[NU Sports] FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL: Day 15

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

Yeah, it's the darn Cowboys, but still good to see football back on the TV ... we'll be cursing Corso in no time!:)

FORTY DAYS OF FOOTBALL
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> DAYS 1-10: The top coaches of the decade

10) Glen Mason, Minnesota
09) Bret Bielema, Wisconsin
08) Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern
07) Barry Alvarez, Wisconsin
06) Randy Walker, Northwestern
05) Lloyd Carr, Michigan
04) Kirk Ferentz, Iowa
03) Joe Tiller, Purdue
02) Joe Paterno, Penn State
01) Jim Tressel, Ohio State

> DAYS 11-20: The top games of the decade

10) 2000: Purdue 32, Michigan 31
09) 2001: Michigan State 26, Michigan 24
08) 2005: Michigan 27, Penn State 25
07) 2003: Minnesota 37, Wisconsin 34

> DAYS 21-30: The top players of the decade
> DAYS 31-40: The top teams of the decade

And a quick reminder of the "rules" ...

- No bowl games
- Only conference games
- No "repeats" (i.e. only one Michigan vs. OSU game)

Back to the list ...

TOP GAMES
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6) 2004: Northwestern 33, Ohio State 27 (OT)

Remember that rule about the really big games being in November ... well, not all of them are ... especially the ones 33 years in the making.

All you have to do is say that number, 33, to any Northwestern fan and you'll get a huge smile. Evening kickoffs had not been kind to the Cats, and neither had games against the scarlet and grey of Ohio State. So when the No. 6 Buckeyes strolled into Evanston for a night game on Oct. 2, all Cats fans could do is hope. Hope that they might finally beat the Buckeyes. Hope that they might rebound after a tough 2-2 start to the season that included some heartbreaking defeats. And hope that that large mass of red that had invaded their stadium would not remain as obnoxious when the game was over.

The Wildcats jumped to a 3-0 lead and never trailed the entire game - outplaying Ohio State in all phases of the game and deserving to finally get the elusive win. But that's not how things usually go with OSU under coach Jim Tressel. "Tresselball" got its name from Ohio State simply hanging around in a game, not beating themselves and then coming from behind at the end to get the win. When NU led 13-10 at halftime, no one believed it was over. With the score 20-17 heading into the fourth, still no one had left their seats. And even when the Cats scored early in the final stanza to make it 27-17, it wasn't over.

Sure enough, here came the Buckeyes. A field goal by All American Mike Nugent drew the Bucks to within a score, and future Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes knotted the game at 27 with a touchdown snag with less than 2 minutes to go in the game. Suddenly the fans in purple were looking at another chance slipping away and the hordes in red were on their feet with ole' lady momentum on their side.

But as our old friend Lee Corso on ESPN is fond of saying ... not so fast, my friend! Ohio State received the ball first in overtime and after being stopped short, turned over the game to their superstar kicker. OSU had won 13 of their last 15 games decided by a touchdown or less ... but Nugent's 40-yard field goal sailed wide right.

The Cats still had to move the ball on one of the nation's better defenses to get the win, but quarterback Brett Basanez' 21-yard scramble moved the ball close to the goal line before the Buckeyes could even find their footing. Not wanting to risk a kick, coach Randy Walker turned to the star of the night.

On his 33rd carry of the night, NU running back Noah Herron (No. 33), ran up the middle for the touchdown that set off a jubilant roar in Evanston. The 33-year drought was over with a 33-27 victory in overtime on the 33rd carry by No. 33. You just can't make this stuff up!

Northwestern coach Randy Walker, an Ohio native, became the first Wildcat coach to beat all 10 Big Ten foes during his career and the Cats salvaged their season with the win and finished in fourth place in the league. Even for fans in Ryan Field, who saw more fantastic finishes than you can count on two hands during the last 15 years, this one was special.

Coming Tuesday: The hit that won the Big Ten title.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

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STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
Super Bowl XLIV Champions!
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