Tampa Bay Football History Network

2010 Outback Bowl

The Northwestern Wildcats made their first trip to the Outback Bowl, while the Auburn Tigers had played in the game twice previously. Under head coach Pat Fitzgerald, the Wildcats (8-4) had started the season 2-2, then won six of their final eight games. Conversely, the Tigers (7-5) started the year 5-0 before dropping five of the last seven. Northwestern was going to the school’s eighth bowl game, but had not had a post season victory in sixty years. First year head coach Gene Chizik was leading Auburn to the program’s 35th bowl appearance. The two schools had never met before. It was a rainy morning and the attendance of 49,383 was the lowest since the very first Hall of Fame Bowl game.

It was a wild game with eighteen records broken and another ten tied. Auburn jumped to a 14-0 lead when Walter McFadden returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown. Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka (47 of 78 for 532 yard with 4 TDs) had 566 yards of total offense, but was intercepted five times. The Wildcats would tie thing up 21-21 after three quarters, then Ben Tate ran for two scores and the Tigers were up 35-21. Kafka ran for a score and threw a TD pass and the game was knotted again. Wes Byrum kicked a field goal in overtime, then Northwestern lined up for a field goal, but could not score on the old fumblerooskie play. Auburn receiver Darvin Adams (12 catches for 142 yards) was named the MVP in the Tigers 38-35 victory.

Gene Chizik said of the game, “I haven’t had time to see many bowl games up to this point this year, but it will be hard pressed to find one better than that one as far as getting your money’s worth.” Despite the loss, Pat Fitzgerald commented, “First and foremost to the entire Outback committee, City of Tampa and all the great volunteers, I couldn’t have asked for a better week and a greater experience for our football family that is absolutely amazing and for that we will forever be indebted, forever be grateful.”

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