Sept. 29, 2007

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Watch NU's post-game press conference on NUsports.com All-Access.

Free Video
Watch broadcast highlights from the Big Ten Network.
Watch Coach Fitzgerald's Opening Statement.
Watch Fitzgerald talk about the play of his defense.
Watch Fitzgerald talk about the Northwestern special teams.
Watch Fitzgerald talk about the play of his running backs.
Watch running back Omar Conteh talk about his 49-yard touchdown run.
Watch defensive lineman John Gill talk about his performance.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern came within 15 minutes of earning its season's first Big Ten victory, but a turnover-plagued fourth quarter sealed a 28-16 win for the Michigan Wolverines.

The Wildcats (2-3, 0-2 Big Ten Conference) led 16-14 heading into the final stanza, powered by running back Omar Conteh. He totaled 115 yards on the ground including a 49-yard score in the second quarter, which gave NU a 10-7 lead.

Northwestern dominated the firat half, outgaining the Wolverines by more than a two-to-one margin, 309 to 152 yards.

The Wildcats opened the game with their longest pass play of the season, a 64-yarder from C.J. Bachér to Rasheed Ward. Ward turned a short catch into a big play when he rolled off a pair of Michigan defenders and rambled down the sideline, which set up the first of three field goals by NU's Amado Villarreal.

After Chad Henne led Michigan to seven points on its first drive, the Wildcats came back two series later to regain the lead on Conteh's 49-yard run. That play capped an 86-yard, 9-play drive.

Northwestern tacked on two more Villarreal field goals -- a career-long 49-yarder and another 27-yard boot with no time remaining in the first half -- to give the Wildcats a 16-7 halftime lead.

Michigan began its comeback on a fumble deep in Wildcat territory, which Chad Henne parlayed into a 16-yard scoring pass to Adrian Arrington. The touchdown gave the Wolverines a lead they would not relinquish.

Two fumbles and two interceptions in the fourth quarter aided the Michigan comeback.

For much of the day, the Wildcat defense, led by a career-high 10 tackles from junior tackle John Gill, kept Michigan running back Mike Hart in check. Hart did finish with 100-plus yards, but he averaged only 3.5 yards per carry. Minus a pair of rushes for 23 and 18 yards, Hart averaged just 2.3 yards for his other 28 carries.

Northwestern plays at Michigan State next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT (Big Ten Network).