2001 Trivia
Archive Created
2/6/01

 





2001 Questions
2001 winner, prize drawing: msnow
Most wins, 2001 season: FarEastWildcat, 34

  Question Answer
#74
11/18/01
When was the last time the 'Cats beat a team from the great state of Ohio? On September 21, 1996 NU beat the Ohio Bobcats 28-7 at Dyche Stadium.  [obviously, since this question was asked there have been several more wins, including the classic 2004 win over OSU.]
#73
11/11/01
Last season [2000], the Wildcats broke many school records on their way to the Big Ten title.  One rather undesirable school record, however, was set when NU hosted Indiana in 2000.  During the game, the Wildcats suffered a record number of: 

A. Injuries 
B. Sacks 
C. Penalties 
D. Passes Broken UP (PBUs) 
E. Irritating recorded cat growls

C. NU suffered 16 penalties during the game, a school record.
#72
11/04/01
Not including the University of Chicago, what three Big Ten teams claim fewer conference titles than Northwestern? Answer: Indiana, Michigan State, Penn State
#71
10/30/01
Northwestern has more wins than losses in its all-time series with which Big Ten Team? Indiana
#70
10/23/01
In 1995, as plans were being drafted for renovations to Dyche Stadium, a reporter asked Rick Taylor if those plans would include expanding Dyche's seating to more than the 49,256 it held at the time.  Taylor's response was: 

A. Manic laughter 
B. "Now we've got the horses.  We'll see, but for the first time we have the horses." 
C. "There are no plans currently to do anything to Dyche Stadium." 
D. "That's in somebody else's lifetime.  I'd want to fill it for four or five years first." 
E. "No.  I'm afraid there's barely enough room in the stadium for Gary's ego, let alone more seats." 

D. "That's in somebody else's lifetime.  I'd want to fill it for four or five years first."
#69
10/15/01
Which former Northwestern head coach-- loved and hated by NU fans-- is now (Oct. 2001) a college head coach at another school, in Division III ? 80 year old Lou Saban, who coached NU during the 1955 season, now coaches Division III Chowan.
#68
10/07/01
In Northwestern's only bowl victory, the 1949 Rose Bowl, the decisive score came when Art Murakowski  lunged toward the goal line.  Murakowski fumbled as he crossed the plane, and the ball was recovered by Will Lotter of the California Bears.  The field judge, however, ruled that Murakowski was in possession as the ball crossed the plane and scored the touchdown.  What was the name of this field judge?? Jay Berwanger, the University of Chicago star who became the very first winner of the Heisman Trophy.
#67
09/30/01
With the win over MSU, the Wildcats are now 3-0 for the first time since 1962.  When was the last time NU started a season 4-0?

A. Also 1962 
B. 1959 
C. 1948 
D. 1888 
E. Northwestern has never been 4-0

A. Also 1962
#66
09/23/01
What future sitcom star worked in the NU Athletic Department as Assistant AD?

A. Robert Reed
B. Tony Randall
C. McLean Stevenson
D. David Schwimmer
E. Paul Lynd

C. McLean Stevenson
#65
09/09/01
What is the only stadium outside of Pasadena, CA, to host the Rose Bowl game? Duke's Stadium (now called Wallace Wade) hosted the January 1942 Rose Bowl game, due to security concerns on the west coast following the attack on Pearl Harbor. 
#64
09/02/01
What was the last opponent not in Division I-A to play NU? 

A. University of Chicago
B. Princeton
C. Northern Illinois
D. DePaul
E. Rutgers

B. Princeton, in 1986 [Div. I-A teams, including NU, began regularly playing Div. I-AA teams in 2006]
#63
08/27/01
What current Wildcat player [2001] is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten who, in high school, was valedictorian, a Chicago Tribune scholar-athlete regional winner, an Illinois state scholar,  a Bausch and Lomb Science Award winner, a member of The National Honor Society, an American Legion Citizenship Award winner, and a recipient of The ISAC Merit Recognition Scholarship? 

A. Damien Anderson
B. Kevin Bentley
C. Pete Konopka
D. Jeff Roehl
E. Torri Stuckey

C. Pete Konopka
#62
08/19/01
During which season did the first African-American play quarterback in the Big Ten?

A. 1896
B. 1903
C. 1917
D. 1929
E. 1942

E.  According to NU, Wildcat Charles Warren became the first African-American to play quarterback in the Big Ten in 1942.
#61
08/13/01
BONUS
The 1929 NU vs. Butler (Indiana) and NU vs. Cornell (Iowa) games shared one peculiar thing that made them unique in the history of Wildcat football.  What is this one thing? They shared the same game day.   Northwestern played both Cornell (Iowa) and Butler on Saturday, October 5, 1929 at Dyche Stadium.  It is the only official "double header" in NU football history (there were a couple of unofficial ones, played earlier).  Surprisingly, NU won both games!
#60
08/13/01
A question about defense: in 1999 Harold Blackmon set an NU record as the career leader for passes broken up.  Whose record did Blackmon break?

A. Mike Nelson
B. Roosevelt Groves
C. Rodney Ray
D. William Bennett
E. Pete Shaw

C. Rodney Ray.  Ray played from 1991-'95 and  held the record with 23 PBUs.  Blackmon's mark after the 2000 season: an incredible 48 PBUs.
#59
05/27/01
BONUS
Fill in the blank:
In the early thirties, NU's Homecoming festivities featured a "Beaver Contest," in which the contestant with the most substantial ____ would be shaved in public.
beard
#58
05/27/01
The Wildcats lose only one offensive starter from the 2000 team coming into this fall.  Who is the one starter on offense NU lost to graduation? Teddy Johnson
#57
05/20/01
The 1995 Championship team led the nation in which one of the following stat categories?

A. Scoring Defense
B. Passing Defense
C. Punting
D. Scoring Offense
E. Rushing Offense

A. Scoring Defense (NU's average for scoring defense in 1995 was 12.7).
#56
05/13/01
BONUS
One of the three individuals mentioned [in question #55] was recently inducted into his alma mater's Sports Hall of Fame.  Who is he, and what is his alma mater? Before coming to NU, Bill Jarvis spent six years as equipment manager at Ashland (Ohio) College, his alma mater.  In April 2000 Jarvis was inducted into the Ashland College Sports Hall of Fame.
[Thanks to toby99,
who contributed this question.]
#55
05/13/01
Name any one of the three members of Randy Walker's football / support staff who have served in their respective positions at NU for at least 20 seasons. 1. Larry Lilja, who played for NU from 1973 to 1975 and returned to NU as its Strength / Conditioning Center Director after the 1980 season. 

2. Bill Jarvis, Equipment Manager, who is starting his 26th year in that role.

3. Dr. Howard Sweeney, who has been Team Physician for NU since 1964 (Dr. Sweeney started as an Orthopedic Surgeon Consultant and is now the Head Team Physician).

#54
05/06/01
A question about Big Ten mascots:
Willie is to NU as _____ is to OSU.
Brutus
#53
04/29/01
BONUS
In what year did the "Athletic N" (a.k.a "the Northwestern N," "the Stylized N" or "the Sculpted N") debut, and who designed it?
A. 1947, Gordon Lightfoot
B. 1960, Gordon Kett
C. 1977, Gordon Barnhart
D. 1979, Gordon Hirsch
E. 1981, Gordon Stromberg
 E.
#52
04/29/01
Who is the last NU quarterback to complete a pass to himself?

A. "Automatic" Otto Graham
B. Sandy "The Kid" Schwab
C. Steve "Two Rings" Schnur
D. Timmy "The Punter" Hughes
E. Gavin "Quakin' Quaker" Hoffman

(D) Tim Hughes.  The last time this happened was 1996, at the Ohio U. game.  Schnur started, but Hughes threw one pass.  The pass freakishly bounced off another player and back into Hughes' hands.  He took the reception for a three yard gain.
[Thanks to FarEastWildcat,
who contributed this question.]
#51
04/23/01
What game this fall [2001] is "Scout Day?" Michigan State
#50
04/16/01
Northwestern last wore purple jerseys while playing what Big Ten team? Iowa (1991) [In 2003 the 'Cats would go back to purple, and invalidate this question]
#49
04/08/01
Which is the only Big Ten team never to have used artificial turf? Purdue
#48
04/01/01
Who was the last NU head coach to begin his tenure as "NU interim head coach" (the "interim" was dropped from his title at the end of the season)? Francis Peay took over as interim head coach when Dennis Green suddenly left in March 1986.  Peay's four wins during the '86 season garnered him numerous coach of the year awards (NU was still in its Dark Ages, after all, and four wins were a coup), and a week after the end of the season he signed a head coaching contract.
#47
03/25/01
For how many seasons did Dyche Stadium have artificial turf?

  A. 9
  B. 11
  C. 19
  D. 24
  E. 39
  F. Wait-- that was artificial turf?  I'll be damned.

D. 24 seasons, 1973 through 1996.
#46
03/18/01
BONUS
Name the most recent (and-- in all likelihood-- the only) game during which Northwestern's coach was doused with Gatorade.  Please give the opponent and the year. Vs. Illinois, 2000.
#45
03/18/01
Who played the very first night game in the Big Ten?

  A. Northwestern and Ohio State
  B. Northwestern and Chicago
  C. Northwestern and Purdue
  D. Northwestern and Michigan
  E. Trick question: there has never been a night game in Big Ten history

C. Northwestern and Purdue.
#44
03/12/01
NU's very first game against Indiana resulted in an NU win.  Strangely, it abruptly ended before regulation time had ended.  Why?

A. It was called because of darkness.
B. The "mercy rule" then in effect was invoked when NU scored its fourth straight goal.
C. Officials only brought one ball: it burst.
D. News of a particular national event reached the playing grounds minutes before the end.
E. I.U. forfitted without reason.
F. Back then, there was no "regulation time"; games went on until one team reached a certain score.
G. Jubilent fans stormed the field with seconds left.  An attempt to clear them would have resulted in violence.

A. Darkness.
#43
03/04/01
Another question regarding ties: what opposing coach was the very last to obtain a tie against the Wildcats? Bill Walsh, Stanford, 1994.
#42
02/25/01
When was NU's last scoreless tie? Sept. 9, 1978, vs. Illinois.
#41
02/18/01
What is the corporate sponsor of the fearsome weapon displayed to the left, and what is the weapon's desirable (and always under-thrown) projectile?
United sponsored the always-anticipated T-Shirt Cannon.
#40
02/11/01
Which one of the following NU football greats did NOT also play varsity basketball at Northwestern?

A. Ralph "Moon" Baker
B. Randy Dean
C. Paddy Driscoll
D. Otto Graham
E. Napoleon Harris
F. Edgar "Eggs" Manske
G. Joe Reiff
H. Max Morris
I. Bob Voigts

All of these football players played basketball at NU except (G) Joe Reiff.  Reiff's grandfather, Joe Reiff I, played varsity basketball at NU and was instrumental in the basketball 'Cats' 1931 and '33 championships. Graham and Morris not only played basketball, they were college All-Americans in football and basketball.
#39
02/6/01
BONUS
Gary Barnett said the following about rumors concerning what school's coaching vacancy?  -- "I'd say no.  Thanks, but I'm not interested. . . But I probably owe it to myself to listen." The quote could apply to several jobs, but Barnett actually said it on November 27, 1998, regarding the University of Oklahoma.
#38
02/6/01
At the press conference introducing him as Northwestern's new head coach, Randy Walker said, "I'm not a ______ guy. . . . The job some guys have is never quite good enough."  Fill in the blank. "I'm not a 1-800 guy. . . ."