25th year Anniversary: best NU comeback ever

[Turk]

25-Year CFB Anniversary: Northwestern Rallies From 16 Down in Fourth to Stun Michigan - Fifth Quarter

On this day 25 years ago, Northwestern rallied from 16 points down in the fourth quarter to stun Michigan in a top-25 matchup, 17-16.

fifthquarter.net

 

[Turk]

Love the 50,000 in the seats.

 

[phatcat]

still want to smack that ref for vociferously waving off the FG. If he's already dead, I want to smack his kid.

We beat MichiPuke 3 times in 6 years. Since - one time in 20 years. Sucks. But I loved each of those wins.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I was at that game in the south end zone. The Freuden Shade was a thing to behold.

 

[ubercat]

I was there in the West stands. It was definitely our best comeback in the modern era. We looked flat for three quarters, and then Barry Gardner's fumble recovery instantly changed the game.

 

[hdhntr1]

25-Year CFB Anniversary: Northwestern Rallies From 16 Down in Fourth to Stun Michigan - Fifth Quarter

On this day 25 years ago, Northwestern rallied from 16 points down in the fourth quarter to stun Michigan in a top-25 matchup, 17-16.

fifthquarter.net

I was there. A friend I had not seen or even talked to in several years came up from Springfield to see his oncologist (brain cancer and he was cured) and I had called him before not knowing he was coming u. Took him to that game. As I recall, had to kick that FG about 3 times but in the 60 min version you don't see that

 

[mountaindrew]

I was there in the West stands. It was definitely our best comeback in the modern era. We looked flat for three quarters, and then Barry Gardner's fumble recovery instantly changed the game.

I was in the student section. Standing the entire game. The students had energy all game, but in the 4th Q that section was rocking like no other game I've been to. There were a couple grad students right behind us who were SCUM undergrads, and of course they were woofin for three quarters. Not so much in the 4th... to my glee.

That play Uber referred to, the fumble recovery, was on a great play by Keith Lozowski. I think on GB's show the next week, he described how SCUM had been stealing our defensive signals all game, and their offense had the upper hand because of it. Vandy finally got wise in the 3rd Q, and so they dummied the same signals, and SCUM bit. But we changed the play call in the huddle. As a result, Lozowski was unblocked, penetrated, and an unsuspecting Chris Howard fumbled, and BOOM, our ball in the red zone.

That was probably my favorite play of the whole season. One of my other favorite plays of 96 came a couple plays later, when Levelle Brown came in at fullback for his first play of the game, and scored from the 2 on the dive.... if I recall it was a 3rd and goal play. Talk about clutch. As was the entire 4th quarter for the Cats.

As far as the ref blowing dead the first game winning field goal try, we snapped the ball before the ref had blown the whistle for ready for play (because there was a penalty or an official's time out just before that play, as I recall). So he wasn't screwing with us, he was doing his job properly. That's something - ball snapped before ready for play - that happens only about twice per season, and that day it happened to take place on the deciding play of the game.

Just made the win sweeter. How about Mr. Iceman, Brian Gowins?!? Wow. Great memories.

 

[phatcat]

I was in the student section. Standing the entire game. The students had energy all game, but in the 4th Q that section was rocking like no other game I've been to. There were a couple grad students right behind us who were SCUM undergrads, and of course they were woofin for three quarters. Not so much in the 4th... to my glee.

That play Uber referred to, the fumble recovery, was on a great play by Keith Lozowski. I think on GB's show the next week, he described how SCUM had been stealing our defensive signals all game, and their offense had the upper hand because of it. Vandy finally got wise in the 3rd Q, and so they dummied the same signals, and SCUM bit. But we changed the play call in the huddle. As a result, Lozowski was unblocked, penetrated, and an unsuspecting Chris Howard fumbled, and BOOM, our ball in the red zone.

That was probably my favorite play of the whole season. One of my other favorite plays of 96 came a couple plays later, when Levelle Brown came in at fullback for his first play of the game, and scored from the 2 on the dive.... if I recall it was a 3rd and goal play. Talk about clutch. As was the entire 4th quarter for the Cats.

As far as the ref blowing dead the first game winning field goal try, we snapped the ball before the ref had blown the whistle for ready for play (because there was a penalty or an official's time out just before that play, as I recall). So he wasn't screwing with us, he was doing his job properly. That's something - ball snapped before ready for play - that happens only about twice per season, and that day it happened to take place on the deciding play of the game.

Just made the win sweeter. How about Mr. Iceman, Brian Gowins?!? Wow. Great memories.

So I just watched it again. It doesn't matter because we won, but I don't get it. Does the ball move before the official makes the signal? Because he does, indeed, make the signal. I'm thinking forward 16? years later when the officials got the ball ready for play in like 3 seconds for Michigag's faux field goal that beat us. I've never seen old fat guys move so fast as they did for that kick. It looked like they were headed to the post game buffet. Look at the clock in this one, they took 15 seconds to blow the ball ready for play.

I have a special loathing for Michigag, so...I am scarred by 2012-14 Mich games.

 

[mountaindrew]

So I just watched it again. It doesn't matter because we won, but I don't get it. Does the ball move before the official makes the signal? Because he does, indeed, make the signal. I'm thinking forward 16? years later when the officials got the ball ready for play in like 3 seconds for Michigag's faux field goal that beat us. I've never seen old fat guys move so fast as they did for that kick. It looked like they were headed to the post game buffet. Look at the clock in this one, they took 15 seconds to blow the ball ready for play.

I have a special loathing for Michigag, so...I am scarred by 2012-14 Mich games.

I feel you, Phat. Its been a long time since I've rewatched the game, so I don't recall how close the snap and the late whistle for play were, but I do recall it was pretty close, like you say. If it was bang bang, maybe a few refs would let the play go on... but on the deciding play of the game? He'd have a sh**storm from Lloyd Carr to deal with, and then his whole remaining weekend would be non stop calls and badgering from the Big Ten office and the head of officials about not stopping that play. That's how it works for the referee.

 

[NCPurplecat]

Was a great Q4. That season had many special moments.

 

[FloridAlum]

On a sad note about this game, the sideline reporter was Northwestern alum Adrian Karsten who later had a bunch of personal problems and committed suicide in 2005 at age 45

 

[mountaindrew]

On a sad note about this game, the sideline reporter was Northwestern alum Adrian Karsten who later had a bunch of personal problems and committed suicide in 2005 at age 45

Yup. I remember that... very sad. Adrian was part of that Brad Nessler/Gary Danielson TV crew for several years, and I thought he added a lot as the sideline guy. I remember during that Mich game, he did a little piece about Mustard's that they worked in during the game.

I was at NU the same time Adrian was, and actually played hoops against him at Patton gym a couple times. He was a really large, intimidating dude on the basketball court.