2012 Northwestern Wildcats football team

Preseason

Recruiting

Northwestern signed 21 recruits to letters-of-intent on National Signing Day on February 1, 2012.

Transfers

Wide receiver Kyle Prater transferred to Northwestern from USC on January 28, 2012, after being injured during most of the 2011 season and redshirting in 2010. The Wildcats requested a waiver to allow Prater to play immediately in 2012, as he transferred to a school close to home in order to care for a family member. Sophomore running back Adonis Smith, who was thought to be a candidate for the starting running back job in 2012 after rushing for 266 yards in 2011, announced his intent to transfer from Northwestern on February 22. He decided to transfer to UNLV. Defensive back Quinn Evans transferred to Northwestern after graduating from Stanford in June 2012. After missing the entire 2011 season because of injury, he chose to attend Northwestern as a graduate student with a year of college football eligibility remaining.

Schedule

The schedule is as follows:

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Rankings

Game summaries

Syracuse

• Sources:

The game got off to a slow start with some notable miscues on Northwestern's special teams play. All of which was quickly forgotten when Venric Mark scored an 82-yard touchdown on a punt return, the first return touchdown of his career. Northwestern continued to dominate offensively on the work of Mark and Kain Colter, taking a 35–13 lead in the middle of the 3rd quarter. The Orange then scored 4 straight touchdowns to lead 41–35 by attacking the young Northwestern secondary with deep passes to the outside. With under 3 minutes left and needing a score to win, Northwestern changed quarterbacks. Trevor Siemian came on to lead a 75-yard drive that scored the go-ahead touchdown. Northwestern survived to win and remain 7–0 in season openers under Pat Fitzgerald.

Vanderbilt

• Sources:

Boston College

• Sources:

South Dakota

• Sources:

Indiana

• Sources:

Penn State

Roster

References

References

1. Greenstein, Teddy. (January 1, 2013). "Northwestern Wins Gator Bowl to End Drought". [[Chicago Tribune]].
2. Taylor, John. (February 1, 2012). "Northwestern announces 2012 recruiting class". [[NBC Sports]].
3. (January 28, 2012). "WR Prater transfers from So. Cal to Northwestern".
4. Greenstein, Teddy. (June 27, 2012). "Prater, NU Expect to Hear From NCAA in July". [[Chicago Tribune]].
5. Powers, Scott. (February 22, 2012). "Adonis Smith Leaving Northwestern". [[ESPN]].
6. Taylor, John. (March 8, 2012). "Ex-Northwestern RB Headed to UNLV". [[NBC Sports]].
7. (June 11, 2012). "Northwestern Announces Addition of Transfer Quinn Evans". Northwestern University Department of Athletics.
8. "2012 Northwestern Football Schedule". Northwestern University Department of Athletics.
9. (September 1, 2012). "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Syracuse Orange Box Score". [[ESPN]].
10. (September 8, 2012). "Vanderbilt Commodores vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". [[ESPN]].
11. (September 15, 2012). "Boston College Eagles vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". [[ESPN]].
12. (September 22, 2012). "South Dakota Coyotes vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". [[ESPN]].
13. (September 29, 2012). "Indiana Hoosiers vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". [[ESPN]].
14. (October 6, 2012). "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Box Score". [[ESPN]].
15. (October 13, 2012). "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers Box Score". [[ESPN]].
16. (October 20, 2012). "Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". [[ESPN]].
17. (October 27, 2012). "Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". [[ESPN]].
18. (November 10, 2012). "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Michigan Wolverines Box Score". [[ESPN]].
19. (November 17, 2012). "Northwestern Wildcats vs. Michigan State Spartans Box Score". [[ESPN]].
20. (November 24, 2012). "Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". [[ESPN]].
21. (January 1, 2013). "Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Northwestern Wildcats Box Score". [[ESPN]].
22. (September 1, 2012). "Northwestern 42, Syracuse 41". Northwestern University Department of Athletics.
23. (September 8, 2012). "Northwestern 23, Vanderbilt 13". Northwestern University Department of Athletics.
24. (September 15, 2012). "Northwestern 22, Boston College 13". Northwestern University Department of Athletics.
25. (September 22, 2012). "Northwestern 38, South Dakota 7". Northwestern University Department of Athletics.
26. (September 29, 2012). "Indiana vs Northwestern". Northwestern University Department of Athletics.
27. "2012 Northwestern Wildcats football roster".
28. "2012 Northwestern Wildcats captains announcement".