Northwestern Wins First Bowl Game Since 1949

After nine bowl defeats spanning 64 years, Northwestern finally wins the Gator Bowl 34-20 over Mississippi State. (Stephen Morton)

On January 1, 1949, Northwestern won their first bowl game, a Rose Bowl victory against Cal. The Wildcats did not make another bowl appearance until 1996 when they returned to the "Granddaddy of Them All." Star linebacker Pat Fitzgerald did all he could, but a 42-31 loss to the University of Southern California started a downward spiral for the program.

In 2006, Fitzgerald returned to Northwestern as head coach and rebuilt the team into a solid program. Unfortunately, he couldn't solve the Wildcats' bowl game troubles as they dropped four straight under his leadership. This brought Northwestern's losing streak in bowl games to nine. People said the Wildcats simply couldn't win the big one and get the monkey off their back.

This year, Northwestern's season got off to a promising start at 5-0. They became bowl-eligible two weeks later and finished the season with a 9-3 record and a place in both the AP and coaches' poll. The Wildcats' reward was a New Year's Day bowl bid in the Gator Bowl to play Mississippi State.

Northwestern got off to a great start when defensive end Quentin Williams returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter. Two field goals by junior Jeff Budzien increased the Wildcats' lead to 13-0. Things started to not look so good when Mississippi State tied the score up on a 47-yard field goal by freshman Devon Bell.

However, this season's Northwestern team showed resiliency by scoring on a rushing touchdown just over a minute later. They added another score on the ground just before the end of the third quarter to increase their lead to 27-13. Early in the fourth quarter, Mississippi State cut the lead in half on a 14 yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Tyler Russell to sophomore tight end Malcolm Johnson.

The Wildcats had an answer again. With 8:10 left in the game, junior Venric Mark ran the ball in from three yards out. The lead was 14 once again. From that point on, the Northwestern defense took over. Mississippi State was never even able to score to mount a comeback.

It took 64 years to the day, but the Wildcats finally got its second bowl win. The curse of nine straight bowl defeats was finally over. The team had an actual stuffed monkey that they kept as inspiration. Of course, Fitzgerald let his team tear the thing to shreds in the locker room following the win.

"I'm just ecstatic for our entire football program," Fitzgerald said in the postgame interview. "This was the one last negative we needed to erase."

College Football Week 11 Preview and Predictions

Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel will have to play the best game of his young career if the Aggies hope of upsetting Alabama. (Brett Davis)

5. #2 Kansas State (9-0) @ TCU (6-3) - 7:00 PM EST, FOX

Kansas State continues to roll through their schedule raking up big win time and time again. However, they may be without their Heisman favorite quarterback when the travel to Fort Worth to take on TCU. Collin Klein suffered an apparent head injury during the third quarter of the Wildcats' 44-30 win over Oklahoma State last week. Head coach Bill Snyder has been mum on Klein's status, but he will certainly have his team well-prepared and ready to play. TCU has had their ups and downs this season, but come into Saturday's showdown off their best win of the season. The Horned Frogs went into Morgantown and beat West Virginia 39-38 in double overtime. Freshman quarterback Trevone Boykin came up with big throws junior wide receiver Josh Boyce and senior tight end Corey Fuller when he need to. TCU will need another big game out of Boykin and his offense if they hope to upset Kansas State.

Prediction: Kansas State 38 TCU 27

4. #21 Mississippi State (7-2) @ #7 LSU (7-2) - 7:00 EST, ESPN/WatchESPN

Mississippi State used a cupcake schedule to start the season 7-2. Their last two games have exposed this reality as the Bulldogs got blown out by Alabama and Texas A&M. Junior quarterback Tyler Russell had 15 touchdown passes to only one interception in the first seven wins, but had only own touchdown and two interceptions in the two losses. The Bulldogs defense has struggled as well. They gave up 38 points in each of the loss and a combined 1,107 yards. LSU comes into this game off an emotional loss to rival Alabama. The Tigers need to put the loss behind them because they are still in the BCS picture. On offense, LSU has began to find its identity. Junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger has steadily imporved and freshman tailback Jeremy Hill has emerged as the team's top back. The Tigers defense continues to be their foundation.

Prediction: LSU 24 Mississippi State 10

3. Penn State (6-3) @ #16 Nebraska (7-2) - 3:30 PM EST, ABC/ESPN2

Penn State doesn't have a postseason to play for, but they can play spoiler to some conference rivals. The Nittany Lions have gotten much better from the start of the season having won six of seven. Senior quarterback Matt McGloin has surprisingly emerged as one of the Big Ten's best quarterbacks. Freshman tight end Kyle Carter has been his top target, but is questionable to play after missing last week's game due to injury. Junior wide receiver Brandon Moseby-Felder stepped up to fill the void and may need to do so again this week. Nebraska is in the Big Ten Legends division driver seat, but was lucky to beat Michigan State last week. Junior quarterback Taylor Martinez is one of the best dual threat quarterbacks in the country. In the win over the Spartans, he had four combined touchdowns, but also three interceptions. Sophomore running back Ameer Abdullah has had three straight 100-yard rushing games.

Prediction: Penn State 27 Nebraska 24

2. #11 Oregon State (7-1) @ #14 Stanford (7-2) - 3:00 PM EST, FOX

These are very similar teams. Both have strong, physical defenses and have had surprising replacement quarterbacks emerge to play well. Oregon State surprisingly started the season 6-0. Last week, the Beavers rebounded from a tough loss at Washington to beat Arizona State at home. Junior quarterback Cody Vaz was called into duty when Sean Mannion was injured. This big game will be just the fourth start of his collegiate career. Similarly, Stanford freshman quarterback Kevin Hogan will make his first career start in this game. He played well last week coming in for Josh Nunes, but that was against Colorado's defense.

Prediction: Stanford 20 Oregon State 17

1. #15 Texas A&M (7-2) @ #1 Alabama (9-0) - 3:30 PM EST, CBS

Alabama is coming off a physical, emotional win over rival LSU. Now, they must focus on not having a letdown against one of the SEC's best offenses. Texas A&M has a solid first year in the SEC largely due to the phenomenal play of freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel. His 2,527 passing yards are second most in the SEC, and he leads the conference in rushing with 922 yards. His 31 total touchdowns tops the league as well. However, Manziel did only rush for 27 yards and had three interceptions in the Aggies loss to LSU. He will have to play much better if they hope to had top ranked and undefeated Alabama. The Crimson Tide's defense is vicious, and they have a Heisman caliber quarterback as well in AJ McCarron.

Prediction: Alabama 27 Texas A&M 24

College Football Week 9 Preview and Predictions

Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o will have to lead  the Fighting Irish as they look to stop Oklahoma. ( Matt Cashore)

5. #22 Michigan (5-2) @ Nebraska (5-2) - 8:00 PM EST, ESPN2/WatchESPN

This is a huge Legends Division matchup with important Big Ten and ultimately Rose Bowl implications. Nebraska's offense that leads the Big Ten in rushing (279.0 yards per game) and scoring (41.6 points per game) will go up against the Big Ten's top defense in the Michigan Wolverines. This game also features two of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country in Nebraska's Taylor Martinez and Michigan's Denard Robinson. I believe that whichever quarterback is able to make the imperative plays will likely win the football game.

Prediction: Michigan 24 Nebraska 20

4. #14 Texas Tech (6-1) @ #3 Kansas State (7-0) - 3:30 PM EST, FOX

West Virginia looked like the cream of the crop in the Big 12 early in the season. Two weeks ago, the Mountaineers were blown out at Texas Tech. They returned last week to host Kansas State, but were blown out again. Now, the Red Raiders and Wildcats are among the favorites to win the Big 12. The two sides square off on Saturday. Texas Tech's senior quarterback Seth Doege has improved drastically over the course of the season. His counterpart, Kansas State's Collin Klein. After scoring a combined seven touchdowns against the Mountaineers last weekend, he has emerged as the Heisman favorite.

Prediction: Kansas State 34 Texas Tech 24

3. #11 Mississippi State (7-0) @ #1 Alabama (7-0) - 8:30 PM EST, ESPN/Watch ESPN

While this may be a matchup of unbeatens, most experts are predicting it will be another blowout win for Alabama. The nation's top ranked team boasts a steady offense and rock solid on defense as well. The Crimson Tide should be able to use their huge advantage in the trenches to affect their play on both sides of the football. Mississippi State will need a nearly perfect game out of junior quarterback Tyler Russell have a shot at pulling the upset. On the season, he has a 15-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Russell will look to continue that trend against the Crimson Tide defense on Saturday. He must quick reads, wise decisions, and be able to deliver the big play when needed.

Prediction: Alabama 38 Mississippi State 10

2. #2 Florida (7-0) vs. # 10 Georgia (6-1) - 3:30 PM EST, CBS

This game has big SEC championship game and BCS bowl implications. If Florida beats Georgia, they are in the SEC championship game for the first time since 2009. A Georgia win would mean that the Bulldogs completely control the SEC East. Sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel and senior running back Mike Gillislee lead the way for the Gators explosive offense. The Bulldogs will be led on defense by junior outside linebacker Jarvis Jones. He is coming off an ankle injury, but is one of the best in the nation when fully healthy. On offense, junior quarterback Aaron Murray must be wise with the football and limit his mistakes.

Prediction: Florida 30 Georgia 24

1. #5 Notre Dame (7-0) @ #8 Oklahoma (5-1)- 8:00 PM EST, ABC

Notre Dame is undefeated this late in the season for the first time in a decade, but they definitely know there is still more work to be done in order for them to remain as  a BCS contender. One cannot talk about the Fighting Irish without mentioning their leader and one of the best players in all of college football, senior linebacker Manti Te'o. On offense, they expect to have sophomore quarterback Everett Golson back from injury and ready to start. He will be aided by a superb trio of running backs in Theo Riddick, Cierre Wood and George Atkinson III. Oklahoma uses a balanced offense to bring about success. Senior quarterback Landry Jones has looked much more comfortable as a passer recently. The Sooners also like to power rush the football. Their two main weapons here are junior tailback Damien Williams and sophomore quarterback Blake Bell.

Prediction: Notre Dame 24 Oklahoma 20

Leap Day Bubble Watch

Tomorrow is Leap Day. It only comes once every four years, so it is kind of a big deal. The NCAA Tournament only comes once a year in March and is kind of a big deal too. With March quickly coming, teams need to do all they can to show the tournament committee why they should be invited to the Big Dance. Five teams have a big shot to make a case one way or another on Wednesday.

Miami - 17-10 (8-6), RPI: 47, SOS: 38

Few people thought Miami would be able to make it to where they have a chance to make the tournament, but here they are. A big reason why is because they picked up their second win over a ranked opponent in a span of three weeks. The Hurricane's resume has some definite holes (3-9 record agaisnt the RPI Top 100 and a 5-7 road/neutral record), so they can't sit back and relax now. Tomorrow they play at NC State. This will be a tough win to earn, but one they could really use. A loss won't burst their bubble, but a win would certainly help their case.

Cincinnati - 20-9 (10-6), RPI: 76, SOS: 132

Cincinnati seems to be a team that can't decide whether or not they deserve to go to the Big Dance. Last week, they got a big win over Louisville, but then lost at South Florida. That isn't a knock on the Bulls, but the Bearcats' lack of consistency has hurt the resume significantly. They have five wins over the RPI Top 50, but their non-conference play was mostly pathetic (i.e. SOS of 323 and a loss to Presbyterian at home). No team in the last 15 years has ever gotten an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament with a RPI outside the Top 75. Cincinnati's last regular season chance to impress the committee comes tomorrow when they host Marquette. An upset win would be huge for the Bearcats.

Purdue - 19-10 (9-7), RPI: 39, SOS: 24

Personally, I have never thought Purdue's resume was as strong as people make it out to be. However, they finally got a big win at Michigan last Saturday. Prior to that game, the Boilermakers were 0-7 against ranked opponents, but the win over the Wolverines may have been the signature one they needed. Tomorrow night, they host Penn State. You may think no big deal, but the Nittany Lions won by 20 in their matchup earlier this year. While that was a long time ago, Purdue can't afford a let down after their big win. It could be quite detrimental.

Texas - 18-11 (8-8), RPI: 55, SOS: 29

Interestingly enough, Texas has a similar resume to Purdue. They have a middling conference record and have struggled against ranked opponents as well (0-6). A 4-9 record against the RPI Top 100 and a 4-9 road/neutral mark puts the Longhorn squarely on the bubble. They know they can't afford another bad loss. They survived last Saturday's overtime bout with Texas Tech, but tomorrow they need to take care of business against Oklahoma. A win won't seal their fate, but a loss might certainly.

Mississippi State - 19-10 (6-8), RPI: 63, SOS: 68

A mere 2 1/2 weeks ago, Mississippi State seemed like a lock for the NCAA tournament. However, they have now lost five in a row and seem to be in disarray. When asked about his team's odds of making the tourament, team star Arnett Moultrie said, "Maybe not. Probably not." That is not what you want to hear if you are a Bulldogs fan. This team is now only 6-8 in SEC play and have just a 5-7 road/neutral record. Mississippi State travels to conference doormat South Carolina tomorrow. The Gamecocks did upset Alabama early this year, so anything is possible. A Bulldogs loss would almost certainly burst their once promising bubble.

Weekend Special: Who Should be on Upset Alert?

Saturday's Games to Watch

West Virginia @ #4 Syracuse - 1:00PM, ESPNU

The key matchup here will be how Syracuse handles West Virginia star Kevin Jones inside. The Orange are without Fab Melo once again, so they will need their other big men to step up defensively and on the glass. Jones as been an absolute force in Big East play this season. If the Mountaineers have a shot at the upset, they will need Jones to be that stellar again.

Texas @ #7 Baylor - 1:00PM, CBS

Texas is an improving young team that is fully capable of pulling an upset. However, they will play an angry Baylor team that is coming off its first two losses of the season. If they Bears exploit their advantage inside, they should get the win.

#16 Mississippi State @ #13 Florida - 1:30PM, ESPN3

Mississippi State has the size and strength inside to possibly give Florida some trouble. The Gators guards have been playing great and their team defense has stepped up in a big way as of late. This game should give us a better picture of both teams chances in March.

#5 Kansas @ Iowa State - 2:00PM, ESPN

This is a popular upset pick among the experts. Iowa State has an edge on the perimeter with their great guard play. They also have a big man in Royce White, who is capable of holding Kansas stud Thomas Robinson in check. The Hilton Coliseum should be on a full tilt, so Kansas is going to have to play very well in order to exit as the victors.

Middle Tennessee @ Vanderbilt - 2:00PM

This is a statement game for Middle Tennessee. They have a 20-2 record overall and are 9-0 in Sun Belt Conference play. However, this is there last chance to get a signature non-conference win. Vanderbilt has had their ups and downs all season. It will be interesting to see how they play against an amped up Blue Raiders team.

Cincinnati @ Rutgers - 6:00PM, ESPN3

Cincinnati was cruising having won 10 out of 11 games. But then they dropped their last two prior to this one. Rutgers has had their moments this season and have shown signs of hope for the future. The Scarlet Knights would love to get another quality win under their belts. It will be interesting to see how the Bearcats bounce back. If they are going to be a serious contender, this is a must win game.

#20 St. Mary's @ BYU - 9:00PM, ESPNU

St. Mary's convincingly won the first matchup of these two teams. The Gaels are currently looking like the favorites to win the West Coast Conference. BYU is currently sitting square on the bubble. They have a solid record, but a lack of quality wins. If they were able to pull the upset here, this would be a big step in the right direction.

Marshall @ Memphis - 9:00PM, CSS

Both of these teams are near the top of what is a crowded Conference USA standings. Marshall had some solid wins early in the season and even competed well at the Carrier Dome with Syracuse. As of late, the Thundering Herd have stumbled a bit, losing three in a row. On the other hand, Memphis is playing some of its best basketball right now. The Tigers are winners of eight of their last nine. This is an intriguing matchup with clear conference implications.

Sunday's Games to Watch

Notre Dame @ #19 Connecticut - 12:00PM, ESPN3

Connecticut won the previous matchup in South Bend in convincing fashion, but much has changed since then. Notre Dame upset Syracuse handing them their first and only loss of the season so far. The Fighting Irish are playing with a lot of confidence right now. Conversely, Connecticut has lost four out of their last six. The Huskies are looking to return to form. This is another statement game for both of these teams.

#22 Michigan @ #3 Ohio State - 1:00PM, CBS

Everyone normally talks about this rivalry in reference to a football game, but this is matchup of two Top 25 teams among the top of the Big Ten. Michigan has had their ups and downs, but are 3-2 against Top 25 teams, including a big win over in-state rival Michigan State. Ohio State has looked dominant at times, but there has also been a couple of pitfalls in their schedule so far this season. The Buckeyes will look to Jared Sullinger to lead the way once again. He is coming off a big game in a win over Penn State.

Upsets a Plenty on a Busy Saturday of College Basketball

I will breakdown the Top 25 teams that were in action on Saturday.

Convincing Wins

#1 Syracuse 78 Providence 55 - The Orange showcased their supremacy once again as they routed the Friars. They host Pittsburgh on Monday.

#4 Baylor 106 Oklahoma State 65 - The Bears offense keeps getting the job done in convincing fashion. They scored 15 three pointers and nearly doubled the Cowboys on the glass.

#15 Louisville 76 Depaul 59 - The Cardinals bounced back nicely from losing two straight. The travel to Marquette next Monday.

#16 Connecticut 67 Notre Dame 53 - UConn was without Ryan Boatright (being investigated by the NCAA). The most impressive thing about the Huskies win was the play of two of their big men, Andre Drummond and Alex Oriakhi.

#25 Harvard 69 George Washington 48 - The Crimson looked convincing in their final non-conference game. Now, they just have to focus on taking care of business in Ivy League play.

Got the Job Done

#9 Missouri 84 Texas 73 - The Tigers just keep winning. They didn't get frazzled by their first loss of the season to Kansas State. They host Texas A&M on Monday.

#10 Kansas 82 Iowa State 73 - The Jayhawks overcame a sluggish first half to beat the Cyclones. This setups a big Top 10 showdown on Monday when they host the undefeated Baylor Bears.

#14 Murray State 82 Tennessee Tech 74 - The Racers are now off to a school-record 19-0 start. They are 6-0 in OVC play, and their next conference opponent is Morehead State on Wednesday.

#19 Florida 79 South Carolina 65 - The Gators improved to 2-1 in SEC play with a road win over the Gamecocks. Their next game isn't until next Saturday when they host LSU.

#24 Marquette 62 Pittsburgh 57 - The Golden Eagles improved to 3-2 in Big East play, while the Panthers fell to 0-5. Who would have believed Pitt would be struggling this badly right now?

Survived a Scare

#2 Kentucky 65 Tennessee 62 - The Wildcats displayed some poise in a tough road win. The Volunteers showed once again this week that they are much better than their 8-9 record would indicate.

#20 Mississippi State 56 Alabama 52 - Both of these teams want to make the NCAA tournament, so this was a big win for the Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide were ranked in the preseason polls, but they need to find an answer to their struggles quickly if they are going to rebound from this loss.

#23 Gonzaga 62 Loyola Marymount 58 - Coming off a blowout loss at St. Mary's, the Zags barely survived a tough win over the Lions. They look to get back to form against San Francisco at home on Thursday.

Upset Victims

Florida State 90 #3 North Carolina 57 - This might be exactly what Florida State needed. The Tar Heels had no answer for the hot shooting Seminoles. The loss was the worst in the Roy Williams era.

Northwestern 81 #7 Michigan State 74 - The Wildcats showed they still have a shot in the Big Ten, as Michigan State's win streak of fifteen games was snapped. The Spartans look to get back on track on Tuesday when they travel to Ann Arbor to take on Michigan.

Iowa 75 #13 Michigan 59 - The Hawkeyes are a tough team to figure out. They have upset two Top 25 teams, but they have also got blown out by two of them.

Oklahoma 82 #18 Kansas State 73 - The Wildcats might be a bit overrated as they now fell to 1-3 in Big 12 play. They will look to recover on Wednesday when they host Texas.

Thriller

#22 San Diego State 69 #12 UNLV 87 - This might be a sign of what is to come in what is a tough Mountain West Conference this year. Aztec guard Jamaal Franklin made the game winning off-balance layup with 0.3 seconds left in the game.