Penn State Nittany Lions vs Northwestern Wildcats Match Player Stats On Nov 07, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Nov 7, 2015

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Kicker Jack Mitchell made amends for two earlier misses with a game-winning 35-yard field goal as No. 21 Northwestern beat Penn State 23-21 on Saturday.

Mitchell, who failed on 39 and 47-yard kicks, sent a straight shot through the uprights with nine seconds to play to lift the Wildcats (7-2, 3-2 in the Big Ten) to their second straight win.

Northwestern backup quarterback Zack Oliver threw for one touchdown, rushed for another and completed 11-of-24 passes for 111 yards after entering late in the second quarter in place of injured starter Clayton Thorson.

Wildcat running back Justin Jackson rushed 28 times for a career-high 186 yards.

Penn State running back Saquon Barkley scored on runs of seven and 13 yards as Penn State (7-3, 4-2) rallied from a 20-7 third quarter deficit to a temporary 21-20 lead.

Thorson left the game because of lower body injury late in the first quarter. Oliver, a senior, went the rest of the way in his fourth appearance of the season.

Oliver broke the shutout on the Wildcats' fifth possession with a 14-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Christian Jones with 12:56 left in the first half.

Northwestern made it 13-0 on Oliver's one-yard keeper with 6:00 left in the half. Jackson set up the score with runs of 48 and 25 yards in a five-play, 91-yard drive.

Penn State sliced the deficit to 13-7 with 2:18 left in the half when Barkley took the snap on a first and goal and scrambled seven yards for a touchdown.

The Wildcats quickly replied, opening a 20-7 lead on Solomon Vault's 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. It was Vault's second return touchdown of the season and career third, a school record.

Penn State took advantage of two Northwestern personal fouls to keep a third quarter drive alive. Wide receiver Geno Lewis then lofted a 21-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton and the Nittany Lions trimmed the deficit to 20-14.

NOTES: Northwestern broke ground on Friday for a lakefront multipurpose indoor facility that will include space for football, Olympic team sports and recreational activities. ... The Wildcats were the Big Ten's least penalized team (4.50 per game), but had seven called for 80 yards on Saturday. ... Despite departing with a second quarter injury, dual threat QB Clayton Thorson is second on the team in rushing (410 yards) and tops in rushing touchdowns (five). ... A fourth quarter sack by Penn State defensive end Carl Nassib gave him a school record 15 1/2 for the season. The Nittany Lions have a bye week before closing the season at home against No. 17 Michigan and at No. 7 Michigan State.