Different Big Ten city, same story for Northwestern.
Amid questions about production at quarterback, Tyrell Sutton’s playing time and a too-generous defense Saturday, Northwestern lost 41-9 at Wisconsin.
The Wildcats (2-4, 0-2) have been outscored 74-16 in their two conference games.
“We didn’t win the battle up front,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “When you don’t do that and you don’t tackle well, it’s a recipe for disaster. That’s what it looked like today.”
The Wildcats couldn’t contain Wisconsin freshman tailback P.J. Hill, who put them behind for good on a 60-yard run on the second play from scrimmage and finished with a career-best 249 yards on 35 carries.
And they again couldn’t get their own running game going. Sutton, who missed most of the first quarter with a slight concussion, was held to a career-low 18 yards and matched a career low, set last week, with only eight carries.
“We were trying to be smart with him,” Fitzgerald said of the concussion and Sutton’s carries. In the last two games, the sophomore has carried 16 times for only 56 yards.
“Not as an individual but as an offense, we have to have a balanced attack, and we can’t point to who’s frustrated,” Sutton said. “As far as me, it’s just something that comes with the territory. There are good days and bad days.”
At halftime Wisconsin (5-1, 2-1) led only 17-9, partly because the NU defense had recorded three takeaways.
Sutton, however, didn’t get the ball on NU’s first possession of the half, which ended when the Badgers stopped Terrell Jordan for no gain on third-and-2 at the Wisconsin 48. As it turned out, that was the closest the Wildcats got to the Badgers’ end zone after Joel Howell’s 22-yard field goal had made it 10-9 in the second quarter.
It was 20-9 by the time Sutton touched the ball on the next possession, and he got it only once. By the time NU got the ball for its third possession of the second half, it was 27-9.
It became 34-9 when Joe Stellmacher returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown.
That was part of a long day for quarterback Andrew Brewer, who scored the Wildcats’ only touchdown on a 1-yard plunge after completing his first four passes for 51 yards. After that he was 6 of 20 for 43 yards.
“I thought I played fine, not great,” said Brewer, who led Northwestern with 80 yards rushing on 13 carries in his second straight start.
Said Fitzgerald: “For the most part, [Brewer] managed the game quite well and ran the ball with some authority, which I fully expect he always will.”
Fitzgerald said he didn’t think about switching to Mike Kafka or C.J. Bacher late in the game. NU, however, has lost three straight, including Sept. 22 at Nevada when Kafka strained his hamstring.
The coach left open the possibility that Kafka or Bacher could play at home next Saturday against Purdue.
“We have to see where guys go and how their health is and see how they perform on the practice field,” Fitzgerald said.
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tabannon@tribune.com
