Sept 13, 2003
Final Stats?|? Notes?|? Photo Gallery
By JASON STRAIT
AP Sports Writer
EVANSTON, Ill. - Ben Roethlisberger threw for 353 yards and Martin Nance caught pair of touchdown passes as Miami of Ohio beat Northwestern 44-14 on Saturday.
Miami (1-1) defeated the Wildcats for the fifth straight time, giving coach Terry Hoeppner his second win in a row over old boss Randy Walker. Walker coached Miami for nine seasons before leaving for Northwestern in 1998, handing over the program to his longtime assistant and close friend.
The RedHawks held Northwestern (1-2) to 41 yards rushing on 27 carries and outgained the Wildcats 515-314.
Roethlisberger bounced back from a disastrous outing against Iowa when he was picked off four times in a 21-3 loss.
The junior, playing behind a veteran offensive line, was not sacked and was rarely pressured. Roethlisberger finished 28-of-37 with three touchdown passes before being taken out with 12:34 to go and Miami up by 30.
Roethlisberger's second TD pass to Nance gave the RedHawks a 37-7 lead and was one of his best of the afternoon. He was nearly sacked, but managed to steady himself by planting his left hand on the ground before throwing a strike to Nance - who cut back across the field for a 61-yard touchdown catch.
Nance had four catches for 126 yards, and Michael Larkin had seven receptions for 89 yards and one score.
Miami's Cal Murray had a 22-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and backup running back Adam Ciborowski's TD run made it 44-7.
Terrell Jordan added a late touchdown run for Northwestern.
Northwestern quarterback Brett Basanez was knocked out of the game twice in the first half - once on a late hit from Terna Nande and a few plays later when Phil Smith sacked him from behind. A bloodied Basanez returned in the second half, but was ineffective and replaced by freshman Alexander Webb.
Basanez finished 12-of-20 for 126 yards, and Webb was 10-of-24 for 147 yards and an interception. For Basanez, that was actually an improvement. He was picked off four times - including three in the fourth quarter - last week in a loss to Air Force.
Roethlisberger had touchdown passes to Nance and Larkin in the first half, and Mike Smith bounced off a Northwestern defender and ran it in for a 15-yard score to give Miami a 23-7 halftime lead.
Jason Wright had a 5-yard touchdown run in the first half. It was one of the few bright spots for the Wildcats, who were booed at halftime after Slade Larscheid shanked a 39-yard field goal attempt.
