Northwestern’s Wildcats improved to 5-0 — their best start since 1962 — with a comeback 29-28 win over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, their first Big Ten game of the season.
Quarterback Dan Persa completed 23 of 30 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns, but also threw an interception and fumbled a ball in the end zone. NU’s kicker Stefan Demos missed an extra point, putting the Cats down by two, 28-26, midway through the fourth quarter.
They drove down to Minnesota’s five-yard line, then took a delay-of-game penalty to give Demos a better angle on a field goal, which he hit from 27 yards out to give Northwestern a 29-28 lead.
With Minnesota driving toward a potential game-winning field goal, Ben Johnson intercepted a pass from Gophers QB Adam Weber on fourth down to nail down the win.
Northwestern will face Purdue next Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Ryan Field in Evanston. TV coverage will be via the Big Ten Network.