Oct. 13, 2007

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

Free Video
Watch Coach Fitzgerald's opening statement.
Watch Fitzgerald talk about the defense.
Watch Fitzgerald compare Saturday's win to last week's victory.
Watch quarterback C.J. Bachér and wide receiver Eric Peterman discuss their game-tying touchdown.
Watch Bachér talk about the performance of the offense.
Watch linebacker Adam Kadela describe the final play.

Big Ten Network Video
Watch Coach Fitzgerald talk to the Big Ten Network after the game.
Watch Bachér talk to the Big Ten Network after the game.

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) - Brandon Roberson ran 6 yards for a touchdown in the second overtime and Northwestern stopped a 2-point conversion attempt by Minnesota for a 49-48 victory Saturday.

The Wildcats (4-3, 2-2) trailed 35-14 in the second half and tied the game on C.J. Bacher's 8-yard, fourth-down TD pass to Eric Peterman with eight seconds left in regulation, forcing a second straight overtime for Northwestern, which beat Michigan State 48-41 last week.

After Roberson's TD run and a conversion by Amado Villarreal put Northwestern up by seven, Minnesota quarterback Adam Weber made a nice fake and ran in for a 3-yard TD to bring the Gophers (1-6, 0-4) within a point. Coach Tim Brewster then decided to go for two points and the win.

After a Northwestern timeout, Weber rolled right but got pressure from Adam Kadela and John Gill and his hurried throw went into the ground, ending the game and setting off a celebration for Northwestern. Minnesota has lost five straight.

Weber hit Ernie Wheelwright with a 21-yard touchdown pass in the first overtime to put the Gophers ahead. Bacher responded, connecting with Ross Lane on a 10-yard pass on a fourth-and-4 to keep the Wildcats in the game. Two plays later, he passed to Lane for a 5-yard TD.

In a matchup of spread offenses, Weber finished with five TD passes, three to Wheelwright. The Gophers scored on five straight possessions to build the three-touchdown lead they couldn't hold.

Weber, a redshirt freshman, completed 25-of-38 for 341 yards with two interceptions. He also ran for 89 yards.

Bacher, who passed for five TDs and a school-record 520 yards last week against Michigan State, completed 41-of-58 for 470 yards and four TDs.

He hit an 8-yarder to Lane in the third quarter, a score set up by Malcolm Arrington's interception of Weber.

With Northwestern trailing 35-21, Weber was picked off again, this time by Corey Wootton on a tipped pass on the first play of the final quarter. Northwestern moved in again as Bacher carried in for a 6-yard TD on a fourth-and-2. That made it 35-28 with 10:31 to go.

Minnesota had a chance to make it a 10-point game with 1:59 left but Joel Monroe missed a 44-yard field goal attempt and the Wildcats had a final chance, going 73 yards to tie.

The Gophers, who'd been stopped inches from the goal line twice by a Northwestern goal line stand in the first quarter, surprised the Wildcats with three TDs in the second.

Wheelwright made a outstretched catch of Weber's 26-yard pass with two seconds second to go in the half for a TD that put the Gophers ahead 21-14.

When Northwestern tried a pooch kick to start the second half it went out of bounds on the 49 and the Gophers moved in with a three-play drive that started when Amir Pinnix ran 37 yards on the first scrimmage play of the half.

Weber passed to Eric Decker for a 20-yard TD less than a minute into the half and the Gophers were up 28-14.

And Wheelwright wasn't finished. He took another pass from Weber, broke a tackle and sprinted in for a 28-yard score to make it 35-14 with 6:18 left in the third.

Villarreal missed a pair of field goals from 21 and 36 yards.

Northwestern took an early 7-0 lead with a nine-play 67-yard drive that featured a 47-yard screen pass from Bacher to Roberson, who made two nifty moves to get to the Gophers' 2. Robertson then carried in from the 1 on second down.