Madison — The atmosphere in the Northwestern locker room Oct. 17 was gloomy.
Northwestern had just suffered a 40-10 home loss to Iowa.
Coupled with a 38-0 loss to Michigan one week earlier, the Wildcats were 1-2 in the Big Ten and 5-2 overall after a 5-0 start. They appeared to be reeling and headed for the type of ugly finish that had marred the previous two seasons.
"As you're taking steps up the mountain, it gets harder and harder as the air gets thinner and that's Big Ten football as you move through October and November," Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald said at the time.