Chris Garrett nearly commits a disastrous mistake, muffing the kickoff. But he falls on just in time, and Ohio keeps the ball and kneels to run out the clock.
16-0 NU at the half.
Halftime Grades
Offense: C+
The Cats have moved the ball fairly well. Bacher is 14-22 passing for 113 yards and Sutton has 76 rushing yards on nine carries. But the team continues to struggle in the red zone, the final drive not withstanding. Considering their opportunities, the Cats could be up a lot more than 16-0.
Defense: A
Anyone who watched the NU defense the last few years and is watching it this year can tell the difference with their eyes practically closed. It's been said a million times already, but this defense is aggressive and is playing with more confidence and passion than I've ever seen. In the first half of this contest, they have surrendered just 93 yards of total offense and has recorded four sacks, two fumble recoveries and an interception.
Special Teams: A-
Amado Villarreal continues to impress. He drilled three field goals in the half, including one from 46 yards, to remain perfect for the season. Demos dropped his only punt of the half at the Ohio 10-yard line, and the kick coverage has been solid. The only demerit goes to the return game, which hasn't generated much.
What to watch for in the second half:
The most important issue facing NU right now is whether Tyrell Sutton is seriously injured. Other than that, the key is to keep working on the red zone offense to gain some confidence in that department heading into the Big Ten schedule.
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