EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Aidan Chiles threw for three touchdowns for the third time this season and rushed for two others to lead No. 24 Northwestern past Rutgers 42-14 on Saturday for a fourth straight victory.
asserted
Chiles → throw → victory
Caleb Komolafe rushed for 150 yards and a TD, including a 56-yard dash.
asserted
Komolafe → rush → dash
Griffin Wilde, who finished with 133 receiving yards, Alex Honig and Drew Wagner caught passes for scores as Northwestern (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) raced to a 28-3 lead late in the first half.
asserted
Northwestern → finish → half
Rutgers starting quarterback Dylan Lonergan left after sustaining a blow to the head 6 minutes, 25 seconds into the first quarter and didn’t return.
asserted
Lonergan → start → quarter
He was initially replaced by AJ Surace, then by third-string QB Sean Ashenfelder late in the third quarter.
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He → replace → quarter
Antwan Raymond rushed for 150 yards on 18 carries and the lone Rutgers (2-5, 1-3 Big Ten) touchdown, a 46-yard run late in the third.
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Raymond → rush → third
The score was set up by the first interception thrown this season by Chiles, who finished with 219 passing yards and 83 rushing.
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who → set → yards
Rutgers’ Dane Pizzaro kicked a pair of field goals.
asserted
Pizzaro → kick → goals
Lonergan was replaced by Surace, who tossed for 64 yards but was sacked three times by Northwestern’s hard-nosed defense.
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who → replace → defense
The first sack led to a costly fumble that resulted in a pivotal Wildcats touchdown late in the first quarter that made it 21-3.
asserted
it → lead → quarter
Lonergan was hurt when he scrambled up the middle for a 5-yard gain, then slid forward to the ground at the Rutgers 45 with two Northwestern defenders closing in.
asserted
defenders → hurt → 45
Lonergan’s momentum was finally stopped by Northwestern’s Kobie McKinzie as the two players’ helmets struck each other.
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helmets → stop → other
Lonergan remained down on the field for a couple of minutes, then was helped by staff to a medical tent.
asserted
Lonergan → remain → tent
Northwestern jumped out to a 21-3 lead after one quarter, then upped it to 28-6 at the half.
asserted
Northwestern → jump → half
The Wildcats scored on the opening drive as Wilde caught Chiles’ 13-yard TD pass 5:06 in.
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Wilde → score → pass
The 10-play series was keyed by Komolafe’s 30-yard run.
asserted
series → key → run
After Lonergan exited, Surace maneuvered the Scarlet Knights to field goal range.
asserted
Surace → exit → range
Pizzaro kicked a 43-yarder with 4:26 left in the quarter to cut it to 7-3.
asserted
Pizzaro → kick → 7
Then the Wildcats raced down the field on only five plays to up it to 14-3, scoring on Chiles’ keeper.
asserted
Wildcats → race → keeper
On the first play of Rutgers’ next drive, Surace was sacked at the Rutgers 8 and fumbled with Northwestern’s Jamaal Johnson recovering.
asserted
Johnson → sack → 8
Chiles hit Honig with a 8-yard TD pass off the next snap to up it to 21-3.
asserted
Chiles → hit → 21
Komolafe scored on a 33-yard run down the left side with 1:46 left in the half, capping a zippy 61-yard drive to increase the score to 28-3.
asserted
Komolafe → score → 28
Pizzaro booted a 35-yarder as time ran out in the half to make it 28-6.
asserted
it → boot → half
A 43-year-run by Clay Thevenin, who finished with 166 yards on the ground, and 31-yard rush by Raymond moved Rutgers to the Wildcats 7.
asserted
who → finish → Wildcats
But Ashenfelder threw a pair of incomplete passes, then was sacked by McKinzie on a fourth-and-7.
asserted
Ashenfelder → throw → fourth
Raymond rushed in with 8 seconds left in the third, and a two-point conversion cut it to 28-14.
asserted
conversion → rush → 28
Wagner pulled in Chiles’ 4-yard toss in the end zone 4:28 into the fourth quarter for a 35-15 Northwestern lead.
asserted
Wagner → pull → lead
Chiles ran in his second TD, wide off a fake handoff, with 4:33 left to complete the scoring.
asserted
Chiles → run → scoring
The Scarlet Knights never really had a chance to get their offense rolling after Lonergan’s quick exit.
asserted
offense → have → exit
The severity of the QB’s injury was not immediately known.
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severity → know → injury
The Wildcats are technically bowl-eligible, but are going for much more.
asserted
Wildcats → go → more
They’re 6-1 for the first time since 2020 and the fourth time since 2000.
asserted
They → ’re → 2000
Up next
Rutgers: Hosts Michigan on Oct. 31.
Northwestern: Plays at Oregon on Oct. 31.
asserted
Northwestern → host → Oct.
The Aporia
