On Saturday evening, the Northwestern football team improved its record to 3-0 with a resounding 30-13 victory over the Rice Owls. Three takeaways from the Wildcat win in Houston:
1. No turnovers, no problems: Dan Persa finished his third start with two touchdowns, one rushing and one passing. He racked up 307 yards in the air. But the most impressive Persa statistic is a 0: no turnovers. The quarterback has not turned the ball over all season. Persa’s precision and consistency has vaulted him to third in the nation in quarterback rating, a 192.6 through three games. For Northwestern to have a shot to beat the best teams in the Big Ten, Persa must continue to avoid turnovers. So far, his play has been exceptional, and the latest turnover-free game for Persa on the road is just another feat for NU’s stud quarterback.
2. Quentin Davie has All-Big Ten potential: Linebacker Quentin Davie has been one of the best players on the Wildcat defense, and he had another big game against the Owls on Saturday. The senior picked off a pass for a touchdown, his third interception of the season (he had two in his career entering 2010). Against Rice, Davie notched 10 tackles and a sack, another huge game for the linebacker. Davie is quickly emerging as a possible candidate for an All-Big Ten squad, but he will have to earn his stripes during conference play for a legitimate shot at the honor. The defense could not have asked for a better start from its star linebacker.
3. It is completely unacceptable when the game is not on TV: An away game is bad enough as it is, even if the contest is televised. But for that game to be inaccessible on television without paying a fee is an unspeakable crime. Sure, huddling around a radio and listening intently to play-by-play provides us with a nostalgic glimpse into the golden age of football in America, but we live in a world with thousands of channels available at any minute. You can keep up with the Kardashians whenever your heart desires, but it’s not possible to watch a Northwestern football game? Television needs to get its priorities straight.
The article has been edited to correct Dan Persa’s quarterback rating.
