Bacher's drought is over

Let it rain. Bacher found Ross Lane in the back of the end zone to put NU up 20-13 with 13 seconds left in the half. MSU's Aaron Bates shanked a 14-yard punt to give NU prime field position at the 30-yard line. And the Cats capitalized. Bacher went 4 of 4 for 27 yards on the drive, and gave NU a halftime lead for the second week in a row. After a kickoff return to the 45, Hoyer's Hail Mary fell incomplete and the Cats are in the tunnel with a seven-point lead. After a disastrous fourth quarter against Michigan, Bacher's having himself a half against State. He is 17-of-20 passinig for 177 yards and a touchdown. And Kurt Mattes and Dylan Thiry are doing a good job of keeping the Spartans' sack leader Jonal Saint-Dic out of Bacher's face. After giving up 133 yards in the first quarter, the defense has buckled down, giving up only 22 yards and not allowing a first down in the second quarter.