 am | Air Force* |
| ESPN | W 30–6 | 26,037 | |
| September 30 | 1:00 pm | Indiana |
| W 31–7 | 29,223 | ||
| October 7 | 11:30 am | at No. 7 Michigan | No. 25 | ESPN | W 19–13 | 104,642 | |
| October 14 | 1:00 pm | at Minnesota | No. 14 | W 27–17 | 50,504 | ||
| October 21 | 11:30 am | No. 24 Wisconsin | No. 11 |
| ESPN2 | W 35–0 | 49,256 |
| October 28 | 11:00 am | at Illinois | No. 8 | SCC | W 17–14 | 65,425 | |
| November 4 | 2:30 pm | No. 12 Penn State | No. 6 |
| ABC | W 21–10 | 49,256 |
| November 11 | 11:00 am | Iowa | No. 5 |
| Creative | W 31–20 | 49,256 |
| November 18 | 2:30 pm | at Purdue | No. 5 | ABC | W 23–8 | 47,172 | |
| January 1 | 3:30 pm | vs. No. 17 USC* | No. 3 | ABC | L 32–41 | 100,102 | |
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Roster
| 1995 Northwestern Wildcats football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Rankings
Game summaries
Notre Dame
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Northwestern | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Notre Dame | 0 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 15 |
at Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, Indiana
- Date: September 2, 1995
- Game time: 1:30 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 59,075
- TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond, Bob Trumpy, John Dockery
- Box Score
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Miami (OH)
The Wildcats surrendered a 21-point 4th quarter lead in their first game as a nationally ranked team since 1971.[7] Miami of Ohio's Chad Seitz booted a 20-yard field goal as time expired to give the Redskins the victory. The opposing team was led by future Northwestern head coach Randy Walker and his offensive coordinator was Sean Payton. This would be the lone regular season blemish on the Wildcats' schedule.[8][9]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Miami (OH) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 23 | 30 |
| Northwestern | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
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Air Force
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Air Force | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Northwestern | 10 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 30 |
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Indiana
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Indiana | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Northwestern | 3 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 31 |
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Michigan
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Northwestern | 0 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 19 |
| Michigan | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
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Minnesota
After falling behind 14–3 early in the second quarter, the Wildcats scored the next 24 points to take control of the game. Darnell Autry ran for 169 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 73-yard burst early in the fourth quarter.[12]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Northwestern | 3 | 11 | 7 | 6 | 27 |
| Minnesota | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
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Wisconsin
The Wildcats forced 7 Badger turnovers (Wisconsin had 6 total in their first five games) in a triumphant homecoming matchup. The game marked the first sellout at Northwestern since 1984.[13] [14]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Northwestern | 10 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 35 |
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Illinois
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Northwestern | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Illinois | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
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Penn State
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Penn State | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Northwestern | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Dyche Stadium, Evanston, Illinois
- Date: November 4, 1995
- Game time: 2:30 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 49,256
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Bob Griese, and Lynn Swann
- Box Score
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Iowa
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Iowa | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Northwestern | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
at Dyche Stadium, Evanston, Illinois
- Date: November 11, 1995
- Game time: 11:00 a.m. CST
- Game weather: 26 °F (−3 °C), Overcast, Wind N 30 mph (48 km/h)
- Game attendance: 49,256
- Referee: David Witvoet
- TV announcers (Creative Sports): Wayne Larrivee, Randy Wright, and Jim Barber
- Box Score
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Purdue
Northwestern got two big scoring plays in the first half – a 76-yard interception return for a touchdown by Chris Martin and a 72-yard touchdown reception by D'Wayne Bates – to take control. Darnell Autry carried the ball 32 times for a career-high 226 yards.[19][20]
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Northwestern | 7 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 23 |
| Purdue | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
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Rose Bowl
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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| Northwestern | 7 | 3 | 16 | 6 | 32 |
| USC | 7 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 41 |
at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
- Date: January 1, 1996
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. CST
- Game attendance: 100,102
- Referee: Randy Christal
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Bob Griese, and Lynn Swann
- Box Score
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