540 yards and 5 touchdown passes on the road? I'll nominate him for offensive player of the week.

That game was sick.

No that game was fun to watch. Iowa v. Penn State on the other hand was like watching paint dry.

I love to see NU QBs grow into the position. They are always brutal as freshman and unstopable as seniors.

Didn't see the game (should I blame the Big 10 Network or Comcast for that?), but I hear his mechanics are improving. The last couple games I saw, he was throwing off his back foot (a la Grossman)... which was really frustrating. But the offense really seemed to click this game... or maybe it was just Dave Eanet and Ted Albrecht who convinced me of that.

Phenomenal game to listen to. However, keep in mind our defense is still a sieve.

HE GOT IT!!

_________________
"Stay out of courtrooms-but if you must go in be Well Armed and Don't compromise. You are innocent, remember that. They are guilty" -- Dr. Gonzo

Here is the release from the Big 10 website

OFFENSE:
C.J. Bacher, Northwestern
JR, QB, Sacramento, Calif./Jesuit

Bacher shattered a school record with 520 passing yards, the fifth-highest total in Big Ten history, while equaling a program best with five touchdown passes to carry Northwestern to a thrilling 48-41 overtime victory on the road against Michigan State.

The junior quarterback completed an astounding 79.2 percent of his passes, connecting on 38 of 48 attempts with no interceptions. Two of Bacher's five touchdown tosses marked the longest completions of his career, scoring strikes of 78 and 70 yards in the second half. He also connected on two other touchdown passes in regulation of a back-and-forth game in which neither team led by more than seven points.

With the score knotted at 41, Bacher completed one final scoring throw in overtime, a 12-yard strike to running back Omar Conteh to give the Wildcats the victory. The 520-yard performance broke the previous program best of 513 passing yards by Brett Basanez against TCU in 2004.

Only four other Big Ten signal callers have passed for more yards in a game -- Illinois' Dave Wilson (621 yards in 1980), Iowa's Chuck Hartlieb (558 yards in 1988) and Purdue's Drew Brees (522 yards in 1998) and Kyle Orton (522 yards in 2004). Bacher's five touchdown passes equaled the school record set by Mitch Anderson in 1973. The California native picks up the first weekly offensive accolade of his career.

LAST NORTHWESTERN OFFENSIVE POW: RB Tyrell Sutton on Nov. 6, 2006

Screw Big 10 Offensive player of the week.... he got NATIONAL offensive player of the week. Way to go CJ!!


CHICAGO (AP) -- Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bacher was named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after throwing for 520 yards and five touchdowns in the Wildcats' 48-41 overtime win at Michigan State.

The junior tied a Northwestern record for passing touchdowns in a game and set the program record for passing yards, while notching the fifth-highest single-game total in Big Ten history.

"We had no turnovers this week and I think that was a huge factor," said Bacher (38-of-48, 0 INT). "If I (don't) turn the ball over, then our playmakers get to make their big plays. That's really the biggest factor to our offensive success is taking care of the football."

Bacher acknowledged the awards but said the credit should go to the five players up front for keeping him upright throughout the game.

"I've gotten a couple of honors here lately for the amount of yards that I threw for, but Northwestern's player of the week was the offensive line," he said. "They really deserve it. ... It's amazing watching them evolve into what they're becoming because, when they're on their game, we're putting up yards."

Michigan State came into the game with 23 sacks through five games, but could only get Bacher to the ground once. In the Wildcats' (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) previous two games -- both losses -- Bacher had been sacked nine times.

Bacher completed passes to 10 different receivers, threw touchdown passes to four different players and connected with Omar Conteh for a game-winning 12-yard TD in overtime.

Northwestern needed every yard out of Bacher with a rushing offense that could only muster 91 yards on 34 carries. Junior standout Tyrell Sutton missed his fourth straight game with an ankle injury and was unable to practice on Monday.

Bacher passed former-Wildcat Brett Basanez, who threw for a then-team record of 513 yards against TCU in 2004, and equaled Mitch Anderson, who threw for five touchdowns in a game in 1973.

Just got back from the game.

Wow. I love having great Big 10 college footbal in my backyard. That was an unbelievable comeback!!!

Bacher is 4th in the country with over 2,200 yards passing.

It was phenomenal. Still pissed that the defense is like a wet paper towel, but ya gotta admit those high scoring games are fun to watch. Is it realistic to think we have an outside chance at a bowl? Eastern Michigan, Purdue, Iowa, Indiana and Illinois. I gotta think at least two of those are winnable. I frankly don't think we'll be favored for any of them except Eastern Michigan and perhaps Indiana.

You won't be favored at Purdue, but you have a chance. The offense has been abysmal the past two weeks but it was OSU and Michigan. Not to discount Iowa's defense, but we will know a lot about how Purdue's offense actually is this weekend.

Purdue could blow them out, or they could be like Illinois and sputter on offense.

I think Indiana is your best shot for the second win, and I will be rooting for the Wildcats.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Depending how Iowa plays the next two weeks, you could be favored at home against Iowa. You need two wins and some luck if enough Big Ten teams get to 6 wins (a la Iowa).

can we at least agree that we should win the Eastern Michigan game? And then perhaps we pull one of the Illini, Purdue, Iowa, and Indiana games out of our buttocks... Motor City Bowl here we come.

By the way, on CJ... He has 13 TD'S and 2237 yards. He ranks 1st in the Big Ten passing and total yards. He ranks 4th nationally in total yards (just behind Colt Brennan) and 7th in yards per game. He's spreading the ball to a ton of receivers and the RBs are filling in well without Sutton. Our defense is atrocious... the only bright side is we can only get better there, IMHO.

I agree you can beat EMU. The others might be tough

In any case, if you get to 6 wins and so does Iowa, Iowa will go to a bowl before NW.

NU, not NW. It's a little pet peeve of mine. The only reason they use NW on the TV is not to confuse with Nebraska.

By the way, you are right that Iowa would go before Iowa. I think you have better quality wins, a bigger fanbase, and a fanbase that will travel to Mars to support its team. I'm embarassed to see us only draw 30K to our frickin' Homecoming game. I was out at the tailgates and were surprised how many people didn't even end up going into the game. It's a disgrace. I even think I saw NSJ passed out under a Dodge Ram pickup clutching a bottle Jim Beam.

I think the 'Cats will beat Iowa for the third consecutive time.

Bacher just won Big 10 offensive honors again!!!

Don't worry - you'll sell out in 3 weeks....granted it will be full of black and gold, but you'll sell out (or be pretty darn close)

I wouldn't be surprised. Like I said, this Iowa team is very young and could walk into Ryan Field 3-6 or 5-4. They are improving on offense and would need to slow down the Northwestern offense to have a chance. Remember 2000? I do.

On yeah and Iowa's Mike Humpal won defensive player of the week with 18 tackles, 2.5 for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery.

Congrats to the Cats. I'm happy the Badgers are of the NU ariel radar this year.

From bigten.org
Co-Big 10 Offensive Player of the Week:
C.J. Bachér, Northwestern
After notching the best passing day in school history, Bacher followed up his record-setting performance with another incredible outing to earn his second straight weekly award and lead Northwestern to a double-overtime victory over Minnesota.The junior quarterback completed 41 of 58 passes (70.7 pct.) for 470 yards and four touchdowns while adding a rushing score to rally the Wildcats from a 21-point deficit. Trailing 35-14 in the third quarter, Bacher recorded a scoring pass and run to pull the hosts within a touchdown. After the Gophers missed a field goal, he drove his offense 73 yards, connecting on a four-yard scoring strike on fourth-and-goal with eight seconds left to force overtime. He led NU on two scoring drives in the extra sessions, including another touchdown pass, to secure the win. The California native has now posted two of the top three passing days in school annals, including a record 520 yards on Oct. 6 to break the previous program-best of 513 passing yards by Brett Basanez against TCU in 2004. Bacher picks up the second weekly accolade of his career.
LAST NORTHWESTERN OFFENSIVE POW: Bacher on Oct. 8, 2007

He's by far and away the best QB in the conference.

CJ Bacher
Comp Att Yards Percentage Yards per LNG Touchdowns Interceptions Sacks Rating
191 304 2237 62.8 7.36 78 13 7 17 134.15

Curtis Painter
Comp Att Yards Percentage Yards per LNG Touchdowns Interceptions Sacks Rating
184 291 1923 63.2 6.61 80 19 5 9 136.85

I guess we will find out in two weeks.

_________________
You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Over/under on NU passing yards on 11/17 at Illinois: 634.