Northwestern becomes first FBS team ever to win three straight games in overtime

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The Cardiac Cats were at it again.

For the first time ever, an FBS team won three straight games in overtime. That team? Northwestern. The Wildcats grabbed an overtime win at Nebraska on Saturday, the third in a row they won in extra time.

This one didn't require the three overtime periods that last week's upset of Michigan State did, but it involved some late heroics nonetheless.

The Huskers took a 21-17 lead on a pick six in the third quarter, but Cats quarterback Clayton Thorson redeemed himself with a game-tying touchdown run in the fourth quarter, a seven-yard scoring dash that knotted the score at 24 with five and a half minutes to go. That touchdown drive was setup by Godwin Igwebuike's interception of Tanner Lee with Nebraska inside the red zone.

Then Pat Fitzgerald put on his riverboat-gambler hat in overtime, sending his offense back out on fourth and goal from the one-yard line, with Thorson plunging in for the go-ahead score. Northwestern's defense forced a three and out on Nebraska's ensuing possession, ending the game.

The Cats racked up 475 total yards in this, their fourth straight win. Justin Jackson rushed for 154 yards. Jackson, Thorson and Jeremy Larkin combined to score four rushing touchdowns. The Northwestern defense picked off Lee three times.

Saturday's win followed the triple-overtime victory over Michigan State and the win prior, an overtime victory against Iowa. Northwestern now boasts a 6-3 overall record and a 4-2 mark in Big Ten play. Though two games behind unbeaten Wisconsin, Northwestern is all alone in second place in the Big Ten West.

And after a crazy day in the conference, only Wisconsin, Michigan State and Ohio State have better conference records than the Cats.

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