Tigers-Wildcats: Missouri Outlasts Northwestern in Alamo Bowl

The year was 1949, and Ed Tunnicliff's 45-yard touchdown run gave the Northwestern Wildcats a 20-14 come from behind win over California in the 35th Rose Bowl.  

Nearly 50 years to the date, and Northwestern is still searching for their second bowl win after Missouri came from behind to beat the Wildcats 30-23 in last night's Alamo Bowl. 

The table was set for the Wildcats, but they let another bowl game get away from them.  Leading 10-3 with 1:28 left in the first half, the Wildcats made a very poor decision to decide to punt the ball to one of the most dangerous return men in the game: Jeremy Maclin.   

Maclin made the Wildcats pay with a 75-yard touchdown.  The game was tied at 10 at the half. The Wildcats dominated the first half, but did not have the lead. 

The Wildcats did take the lead on their first drive of the second half when C.J. Bacher connected with Rasheed Ward for a 46-yard touchdown. The biggest play of the game came a few seconds later when Wildcats sure-foot kicker Amado Villarreal missed the extra point.  

Late in the third and trailing 20-16, the Wildcats would turn Chase Daniel's third interception into another Bacher touchdown.  The Wildcats held a 23-20 lead going into the fourth.

With under seven minutes left in the game, the Wildcats could not run out the clock and turned the ball back to the Tigers.  The Tigers would add a field goal and the game was tied at 23 with under three minutes to go.

With 2:30 left in the game, the Wildcats went three and out and gave the Tigers the ball back.  The Tigers would miss a long field goal and the game went to overtime. 

The Wildcats would win the toss, but elected to play defense—a very questionable call.  The Northwestern defense spent the majority of the fourth quarter on the field, and after a missed field goal the momentum was on their side.

Daniel would hit Maclin with a seven yard touchdown putting the Tigers ahead 30-23. 

The Wildcats would have one more chance, but Bacher's pass was broken up in the back of the end zone to end the game.  The Wildcats had the ball first and goal at the nine, and they decided to throw the ball four straight times.  It's decisions like this that have helped the Wildcats bowl drought reach 50 years.

It was a great season for the Wildcats, but this was a game they let get away.  The Wildcats defense was great forcing three interceptions from Daniel. Northwestern fans, coaches, and players will return to Evanston, Illinois shaking their heads.  This was a game they should have won, but the streak continues. 

Northwestern is now 1-6 all-time in bowl games.