City Honors Northwestern After Gator Bowl Win

Following the Wildcats’ win at the 2013 Gator Bowl, MVP Jared Carpenter and Northwestern athletics director Jim Philips accepted a trophy from the city of Evanston Monday night on behalf of the entire Northwestern football team. 

The Wildcats' defeat of Mississippi State on New Year’s Day marked the team’s first bowl victory since 1949 and its first double-digit win season since the 1995 Big Ten Championship Team. It was also the 50th win at Northwestern for Coach Pat Fitzgerald, who was a member of the 1995 championship team.

A fifth-year senior who graduated last June, Carpenter said he had played in numerous championship games in high school and in college, but had never won one. Northwestern lost the last four bowl games while Carpenter was on the team, and lost five more before that. 

“It’s a novel experience,” he quipped. “It’s been great.”

Carpenter said the MVP award made the whole process even more exciting, but said there were many other teammates who could have taken home the honor.

“Everybody played well,” said Carpenter, who made 10 tackles and a late-game interception. 

A native of Bowling Green, KY, Carpenter currently works in the administration office at the Kellogg School of Management. He said he is looking for a full time job in sports management.