Sherrick McManis News

TAMPA, Fla. -- The quarterback who made his name with a 217-yard rushing performance agreed to shackle his legs late in the season because of a left hamstring strain.

Before Northwestern tries to reel in Auburn on Friday at the Outback Bowl, Zeke Markshausen plans to do a little fishing this week.

Northwestern has a healthy respect for Outback Bowl opponent Auburn, its "Wildcat" offense and its fancy-footed tailback, Ben Tate .

Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips got the news while driving home from the Bears game on Sunday.

Coach Pat Fitzgerald has said all along his seniors have played their best football late in the season, and their efforts were recognized Monday.

Northwestern cornerback Sherrick McManis celebrates with coach Pat Fitzgerald after intercepting a pass during the fourth quarter against Illinois.

Lindsey Willhite's article about the NU vs Illinois game, "It's Official," is misleading.

For Openers * After winning its third game in four weeks, surging Northwestern wraps up the 2009 regular season at home against the 16th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers.

The seventh loss for a college football team can be seen as a death sentence. Postseason hopes and illusions are dashed, and a team is left to think about what could have been.

Mike Kafka spent the third quarter carving up the Illinois' defense and building a 21-3 lead for Northwestern.

Getting offensive: Mike Kafka threw for 305 yards, completing 23 of 37 passes without an interception.

Mike Kafka threw for 305 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score and Sherrick McManis made a last-minute interception to preserve Northwestern's 21-16 win Saturday over Illinois.

Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald believes Sherrick McManis is a textbook example of better late than never.

Iowa runs out of time Northwestern's Sherrick McManis, left, breaks up a pass intended for Iowa's Marvin McNutt, right, during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov.

Before Saturday's game, winds of 15 mph were swirling around Ryan Field, with gusts of up to 25 mph.

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg Northwestern has issued its official injury report for Saturday's game at No.

You've heard of coaches who adopt the don't-practice, don't-play rule? Fortunately for Northwestern, coach Pat Fitzgerald is not one of them.

For Openers * After facing the nation's 12th-ranked team in Penn State last Saturday, the challenge is even greater this week as Northwestern travels to Iowa City to take on No.

Hello from Purplepalooza, where the sun is out, the wind is whipping and the portable lights are blazing.

Legends will haunt and hover about both sidelines at Ryan Field today. For Penn State, it will be Joe Paterno -- hallowed, iconic, long ago canonized by the most ardent spirits of Happy Valley -- in search of a sustained surge into November and a few breaks to get his No.