July 8th is Second NU Day on BTN, What Else Could They Show?

On July 8th Big Ten Network will the 2005 contest in which Michael Jenkins hit the game winner for NU, but what else could they show for NU fans?

The Big Ten Network will air 24 hours of Northwestern programming on July 8th. Unfortunately, many of these games are repeats of games which the Big Ten Network aired as part of its NU day in June. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the 1995 Penn State football game and this NU does include the Michael Jenkins game. However, most of the games are games the BTN has run multiple times. Given that, I want to do today is offer the Big Ten Network my list of classic NU games they need to find and show. I’ve tried to list only games which I know were on television, but if you have other suggestions please post below. It is my honest hope someone from the BTN will see this list and at least inquire to ESPN or whatever the original broadcast network was into the possibility of getting video of these games.

1992 Basketball vs Illinois: Cedric Neloms hit a 30-foot shot at the buzzer to beat the Illini and end Northwestern’s 29-game conference losing streak.

1993 football vs Boston College: The Wildcats get revenge for a devastating loss the year before by beating the nationally ranked Eagles 22-21 on a late two point conversion.

1994 basketball vs Michigan: This to me this is the game the folks at the BTN need to go the extra mile to locate. The Wildcats end a wild season by beating #8 Michigan 97-93 in overtime to clinch an NIT bid.

1994 basketball vs DePaul (NIT): The Wildcats grab their first postseason victory in more than a decade by beating local rival DePaul in the NIT opener at Welsh-Ryan.

1995 football vs Notre Dame: Probably second on the must locate list. The Wildcats upset the Irish 17-15 and start the most amazing season in the history of college football.

1995 football vs Purdue: Yeah, I know there are great games in between ND and this contest, but the BTN does have the Penn State game so I’m giving them a pass. This game was the clincher, NU won the Big Ten Title with the 23-8 victory over the Boilers. It would also be essential to include all post game interviews with Barnett and the players in this rebroadcast to fully appreciate the magnitude of NU winning a Big Ten Title.

1996 football vs Wisconsin: You’ve seen the 2000 Michigan game with the Anthony Thomas fumble on the Big Ten Network several times, right? This is the original version of that game. Ron Dayne fumbles and the ‘Cats eek out a 34-30 victory on a pass from Schnur to Bates.

1996 football vs Michigan: Down 16-0 at the start of the 4th quarter the Wildcats beat the Wolverines 17-16 on Brian Gowins’s field goal(s).

1997 football vs Michigan State: Anwan Jones blocks a field goal and NU holds of the Spartans by two. (This game actually did air on ESPN Classic last fall before NU played Michigan State)

2002 basketball vs Michigan State: Before last year’s win in East Lansing this was the last time the Wildcats beat the Spartans.

2003 football vs Wisconsin and Penn State: On two cold Saturdays in the fall the Wildcats battle the weather for two key Big Ten wins on their way to an appearance in the Motor City Bowl.

2004 basketball vs Iowa: Vedran Vukusic beats the buzzer and the Hawkeyes the year before Michael Jenkins does the same.

2005 football vs Iowa: The last 3:21 of the game sees NU score twice and beat the Hawkeyes 28-27.

2006 football at Iowa: Beating Iowa is always fun and in this contest NU gets its biggest win in Pat Fitzgerald’s first season.

2007 football vs Minnesota: A double overtime thriller which ends when the struggling Wildcat defense holds off a Gopher two-point conversion try.