Northwestern Is FWAA/Reveal Suits Team of the Week

November 23, 2020 by FWAA

DALLAS (FWAA) – The Northwestern Wildcats forced five turnovers and held Wisconsin scoreless over the final three quarters to beat the No. 10 Badgers, 17-7 and take command of the Big Ten West Division. For its first win against a top-10 opponent since 2011, the Wildcats earned the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Nov. 21, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

This is the fifth time for Northwestern (5-0) to earn the Team of the Week honor and first since 2010. The last three honors (2009, '10 and '20) have all come following November victories. All Division I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected. This is the 19th season for the FWAA to award a Team of the Week.

Peyton Ramsey threw for 203 yards and a touchdown and led the Wildcats to an opening-drive touchdown for the fourth time in five games. Receivers Ramaud Chiaokiao-Bowman and Kyric McGowan both set career highs with 95 and 80 receiving yards, respectively. Senior linebacker Paddy Fisher forced a fumble that turned into Northwestern's second touchdown and added to his school-record total (11) that also has him as the active FBS leader.

The Wildcats, 6-1 against Wisconsin at home since 2000, didn't allow Wisconsin into their red zone and have now held their opponent scoreless in the second half in four of their five games. The Wildcats were plus-four in turnovers on Saturday and now have 15 takeaways on the season. Their plus-eight turnover margin is tied for third in the nation.

Northwestern is 5-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since 1996 and in firm control of the Big Ten West with wins over the three teams immediately below it. The Wildcats' No. 11 AP ranking is also its highest since 1996. The last time Northwestern beat a top-10 opponent was a 28-25 win over No. 9 Nebraska in 2011. The last time the Wildcats beat a top-10 team by 10 or more points was 1959 against No. 2 Oklahoma.

Northwestern travels to Michigan State for a 2:30 p.m. ET game Saturday in an ESPN2 broadcast.

The other National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend of Nov. 21 are:

• Coastal Carolina (8-0): The Chanticleers overcame a 17-9 halftime deficit and rallied to beat four-time defending Sun Belt Conference champion App State, 34-23. CCU's ninth consecutive win dating back to last season was its first win over App State in seven meetings, and its 8-0 record marks the best start in the Sun Belt's football history. CCU picked off three passes, one by D'Jordan Strong that he returned 38 yards for a touchdown to clinch the game. Strong's outstanding effort also included three sacks and seven tackles-for-loss.

• N.C. State (6-3): Linebacker Vi Jones blocked Liberty's game-winning field goal attempt to end the nation's second-longest win streak and give NCSU a 15-14 win over the 21st-ranked Flames. The Pack's Aydan White picked off a pass with 8:46 remaining, leading to a Zonovan Knight go-ahead touchdown run and the 15-14 lead. Liberty drove to the Wolfpack 28-yard line on its final drive, but Jones came up with his third block of the season and allowed NCSU to run out the clock. The Pack had three interceptions, three sacks and a safety in the win, its first over a ranked opponent at home since 2017.

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Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,200 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.

2020 Reveal Suits National Teams of the Week
• Weekend of Sept. 5: South Alabama Jaguars
• Weekend of Sept. 12: Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns
• Weekend of Sept. 19: Navy Midshipmen
• Weekend of Sept. 26: Mississippi State Bulldogs
• Weekend of Oct. 3: Tulsa Golden Hurricane
• Weekend of Oct. 10: Texas A&M Aggies
• Weekend of Oct. 17: Florida State Seminoles
• Weekend of Oct. 24: Indiana Hoosiers
• Weekend of Oct. 31: Michigan State Spartans
• Weekend of Nov. 7: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• Weekend of Nov. 14: Marshall Thundering Herd
• Weekend of Nov. 21: Northwestern Wildcats