In a game that rivaled Idaho’s win over Bowling Green in the Humanitarian Bowl on Wednesday, Auburn beat Northwestern 38-35 in an Outback Bowl thriller on New Year’s Day.
On a whole, it was an extremely sloppy game. The Tigers intercepted Wildcats’ quarterback Mike Kafka five times, including twice in the end zone. Auburn also had a crucial fumble late in the fourth quarter when trying to run out the clock, which gave Northwestern a chance to tie the game at 35-all with just over a minute left to play.
That said, what an incredible finish. Up 35-21 midway through the fourth quarter, Auburn looked like it had complete control of the game. But Kafka led Northwestern on an impressive 15-play, 58-yard drive that was capped by his 2-yard touchdown run. On the drive, the Wildcats were successful on three fourth down conversions, including a 4th-and-5 from Auburn’s 15-yard line.
But even though the Wildcats had cut the lead to 35-27, their extra point was blocked. Their ensuing onsides kick attempt also failed, but Ben Tate’s fumble on the NW 33-yard line gave the Wildcats another opportunity to tie the game, which they did when Kafka found Sidney Stewart on an 18-yard touchdown. NW then used a trick play on the 2-point conversion to make the game 35-35.
That’s when things really got interesting. Northwestern recovered another fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but kicker Stefan Demos missed a 44-yarder to send the game into overtime.
In OT, Wes Byrum hit a 21-yard field goal on Auburn’s first possession to give the Tigers a 38-35 lead. On Northwestern’s first possession, a 10-yard personal foul penalty on a 4th-and-14 gave the Wildcats a first down at the Auburn 9-yard line. But Demos missed another field goal attempt and the Tigers began to celebrate before officials called another penalty for running into the kicker. Once again, Northwestern was given new life but four plays later, a fake field goal attempt failed and the Tigers hung onto a 38-35 victory.
Northwestern was given so many opportunities to win the game, but ran out of magic in the end. The decision to fake the field goal was questionable at best because Demos was hurt on the running-into-the-kicker penalty, so Auburn had to have known that the Wildcats might attempt a fake. They guessed right and shut the play down before it ever had a chance.
If you’re Northwestern, why not put Kafka and the offense back on the field in that situation? Nobody would have blamed Pat Fitzgerald for going for it in that situation with his kicker out of the game with an injury.
Either way, what an exciting game to kick off the New Year.
