Tropical Storm Hanna was far milder when it hit North Carolina late Friday night than many expected. Northwestern’s revenge trip through Duke had a similarly surprisingly tepid feel for much of the game between the two schools Saturday night.
The main path of destruction the Wildcats left will take the form of questions and follow them back from Wallace Wade Stadium to Evanston, despite avoiding a shocker with a 24-20 victory over Duke.
“We didn’t put our focus on last year,” Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald. “Our focus was on improvement. We need to get to work right away Monday.”
Last season the Wildcats were unable to punch it into the end zone on four attempts in the fourth quarter and lost 20-14 to become Duke’s lone victim. In this game, the Wildcats had hoped to deliver a TKO but managed only to survive because Omar Conteh ran for a 2-yard touchdown with 9 minutes 4 seconds to play and their defense kept the Blue Devils out of the end zone in the final minutes.
Unlike last season, it was the Blue Devils who needed to respond at the end of the game and failed.
Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis appeared to have thrown a go-ahead touchdown to Clifford Harris with 1:20 to go, but it was called back on a holding penalty.
“I was worried,” Fitzgerald conceded.
The Blue Devils’ attempt on fourth-and-15 fell incomplete.
“Defense gave us a chance to stay in the game,” Fitzgerald said. “They kept fighting. Some great pass rushing. To our conditioning level, we were out there for 90 plays. I saw the way our defensive players kept fighting.”
The Wildcats return home with revenge, but with more questions.
Northwestern will need to address a defense that allowed Duke to rack up 472 yards, 294 passing, and maintain possession for nearly 40 minutes in front of an increasingly enthusiastic crowd.
While Fitzgerald was pleased to give up only 20 points despite Duke controlling the ball, Duke converted on 5 of 16 third-down attempts and was 4 of 5 on red-zone chances.
“Get off on third down,” Fitzgerald said of a lesson defense needs to learn. “I didn’t like our pressure today.”
Cornerback Jordan Mabin came up with a crucial play, however, causing and recovering a Duke fumble. The Wildcats attempted a fourth-down fake field goal on the next possession, but it failed.
“I’d do it again,” Fitzgerald said.
The Wildcats offense recorded 328 yards and did not turn the ball over.
Meanwhile, the Wildcats’ biggest star was hard to find at times.
Running back Tyrell Sutton, who rushed for two first-quarter touchdowns, did not have a reception and was held to just 13 yards rushing in the second half. He was still the Wildcats’ leading rusher, gaining 66 yards on 16 carries.
Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bacher, who was 14-for-31 for 226 yards, hit Eric Peterman under double coverage with a 45-yard strike on third down and the Wildcats scored as Conteh rushed untouched into the end zone from 2 yards out for a 24-20 lead with 9:04 remaining.
The Wildcats return home to face Southern Illinois on Saturday, which started the season ranked No. 11 in the Football Championship Subdivision coaches’ poll. The Salukis are guided by new coach Dale Lennon, the former North Dakota coach, who will try to mold redshirt sophomore quarterback Chris Dieker into an efficient leader.
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Getting offensive: Tyrell Sutton rushed for two touchdowns but was essentially silent in the second half.
On the defense: One word: troublesome. The Wildcats allowed Duke to control the clock in the first half and the field throughout the game.
The number: 0. Receptions by Sutton.
They’re still talking about: Two wacky plays in the second quarter. QB C.J. Bacher registered his first career reception on a 25-yard flea-flicker pass from Eric Peterman. On the next play, Sutton scored from 4 yards out on a direct snap to him.
Sick bay: Defensive end Corey Wootton was injured on a fake field goal end-zone pass to him.
Looking ahead: The Wildcats return home to face Southern Illinois on Saturday.
— Shannon Ryan
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sryan@tribune.com
