2005 Northwestern Wildcats football team explained
| Year: | 2005 |
| Team: | Northwestern Wildcats |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
| Short Conf: | Big Ten |
| Record: | 7–5 |
| Conf Record: | 5–3 |
| Hc Year: | 7th |
| Oc Year: | 4th |
| Dc Year: | 4th |
| Captain: | Brett Basanez[1] |
| Captain2: | Zach Strief |
| Captain3: | Barry Cofield |
| Captain4: | Tim McGarigle |
| Bowl Result: | L 38–50 vs. UCLA |
The 2005 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University during the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. They played their home games at Ryan Field and participated as members of the Big Ten Conference. They were led by seventh-year head coach Randy Walker. The Wildcats finished tied for 3rd place in the Big Ten with a conference record of 5–3.
This would be Walker's last season as the Wildcats' coach, as he would die suddenly from a heart attack on June 29, 2006 at the age of 52. Linebackers coach/recruiting coordinator and Northwestern alum Pat Fitzgerald would be promoted to head coach on July 7, 2006.[2] [3]
Game summaries
Ohio
See also: 2005 Ohio Bobcats football team.
| Statistics | OHIO | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 13 | 28 |
| Total yards | 239 | 550 |
| Rushing yards | 62 | 194 |
| Passing yards | 177 | 356 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 20:58 | 39:02 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Ohio | Passing | Austin Everson | 10/26, 157 yards, INT |
| Rushing | Kalvin McRae | 10 rushes, 34 yards |
| Receiving | Scott Mayle | 4 receptions, 100 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | | 27/37, 353 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | | 17 rushes, 104 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Kim Thompson | 5 receptions, 99 yards | |
Northern Illinois
See also: 2005 Northern Illinois Huskies football team.
| Statistics | NIU | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 28 | 33 |
| Total yards | 539 | 502 |
| Rushing yards | 256 | 282 |
| Passing yards | 283 | 220 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 32:08 | 27:52 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northern Illinois | Passing | Phil Horvath | 24/36, 283 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | | 34 rushes, 245 yards, 3 TD |
| Receiving | | 7 receptions, 90 yards, TD |
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 21/32, 220 yards |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 30 rushes, 214 yards, 4 TD |
| Receiving | Shaun Herbert | 6 receptions, 73 yards | |
At No. 18 Arizona State
See also: 2005 Arizona State Sun Devils football team.
| Statistics | NU | ASU |
|---|
| First downs | 24 | 30 |
| Total yards | 416 | 773 |
| Rushing yards | 180 | 290 |
| Passing yards | 236 | 483 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 24:13 | 35:47 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 24/37, 224 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 15 rushes, 98 yards |
| Receiving | Ross Lane | 4 receptions, 73 yards |
| Arizona State | Passing | | 20/31, 409 yards, 4 TD |
| Rushing | Keegan Herring | 23 rushes, 197 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Matt Miller | 3 receptions, 103 yards, TD | |
Penn State
See also: 2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team.
| Statistics | PSU | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 21 | 24 |
| Total yards | 480 | 427 |
| Rushing yards | 209 | 198 |
| Passing yards | 271 | 229 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 20:01 | 39:59 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Penn State | Passing | | 17/36, 271 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT |
| Rushing | | 13 rushes, 99 yards |
| Receiving | | 5 receptions, 83 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 20/38, 229 yards, INT |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 32 rushes, 112 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Jonathan Fields | 4 receptions, 70 yards | |
No. 14 Wisconsin
See also: 2005 Wisconsin Badgers football team.
| Statistics | WIS | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 27 | 28 |
| Total yards | 515 | 674 |
| Rushing yards | 189 | 313 |
| Passing yards | 326 | 361 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 30:36 | 29:24 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Wisconsin | Passing | | 24/31, 326 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | | 23 rushes, 122 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Brian Calhoun | 11 receptions, 128 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 26/36, 361 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 29 rushes, 244 yards, 3 TD |
| Receiving | Mark Philmore | 6 receptions, 97 yards, TD | |
At Purdue
See also: 2005 Purdue Boilermakers football team.
| Statistics | NU | PUR |
|---|
| First downs | 32 | 30 |
| Total yards | 603 | 505 |
| Rushing yards | 128 | 127 |
| Passing yards | 475 | 378 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 27:50 | 32:10 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 37/55, 463 yards, 3 TD |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 13 rushes, 89 yards, TD |
| Receiving | Shaun Herbert | 11 receptions, 96 yards |
| Purdue | Passing | | 37/58, 360 yards, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Jerod Void | 7 rushes, 37 yards, TD |
| Receiving | | 16 receptions, 153 yards | |
At No. 22 Michigan State
See also: 2005 Michigan State Spartans football team.
| Statistics | NU | MSU |
|---|
| First downs | 31 | 28 |
| Total yards | 533 | 480 |
| Rushing yards | 202 | 189 |
| Passing yards | 331 | 291 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 27:25 | 32:35 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 24/30, 331 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 21 rushes, 109 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Shaun Herbert | 10 receptions, 138 yards |
| Michigan State | Passing | | 20/38, 234 yards, TD, 3 INT |
| Rushing | Javon Ringer | 18 rushes, 104 yards |
| Receiving | Kyle Brown | 1 reception, 53 yards | |
No. 25 Michigan
See also: 2005 Michigan Wolverines football team.
| Statistics | MICH | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 22 | 18 |
| Total yards | 427 | 415 |
| Rushing yards | 253 | 89 |
| Passing yards | 174 | 326 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 3 |
| Time of possession | 38:01 | 21:59 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Michigan | Passing | | 17/30, 174 yards, TD, 3 INT |
| Rushing | Jerome Jackson | 24 rushes, 105 yards |
| Receiving | | 5 receptions, 67 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 26/49, 326 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 10 rushes, 50 yards |
| Receiving | Mark Philmore | 9 receptions, 139 yards, 2 TD | |
Iowa
See also: 2005 Iowa Hawkeyes football team.
| Statistics | IOWA | NU |
|---|
| First downs | 27 | 25 |
| Total yards | 492 | 453 |
| Rushing yards | 216 | 115 |
| Passing yards | 276 | 338 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 30:42 | 29:18 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Iowa | Passing | | 21/35, 273 yards |
| Rushing | | 38 rushes, 202 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Herb Grigsby | 7 receptions, 84 yards |
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 31/51, 338 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 17 rushes, 65 yards, 2 TD |
| Receiving | Mark Philmore | 10 receptions, 123 yards | |
At No. 10 Ohio State
See also: 2005 Ohio State Buckeyes football team.
| Statistics | NU | OSU |
|---|
| First downs | 16 | 23 |
| Total yards | 251 | 422 |
| Rushing yards | 98 | 317 |
| Passing yards | 153 | 105 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 25:38 | 34:22 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 15/31, 121 yards, TD, INT |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 14 rushes, 93 yards |
| Receiving | Jonathan Fields | 4 receptions, 45 yards |
| Ohio State | Passing | | 7/12, 77 yards, INT |
| Rushing | | 18 rushes, 132 yards, TD |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 49 yards | |
At Illinois
See also: 2005 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.
| Statistics | NU | ILL |
|---|
| First downs | 36 | 24 |
| Total yards | 596 | 440 |
| Rushing yards | 356 | 199 |
| Passing yards | 240 | 241 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 32:24 | 27:36 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 25/31, 240 yards, 2 TD |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 34 rushes, 212 yards |
| Receiving | Mark Philmore | 5 receptions, 62 yards, TD |
| Illinois | Passing | Tim Brasic | 20/35, 241 yards, 2 TD, INT |
| Rushing | | 18 rushes, 97 yards, TD |
| Receiving | | 3 receptions, 95 yards | |
Vs. No. 17 UCLA (Sun Bowl)
See also: 2005 Sun Bowl and 2005 UCLA Bruins football team.
| Statistics | NU | UCLA |
|---|
| First downs | 33 | 24 |
| Total yards | 584 | 453 |
| Rushing yards | 168 | 310 |
| Passing yards | 416 | 143 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 4 |
| Time of possession | 30:50 | 29:10 |
|
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|
| Northwestern | Passing | Brett Basanez | 38/70, 416 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT |
| Rushing | Tyrell Sutton | 18 rushes, 84 yards |
| Receiving | Ross Lane | 7 receptions, 136 yards |
| UCLA | Passing | | 10/24, 143 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT |
| Rushing | | 24 rushes, 161 yards |
| Receiving | Ryan Moya | 1 reception, 58 yards, TD | |
The Wildcats were invited to play in the
2005 Sun Bowl. They lost 38–50 to the UCLA Bruins, who staged a 22-point comeback, a record for the Bruins at the time.
Notes and References
- Web site: Year-by-Year Results. 2007. 150. PDF. https://web.archive.org/web/20190316165052/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/nw/sports/m-footbl/auto_pdf/nu-mg-07-history.pdf#page=9. 2019-03-16. live. 2019-03-14.
- Web site: Fitzgerald becomes youngest coach in Division I-A . July 8, 2006 . ESPN Internet Ventures . www.espn.com . December 1, 2018.
- Web site: Northwestern Hires Fitzgerald As Coach . July 7, 2006 . The Associated Press . www.washingtonpost.com . December 1, 2018.
