This Date in History | HailToPurple.com

Our newest feature showcasing Wildcat history takes a look at the anniversaries of some interesting or key games throughout the history of the program. For this, the 2009 Edition, we've assembled a season schedule highlighting those anniversaries. Each feature will post on the date of the anniversary. First up: we'll look at NU vs. Indiana, September 22, 1984.

1984 is a nearly-forgotten season in an obscure portion of NU's Dark Ages. Sandwiched between the car-wreck visibility of The Streak of the late '70s through early '80s, and the later rebuilding seasons, the games of the mid-'80s don't get much attention now. However, there are some moments that deserve a second look, and the Wildcats' game with Indiana in September 1984 is one such game.

The 'Cats were a disappointing 2-9 the year before, one year removed from the end of the losing streak. NU's wins came against Indiana and Minnesota, which had replaced NU at the bottom in the Big Ten standings. The week before its 1984 game with the Hoosiers, NU had lost a heartbreaking game at Dyche Stadium to Syracuse. . . on the last play of the game. When the 'Cats rebounded from that loss by beating Indiana the following week, fans erupted, as well they should: the 1984 win over Indiana was only the fifth conference win for NU in its last 69 Big Ten games.

Here is the coverage that the game received from the Chicago Sun-Times:

NU Stops Indiana

By Len Ziehm

This one didn't get away.

Northwestern's offense enjoyed its most productive afternoon in eight years and the defense-- unlike a week ago-- came up with the key plays when it had to as the Wildcats whipped Indiana 40-37 yesterday at Dyche Stadium.

The win was NU's first this season after three losses and snapped a seven-game losing streak.

The win so inspired the crowd of 30,341 that some of the fans tore down one of the goal posts. The last time a goal post was torn down at Dyche Stadium was last year, and it wasn't by Northwestern. Illinois did it clinching a spot in the Rose Bowl.

Yesterday's win was witnessed by Northwestern's only Rose Bowl team, the 1948 squad that beat California and Jackie Jensen in Pasadena. The victory [over Indiana] featured:

The return of Sandy Schwab's passing arm. The enigmatic quarterback had almost as many passing yards yesterday (328) as he had in the first three games (379). He also passed the 5,000 mark in career yardage and moved into seventh place on the all-time Big Ten list.
A school record 99-yard kickoff return by sophomore Curtis Duncan.
A game-winning TD drive in the final quarter that NU coach Dennis Green proclaimed "as significant a drive as we have had since 1982 when we played Minnesota."

To win, the Wildcats had to overcome a surprising individual effort by Indiana's Orlando Brown. Last year Brown was the Hoosiers' top rusher, but he had carried only once in Indiana's first two games and entered yesterday's game as the team's third-string tailback. New coach Bill Mallory gave Brown a chance when Bobby Howard went down with an injury and Brown responded with 108 yards rushing, nine receptions for 60 yards and three touchdowns, which tied a school record.

Indiana quarterback Steve Bradley had only two less passing yards than Schwab but Darin Morgan and Charles Plant intercepted him on the Hoosiers' last two possessions.

"We knew we should be able to pass well against Indiana because we knew we could do a good job of pass protection," said Green. "We didn't throw much last week against Syracuse because people who throw against Syracuse lose."

Northwestern lost that one anyway-- 13-12 on the last play of the game-- and it wasn't an easy loss to forget.

Confident Cats

"We were tired last week," admitted Green, "but I knew we had the confidence when we came out on the field Monday.

"We don't get caught up in bad things, because they happen to everybody. This game will give us a good running start for our offense. We made the breaks we needed to make."

NU took a 9-0 lead on its second safety in as many weeks (Ted Karras sacked Bradley) and Schwab's five-yard TD pass to Tracy Parsons, who took on the Wildcats' rushing load when Casey Cummings was forced out with a rib injury.

Brown's first TD climaxed a 78-yard, 13-play drive with 1:34 left in the first quarter and the Hoosiers moved ahead on Mark Rogers' first of three field goals four minutes into the second period.

Schwab put NU back in front on a nine-yard scoring pass to Claudell Robertson, then Bradley passed Indiana to a 17-all deadlock on a 57-yard, 11-play drive that ended with Brown scoring from the 6.

NU wound up with the halftime lead on John Duvic's 23-yard field goal on the last play.

The crowd didn't seem to mind the rain in the second half as the teams combined for three touchdowns in 57 seconds right after the intermission.

Brown scored on a 35-yard run for Indiana, then Duncan broke his kickoff return thanks to a great block by freshman Brett Whitley, who was playing his first collegiate game.

"I saw their men flying everywhere," said Duncan.

"I couldn't believe it. There was really a big hole. It was a picture-perfect play. I never saw it so wide open."

On the ensuing kickoff another freshman, Bob Bucaro, smacked Indiana return man Stacey Dawsey, who fumbled. Dean Koester recovered for NU at the 5 and Parsons scored in two rushes.

"This was a good illustration that you win and you lose with the kicking game," said Mallory.

"We gave up two cheap touchdowns. When we allowed the kickoff return and the fumble, we had to fight our butts to get back. It was sickening."

But that 33-24 NU lead wasn't safe.

Indiana got within 33-27 on a field goal by Rogers and grabbed the lead when Leonard Bell intercepted a Schwab pass to set up Jim Caldwell's two-yard TD plunge with 5:53 to play.

That set the stage for the Schwab-led, game-winning drive. It covered 80 yards and ended when Parsons scored from the 2 with 3:11 left.

Silent Schwab

Two of the receptions in the drive went to Tony Coates, a three-year starter who had been struggling the first three games.

Schwab rejected requests for postgame interviews, but his teammates spoke for him.

"Sandy did a good job leading the team," said Coates.

"They couldn't key on just the run. That was the key for us. We feel we can play with anybody. We just have to be consistent."

"The offense played excellent, and that helped us overcome a few breakdowns on defense," said defender Morgan. "Northwestern has learned how to lose gracefully. We just need to learn what it takes to win, and we're getting closer to that point."

Indiana's Charles Mallory sacks NU QB Sandy Schwab
(Image processed from Sun-Times photo)

Here is the complete schedule for the 2009 "This Date in NU Football History"

September 22: NU 40, Indiana 37. Sept. 22, 1984 (25 years ago)
October 9: NU 14, Purdue 5. Oct. 9, 1909 (100 years ago)
October 24: NU 30, Notre Dame 24. Oct. 24, 1959 (50 years ago)
October 29: NU 25, Alumni 0. Oct. 29, 1879 (130 years ago)
November 14: Notre Dame 9, NU 0. Nov. 14, 1889 (120 years ago)
November 24: NU 13, Michigan 6. Nov. 24, 1934 (75 years ago)