EVANSTON, Ill., Sept. 14 -- A one-yard touchdown run by Brett Basanez capped a 97-yard drive early in the fourth quarter Saturday, allowing the Northwestern Wildcats to rally for a 26-21 victory over Duke.
Basanez's touchdown helped the Wildcats (1-2) erase a 21-13 deficit and earn their first win of the season.
Northwestern lost its first two games by a combined score of 100-27.
Duke (1-2) has dropped two straight since snapping a 23-game losing streak with a 23-16 season-opening win over East Carolina.
The Blue Devils took a 14-3 lead early in the second period on touchdown runs of eight yards by Chris Douglas and three yards by Andy Roland.
But Basanez, who completed 21 of 34 passes for 245 yards and two interceptions, rambled in from 17 yards to make it 14-10 with 5:49 left in the second period.
David Wasielewski converted a 20-yard field goal as time expired to pull Northwestern within 14-13 at the half.
Duke took a 21-13 lead on Adam Smith's 32-yard pass to Khary Sharpe with 10:21 left in the third quarter. Northwestern answered on Ashton Aikens' 32-yard run with 4:40 left in the third. The conversion pass failed, leaving Duke ahead, 21-19.
Smith completed 13 of 26 passes for 188 yards and interception for the Blue Devils. Alex Wade paced Duke on the ground with 134 yards on 25 carries.
Jason Wright carried 20 times for 107 yards for the Wildcats.
Northwestern has won six of the last seven meetings with Duke to cut the Blue Devils' lead in the all-time series to 7-6. |end| Content: 15000011 15003000
