EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Mike Wright led three scoring drives, Robert Fitzgerald intercepted a pass in the final minute and Northwestern won the first game in its temporary lakefront stadium, beating Miami (Ohio) 13-6 in the season opener on Saturday.
Miami had the ball on the Northwestern 35 when Brett Gabbert tried to hit Reggie Virgil. Fitzgerald picked off the pass at the 25, helping the Wildcats open their second season under coach David Braun on a triumphant note.
They did it in a setting as unique as any, before a sellout crowd of 12,023 not counting the boats bobbing in the background on Lake Michigan. The stadium where they’ll play the majority of their home games the next two seasons while a new home is built about a mile west has a bit of a high school or small college feel, albeit with a postcard view. The capacity is far fewer than at the old Ryan Field (47,000) and the new one (35,000) being built on that site, let alone other venues in the Big Ten.
Wright completed 18 of 30 passes for 178 yards after winning a preseason competition for the starting job. The Mississippi State transfer also ran for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Wright lost a fumble at the goal line trying to score late in the first half. But he also delivered the first TD in the stadium with a 13-yard run early in the third quarter, giving Northwestern a 10-3 lead.
Bryce Kirtz had 91 yards receiving.
Mac Uihlein had two sacks, and Northwestern opened with a win coming off a surprising 8-5 season. The Wildcats also got some payback for a loss to the RedHawks two years ago.
Miami, which went 11-3 and won the MAC championship last year, simply couldn’t get its offense going. The RedHawks managed just 267 yards.
Gabbert, back for a sixth season after missing the final six games because of a leg injury, was 22 of 37 with 227 yards. But he got picked off twice and sacked four times.
Cade McDonald caught eight passes for 105 yards.
THE TAKEAWAY
Miami (Ohio): The RedHawks will need more from their offense if they’re going to build on what they did last year.
Northwestern: The defense swarmed Gabbert, particularly in the early going, and never really let Miami find its rhythm.
UP NEXT
Miami (Ohio): The The RedHawks have a week off before hosting Cincinnati on Sept. 14.
Northwestern: The Wildcats will try to get some payback for a 38-14 loss at Duke last season, when they host the Blue Devils next week.
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