EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) Ryan Hilinski threw for 267 yards and two touchdown passes on Saturday afternoon to boost Northwestern to a 21-7 victory over Rutgers.

Hilinski, making his third start since transferring from South Carolina, opened the scoring for the Wildcats (3-3, 1-2 Big Ten) by capping off a 98-yard drive in the first quarter, hitting Malik Washington for a 64-yard touchdown pass. The completion - Hilinski's longest as a Wildcat - helped his team secure its first conference win of the season.

"I think one of the biggest things is that we're continuing to have fun," Hilinski said. "This is a game we played when we were 5 years old. I personally play best when I'm having fun and just recognizing that this is a game we've been playing our whole lives."