The Top 10 games in Ryan Field history

[mshelton33]

WildcatReport - The Top 10 games in Ryan Field history

Now that the stadium faces the wrecking ball, we look back at the 10 greatest games played at Central & Ashland.

northwestern.rivals.com

The Evanston City Council approved the start of demolition and construction at Ryan Field last night. In honor of the last game on Central and Ashland as we know it, @lou v chronicled the top 10 games in the stadium's storied history.

 

[No Chores]

WildcatReport - The Top 10 games in Ryan Field history

Now that the stadium faces the wrecking ball, we look back at the 10 greatest games played at Central & Ashland.

northwestern.rivals.com

The Evanston City Council approved the start of demolition and construction at Ryan Field last night. In honor of the last game on Central and Ashland as we know it, @lou v chronicled the top 10 games in the stadium's storied history.

This is fabulous Lou! Eventually I will watch all of the videos. Thanks!

 

[stpaulcat]

No games during the Otto Graham era? Didn't NU go to the Rose Bowl during that time?

 

[No Chores]

No games during the Otto Graham era? Didn't NU go to the Rose Bowl during that time?

Yes, and they won the 1949 Rose Bowl 20 -14 over Cal. That NU team included 2 guys from Erie Pa. both of whom I knew quite well in later years. Of course you and I were about 5 or 6 years old at the time of that game.

 

[kaTNap]

No games during the Otto Graham era? Didn't NU go to the Rose Bowl during that time?

The Rose Bowl was a few years after Otto's era, which was from 1941 to 1944.

 

[lou v]

No games during the Otto Graham era? Didn't NU go to the Rose Bowl during that time?

No, Otto played from 1941-43 and never played in the Rose Bowl. The Cats made it the 1949 Rose Bowl, but it was in a year they finished second in the Big Ten (then Big Nine). Michigan won both the conference and national titles that year but couldn't go to Pasadena because you couldn't go in back-to-back years in those days.

 

[FeralFelidae]

Northwestern-Iowa 2005 wasn't even an honorable mention? I would flat out replace #9 with Northwestern-Iowa 2005. NU had to pull a royal flush to pull out that win.

Let me help you remember:


Northwestern is down by 13. With 4:35 left in the game, Basanez throws an interception.

Iowa picks up a first down, but the 'Cats use all their timeouts to get the ball back with 3:27 left.

The 'Cats are down 13 points and have no timeouts.

They proceed to march down the field and score a touchdown with 2:10 remaining.

Then the 'Cats recover the onside kick. Then the 'Cats proceed to score the go-ahead touchdown.

 

[eastbaycat99]

Lou, thanks for the thoughtful list. You are a brave man to publish it, since any list like this will bring out a thousand “what about this one” comments. I would not argue about any you included, and am glad I was there for a bunch of them.

 

[Gatabowl]

Northwestern-Iowa 2005 wasn't even an honorable mention? I would flat out replace #9 with Northwestern-Iowa 2005. NU had to pull a royal flush to pull out that win.

Let me help you remember:

View embedded media

Northwestern is down by 13. With 4:35 left in the game, Basanez throws an interception.

Iowa picks up a first down, but the 'Cats use all their timeouts to get the ball back with 3:27 left.

The 'Cats are down 13 points and have no timeouts.

They proceed to march down the field and score a touchdown with 2:10 remaining.

Then the 'Cats recover the onside kick. Then the 'Cats proceed to score the go-ahead touchdown.

I was on that field

 

[zeek55]

Northwestern-Iowa 2005 wasn't even an honorable mention? I would flat out replace #9 with Northwestern-Iowa 2005. NU had to pull a royal flush to pull out that win.

Let me help you remember:

View embedded media

Northwestern is down by 13. With 4:35 left in the game, Basanez throws an interception.

Iowa picks up a first down, but the 'Cats use all their timeouts to get the ball back with 3:27 left.

The 'Cats are down 13 points and have no timeouts.

They proceed to march down the field and score a touchdown with 2:10 remaining.

Then the 'Cats recover the onside kick. Then the 'Cats proceed to score the go-ahead touchdown.

That's definitely in my personal top 10 games attended at NU; of course, these types of things are to each his own. Lou V's list is solid, though I wasn't alive for a bunch of those on his list.

 

[No Chores]

No, Otto played from 1941-43 and never played in the Rose Bowl. The Cats made it the 1949 Rose Bowl, but it was in a year they finished second in the Big Ten (then Big Nine). Michigan won both the conference and national titles that year but couldn't go to Pasadena because you couldn't go in back-to-back years in those days.

I didn't remember that, probably because I was about 8 months old when Otto concluded his final season of football! I don't remember his final season of basketball either.

 

[Alaskawildkat]

Excellent article by Lou but there is one footnote I would like to add to the description of the No. 1 Game played at Ryan Field, the November 4, 2000 54-51 game against Michigan. Having been at the game I recall the sense of irony that was felt regarding Michigan's failed field goal attempt when we learned it was a former Northwestern commit who had defected to Michigan who was responsible for its failure.

That final play of the game, which if successful would have taken the game to overtime, was muffed by a Michigan Player, John Navarre, who had originally committed to Northwestern. As The Daily Northwestern stated it in a November 13, 2003 article, "Navarre's word was not as strong as his arm." (He decommited when he did not get the assurance that Coach Barnett would be staying and his slot as quarterback ended up going to Zak Kustok,)

The irony is summarized in the Daily article:

"The arrival of Kustok would not be the last of Navarre’s indirect contributions to NU, however. In the Cats’ thrilling 54-51 win over the Wolverines in 2000, Michigan had a chance to come back and tie the game on the last play with a 57-yard field goal. But Navarre, the holder at the time, let the snap slip through his hands, sealing the victory for NU."

 

[FanatiCat]

Northwestern-Iowa 2005 wasn't even an honorable mention? I would flat out replace #9 with Northwestern-Iowa 2005. NU had to pull a royal flush to pull out that win.

Let me help you remember:

View embedded media

Northwestern is down by 13. With 4:35 left in the game, Basanez throws an interception.

Iowa picks up a first down, but the 'Cats use all their timeouts to get the ball back with 3:27 left.

The 'Cats are down 13 points and have no timeouts.

They proceed to march down the field and score a touchdown with 2:10 remaining.

Then the 'Cats recover the onside kick. Then the 'Cats proceed to score the go-ahead touchdown.

Best thing about watching that game replay is the extended amount of shots they spent on the Iowa sideline joking around and acting like the game was over after the interception. Especially Chad Greenway goofing off and making some kind of mocking gesture, then on our go ahead TD drive he gets a PF for spearing Basanez during his slide (what would now clearly be targeting and an ejection).

 

[TXnumbCAT]

Northwestern-Iowa 2005 wasn't even an honorable mention? I would flat out replace #9 with Northwestern-Iowa 2005. NU had to pull a royal flush to pull out that win.

Let me help you remember:

View embedded media

Northwestern is down by 13. With 4:35 left in the game, Basanez throws an interception.

Iowa picks up a first down, but the 'Cats use all their timeouts to get the ball back with 3:27 left.

The 'Cats are down 13 points and have no timeouts.

They proceed to march down the field and score a touchdown with 2:10 remaining.

Then the 'Cats recover the onside kick. Then the 'Cats proceed to score the go-ahead touchdown.

I remember hitting "pause" on the DVR down 13 to go out and mow the lawn.

I also remember being stunned (and so happy) to see the comeback after I had worked off that "losing to Iowa" frustration.