Northwestern adds to hard times in Ann Arbor

Purdue couldn’t stop Iowa’s Shonn Greene.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan has lost eight games for the first time in the storied program’s 129-year history after Northwestern beat the Wolverines 21-14 on Saturday.

C.J. Bacher threw touchdown passes on his first two drives of the second half to lift the Wildcats.

A school-record five of Michigan’s losses have come at home in Rich Rodriguez’s debut season.

College football’s winningest program had already sealed its first losing season since 1967 and snapped a 33-season bowl streak. Now the Wolverines (3-8, 2-5) failed to win consecutive games for the first time since 1962 heading into the finale on the road against Ohio State.

Michigan led 14-7 midway through the second quarter, then fell behind after Northwestern (8-3, 4-3) scored TDs on its opening possessions of the second half.

Iowa 22, Purdue 17

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Shonn Greene ran for 211 yards and two scores for Iowa, and Purdue’s Hail Mary pass with five seconds remaining sailed long.

The Boilermakers could not find a way to stop Greene’s slashing runs, including a 75-yard dash in the second quarter.

With temperatures in the 30s and winds gusting to more than 20 mph, both teams relied on the run. That proved to be the difference, as Iowa rolled up 248 yards rushing while Purdue only managed 86.

Wisconsin 35, Minnesota 32

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin capped a second-half rally with a pair of safeties and a touchdown off a Minnesota turnover in the fourth quarter.

The come-from-behind victory was marred by an injury to Badgers wide receiver Kyle Jefferson, who was hospitalized with potential head and neck injuries after he took a hard hit in the second quarter and was taken off the field in an ambulance.