This is a list of seasons completed by the Northwestern Wildcats football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Since the team's creation in 1882, the Wildcats have participated in more than 1,100 officially sanctioned games, including 9 bowl games.
Northwestern originally competed as a football independent. As one of the founding members, Northwestern joined the Big Ten conference, then known as the Western Conference, in 1896, where it has been a member ever since.
The Wildcats have experienced futility for much of its existence. The team has several winless seasons, including setting an NCAA Division I record for consecutive losses when it lost 34 straight games from 1979 to 1982. [1] [2] The Wildcats went 64 years without winning a bowl game after the 1949 Rose Bowl. Northwestern has also experienced success, winning eight conference titles. [2] [3]
Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent(1882–1890) | |||||||||
1882 | No coach | 1–1 | |||||||
1883–85 | No team | ||||||||
1886 | No coach | 0–1 | |||||||
1887 | No team | ||||||||
1888 | No coach | 2–1 | |||||||
1889 | No coach | 2–2 | |||||||
1890 | No coach | 4–1–1 | |||||||
Knowlton Ames (Independent)(1891) | |||||||||
1891 | Knowlton Ames | 2–2–3 | |||||||
Knowlton Ames(IAANW)(1892) | |||||||||
1892 | Knowlton Ames | 5–3–2 | 1–3 | 4th | |||||
Paul Noyes (IAANW)(1893) | |||||||||
1893 | Paul Noyes | 2–5–3 | 0–2 | 4th | |||||
A. A. Ewing (Independent)(1894) | |||||||||
1894 | A. A. Ewing | 4–5 | |||||||
Alvin Culver (Independent)(1895) | |||||||||
1895 | Alvin Culver | 6–5 | |||||||
Alvin Culver (Western Conference)(1896) | |||||||||
1896 | Alvin Culver | 6–1–2 | 2–1–1 | 3rd | |||||
Jesse Van Doozer (Western Conference)(1897) | |||||||||
1897 | Jesse Van Doozer | 5–3 | 0–2 | 6th | |||||
W. H. Bannard (Western Conference)(1898) | |||||||||
1898 | W. H. Bannard | 9–4–1 | 0–4 | 7th | |||||
Charles Hollister (Western Conference)(1899–1902) | |||||||||
1899 | Charles Hollister | 7–6 | 2–2 | 3rd | |||||
1900 | Charles Hollister | 7–2–3 | 2–1–2 | 5th | |||||
1901 | Charles Hollister | 8–2–1 | 3–2 | 5th | |||||
1902 | Charles Hollister | 6–6 | 0–4 | T–8th | |||||
Walter McCornack (Western Conference)(1903–1905) | |||||||||
1903 | Walter McCornack | 10–1–3 | 1–0–2 | T–1st | |||||
1904 | Walter McCornack | 8–2 | 1–2 | T–5th | |||||
1905 | Walter McCornack | 8–2–1 | 0—2 | T–7th | |||||
1906 | No team | ||||||||
1907 | No team | ||||||||
Alton Johnson (Western Conference)(1908) | |||||||||
1908 | Alton Johnson | 2–2 | 0–2 | T–7th | |||||
Bill Horr (Western Conference)(1908) | |||||||||
1909 | Bill Horr | 1–3–1 | 1–3 | T–5th | |||||
Charles Hammett (Western Conference)(1910–1912) | |||||||||
1910 | Charles Hammett | 1–3–1 | 1–2–1 | T–6th | |||||
1911 | Charles Hammett | 3–4 | 1–4 | 7th | |||||
1912 | Charles Hammett | 2–3–1 | 2–3 | 5th | |||||
Dennis Grady (Western Conference)(1913) | |||||||||
1913 | Dennis Grady | 1–6 | 0–6 | 9th | |||||
Fred Murphy (Western Conference)(1914–1918) | |||||||||
1914 | Fred Murphy | 1–6 | 0–6 | 9th | |||||
1915 | Fred Murphy | 2–5 | 0–5 | 9th | |||||
1916 | Fred Murphy | 6–1 | 4–1 | 2nd | |||||
1917 | Fred Murphy | 5–2 | 3–2 | T–3rd | |||||
1918 | Fred Murphy | 2–2–1 | 1–1 | 6th | |||||
Charlie Bachman (Western Conference)(1919) | |||||||||
1919 | Charlie Bachman | 2–5 | 1–4 | T–7th | |||||
Elmer McDevitt (Western Conference)(1920–1921) | |||||||||
1920 | Elmer McDevitt | 3–4 | 2–3 | 7th | |||||
1921 | Elmer McDevitt | 1–6 | 0–5 | 10th | |||||
Glenn Thistlethwaite (Western Conference)(1922–1926) | |||||||||
1922 | Glenn Thistlethwaite | 3–3–1 | 1–3–1 | 8th | |||||
1923 | Glenn Thistlethwaite | 2–6 | 0–6 | 10th | |||||
1924 | Glenn Thistlethwaite | 4–4 | 1–3 | T–8th | |||||
1925 | Glenn Thistlethwaite | 5–3 | 3–1 | 2nd | |||||
1926 | Glenn Thistlethwaite | 7–1 | 5–0 | T–1st | |||||
Dick Hanley (Western Conference)(1927–1934) | |||||||||
1927 | Dick Hanley | 4–4 | 2–3 | T–6th | |||||
1928 | Dick Hanley | 5–3 | 2–3 | T–7th | |||||
1929 | Dick Hanley | 6–3 | 3–2 | T–3rd | |||||
1930 | Dick Hanley | 7–1 | 5–0 | T–1st | |||||
1931 | Dick Hanley | 7–1–1 | 5–1 | T–1st | |||||
1932 | Dick Hanley | 3–4–1 | 2–3–1 | 5th | |||||
1933 | Dick Hanley | 1–5–2 | 1–4–1 | 7th | |||||
1934 | Dick Hanley | 3–5 | 2–3 | T–5th | |||||
Pappy Waldorf (Western Conference)(1935–1946) | |||||||||
1935 | Pappy Waldorf | 4–3–1 | 2–3–1 | 5th | |||||
1936 | Pappy Waldorf | 7–1 | 6–0 | 1st | 7 | ||||
1937 | Pappy Waldorf | 4–4 | 3–3 | T–4th | |||||
1938 | Pappy Waldorf | 4–2–2 | 2–1–2 | 4th | 17 | ||||
1939 | Pappy Waldorf | 3–4–1 | 3–2–1 | 5th | |||||
1940 | Pappy Waldorf | 6–2 | 4–2 | 3rd | 8 | ||||
1941 | Pappy Waldorf | 5–3 | 4–2 | 4th | 11 | ||||
1942 | Pappy Waldorf | 1–9 | 0–6 | 9th | |||||
1943 | Pappy Waldorf | 6–2 | 5–1 | 3rd | 9 | ||||
1944 | Pappy Waldorf | 1–7–1 | 0–5–1 | 8th | |||||
1945 | Pappy Waldorf | 4–4–1 | 3–3–1 | 4th | |||||
1946 | Pappy Waldorf | 4–4–1 | 2–3–1 | T–6th | |||||
Robert Voigts (Western Conference)(1947–1952) | |||||||||
1947 | Robert Voigts | 3–6 | 2–4 | 8th | |||||
1948 | Robert Voigts | 8–2 | 5–1 | 2nd | W Rose | 7 | |||
1949 | Robert Voigts | 4–5 | 3–4 | 7th | |||||
1950 | Robert Voigts | 6–3 | 3–3 | 5th | |||||
1951 | Robert Voigts | 5–4 | 2–4 | 6th | |||||
1952 | Robert Voigts | 2–6–1 | 2—5 | T–6th | |||||
Robert Voigts (Big Ten Conference)(1953–1954) | |||||||||
1953 | Robert Voigts | 3–6 | 0–6 | 10th | |||||
1954 | Robert Voigts | 2–7 | 1–5 | T–8th | |||||
Lou Saban (Big Ten Conference)(1955) | |||||||||
1955 | Lou Saban | 0–8–1 | 0–6–1 | 10th | |||||
Ara Parseghian (Big Ten Conference)(1956–1963) | |||||||||
1956 | Ara Parseghian | 4–4–1 | 3–3–1 | 6th | |||||
1957 | Ara Parseghian | 0–9 | 0–7 | 10th | |||||
1958 | Ara Parseghian | 5–4 | 3–4 | 7th | 17 | ||||
1959 | Ara Parseghian | 6–3 | 4–3 | 5th | |||||
1960 | Ara Parseghian | 5–4 | 3–4 | T–5th | |||||
1961 | Ara Parseghian | 4–5 | 2–4 | T–8th | |||||
1962 | Ara Parseghian | 7–2 | 4–2 | T–3rd | 16 | ||||
1963 | Ara Parseghian | 5–4 | 3–4 | T–5th | |||||
Alex Agase (Big Ten Conference)(1964–1972) | |||||||||
1964 | Alex Agase | 3–6 | 2–5 | T–7th | |||||
1965 | Alex Agase | 4–6 | 3–4 | 6th | |||||
1966 | Alex Agase | 3–6–1 | 2–4–1 | T–7th | |||||
1967 | Alex Agase | 3–7 | 2–5 | 8th | |||||
1968 | Alex Agase | 1–9 | 1–6 | T–8th | |||||
1969 | Alex Agase | 3–7 | 3–4 | T–5th | |||||
1970 | Alex Agase | 6–4 | 6–1 | T–2nd | |||||
1971 | Alex Agase | 7–4 | 6–3 | 2nd | |||||
1972 | Alex Agase | 2–9 | 1–8 | 10th | |||||
John Pont (Big Ten Conference)(1973–1977) | |||||||||
1973 | John Pont | 4–7 | 4–4 | T–4th | |||||
1974 | John Pont | 3–8 | 2–6 | T–7th | |||||
1975 | John Pont | 3–8 | 2–6 | 9th | |||||
1976 | John Pont | 1–10 | 1–7 | 10th | |||||
1977 | John Pont | 1–10 | 1–8 | 10th | |||||
Rick Venturi (Big Ten Conference)(1978–1980) | |||||||||
1978 | Rick Venturi | 0–10–1 | 0–8–1 | 10th | |||||
1979 | Rick Venturi | 1–10 | 0–9 | 10th | |||||
1980 | Rick Venturi | 0–11 | 0–9 | 10th | |||||
Dennis Green (Big Ten Conference)(1981–1985) | |||||||||
1981 | Dennis Green | 0–11 | 0–9 | 10th | |||||
1982 | Dennis Green | 3–8 | 2–7 | T–8th | |||||
1983 | Dennis Green | 2–9 | 2–7 | T–8th | |||||
1984 | Dennis Green | 2–9 | 2–7 | 9th | |||||
1985 | Dennis Green | 3–8 | 1–7 | T–9th | |||||
Francis Peay (Big Ten Conference)(1986–1991) | |||||||||
1986 | Francis Peay | 4–7 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
1987 | Francis Peay | 2–8–1 | 2–6 | 9th | |||||
1988 | Francis Peay | 2–8–1 | 2–5–1 | T–7th | |||||
1989 | Francis Peay | 0–11 | 0–8 | 10th | |||||
1990 | Francis Peay | 2–9 | 1–7 | T–8th | |||||
1991 | Francis Peay | 3–8 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
Gary Barnett (Big Ten Conference)(1992–1998) | |||||||||
1992 | Gary Barnett | 3–8 | 3–5 | T–6th | |||||
1993 | Gary Barnett | 2–9 | 0–8 | T–9th | |||||
1994 | Gary Barnett | 3–7–1 [n 1] | 2–6 [n 1] | T–8th [n 1] | |||||
1995 | Gary Barnett | 10–2 | 8–0 | 1st | L Rose | 7 | 8 | ||
1996 | Gary Barnett | 9–3 | 7–1 | T–1st | L Citrus | 16 | 15 | ||
1997 | Gary Barnett | 5–7 | 3–5 | 8th | |||||
1998 | Gary Barnett | 3–9 | 0–8 | 11th | |||||
Randy Walker (Big Ten Conference)(1999–2005) | |||||||||
1999 | Randy Walker | 3–8 | 1–7 | 10th | |||||
2000 | Randy Walker | 8–4 | 6–2 | T–1st | L Alamo | ||||
2001 | Randy Walker | 4–7 | 2–6 | T–10th | |||||
2002 | Randy Walker | 3–9 | 1–7 | T–10th | |||||
2003 | Randy Walker | 6–7 | 4–4 | T–7th | L Motor City | ||||
2004 | Randy Walker | 6–6 | 5–3 | 4th | |||||
2005 | Randy Walker | 7–5 | 5–3 | T–3rd | L Sun | ||||
Pat Fitzgerald (Big Ten Conference)(2006–2022) | |||||||||
2006 | Pat Fitzgerald | 4–8 | 2–6 | T–8th | |||||
2007 | Pat Fitzgerald | 6–6 | 3–5 | T–7th | |||||
2008 | Pat Fitzgerald | 9–4 | 5–3 | T–4th | L Alamo | ||||
2009 | Pat Fitzgerald | 8–5 | 5–3 | T–4th | L Outback | ||||
2010 | Pat Fitzgerald | 7–6 | 3–5 | T–6th | L TicketCity | ||||
2011 | Pat Fitzgerald | 6–7 | 3–5 | 5th (Legends) | L Texas | ||||
2012 | Pat Fitzgerald | 10–3 | 5–3 | 3rd (Legends) | W Gator | 16 | 17 | ||
2013 | Pat Fitzgerald | 5–7 | 1–7 | 6th (Legends) | |||||
2014 | Pat Fitzgerald | 5–7 | 3–5 | T–5th (West) | |||||
2015 | Pat Fitzgerald | 10–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd (West) | L Outback | 22 | 23 | ||
2016 | Pat Fitzgerald | 7–6 | 5–4 | T–4th (West) | W Pinstripe | ||||
2017 | Pat Fitzgerald | 10–3 | 7–2 | 2nd (West) | W Music City | 17 | 17 | ||
2018 | Pat Fitzgerald | 9–5 | 8–1 | 1st (West) | W Holiday | 19 | 21 | ||
2019 | Pat Fitzgerald | 3–9 | 1–8 | 7th (West) | |||||
2020 | Pat Fitzgerald | 7–2 | 6–2 | 1st (West) | W Citrus | 10 | 10 | ||
2021 | Pat Fitzgerald | 3–9 | 1–8 | T–6th (West) | |||||
2022 | Pat Fitzgerald | 1–11 | 1–8 | 7th (West) | |||||
David Braun (Big Ten Conference)(2023–present) | |||||||||
2023 | David Braun [n 2] | 7–5 | 5–4 | T–2nd (West) | Las Vegas | ||||
Total: | 557–695–44 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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The Kentucky Wildcats are the men's and women's intercollegiate athletic squads of the University of Kentucky (UK), a founding member of the Southeastern Conference. The Kentucky Wildcats is the student body of the University of Kentucky. 30,473 students attend the university. Historically, the women's teams and athletes were referred to as the "Lady Kats", but all athletic squads adopted the "Wildcats" nickname in 1995. Collectively, the fans of the Kentucky Wildcats are often referred to as the Big Blue Nation. Their main and most intense rival is the University of Louisville. The Wildcats are composed of 25 varsity teams that compete nationally—23 in NCAA-recognized sports, plus the cheerleading squad and dance team.
Richard Alan Rodriguez, also known as Rich Rod, is an American college football coach and former player. He is the head football coach at Jacksonville State University, a position he has held since the 2022 season. Rodriguez previously was the head football coach at Salem University (1988), Glenville State College (1990–1996), West Virginia University (2001–2007), the University of Michigan (2008–2010), and the University of Arizona (2012–2017). His career college football coaching record stands at 172–121–2. In 2011, Rodriguez worked as an analyst for CBS Sports.
The Arizona Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent the University of Arizona, located in Tucson. The Wildcats compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Arizona's chief intercollegiate rival is the Arizona State Sun Devils, and the two universities' athletic departments compete against each other in multiple sports via the State Farm Territorial Cup Series.
The Northwestern Wildcats football team represents Northwestern University as an NCAA Division I college football team and member of the Big Ten Conference based near Chicago in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern began playing football in 1882. Its football mascot is the Wildcat, a term coined by a Chicago Tribune reporter in 1924, after reporting on a football game where the players appeared as "a wall of purple wildcats". Northwestern Football is also marketed as "Chicago's Big Ten Team" with its proximity and ties to Chicago.
The Northwestern Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Northwestern University, located in Evanston, Illinois. Northwestern is a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and the only private university in the conference. Northwestern has eight men's and eleven women's NCAA Division I sports teams and is marketed as "Chicago's Big Ten Team". The mascot is Willie the Wildcat.
George Michael Hankwitz is a former American football coach and player. He was the defensive coordinator at Northwestern University, a position he had held from 2008 to 2020. Hankwitz has twice served as an interim head football coach, for seven games in 2003 at the University of Arizona and for one game in 2005, the Champs Sports Bowl, with the University of Colorado–Boulder, compiling a career head coaching record of 1–7.
Patrick William Fitzgerald Jr. is an American football coach and former player who was most recently the head coach of the Northwestern Wildcats football program, until his 2023 termination in the aftermath of a hazing scandal.
The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its distinctive winged helmet, its fight song, its record-breaking attendance figures at Michigan Stadium, and its many rivalries, particularly its annual, regular season-ending game against Ohio State, known simply as "The Game," once voted as ESPN's best sports rivalry.
The Arizona Wildcats football program represents the University of Arizona (UA) in the sport of American college football. Arizona competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the South Division of the Pac-12 Conference (Pac-12). They play their home games at Arizona Stadium, which opened in 1929 on the university's campus in Tucson, Arizona, and has a capacity of 50,782. The team is coached by Jedd Fisch.
The Kentucky Wildcats football program represents the University of Kentucky in the sport of American football. The Wildcats compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The Wildcats play their home games at Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky and are led by head coach Mark Stoops.
The Villanova Wildcats are the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East for every sport; except football and rowing where they compete in the Colonial Athletic Association. On December 15, 2012, Villanova and the other six, non-FBS schools announced that they were departing the Big East for a new conference. This conference assumed the Big East name on July 1, 2013.
The Davidson Wildcats are the NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics teams representing Davidson College of Davidson, North Carolina, United States. A member of the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10), Davidson College sponsors teams in ten men's and nine women's NCAA sanctioned sports. The Wildcats previously competed in the Southern Conference, and the wrestling team retains associate membership in that league since the sport is not sponsored by the A-10. The football team is a member of the Pioneer Football League, a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) conference of schools that do not offer athletic scholarships for football.
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA Division I Bowl Subdivision (FBS), and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference.
The Louisiana–Monroe Warhawks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM).
The 1987 Indiana Hoosiers football team represented Indiana University Bloomington as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by fourth-year head coach Bill Mallory, the Hoosiers compiled an overall record of 8–4 with a mark of 6–2 in conference play, tying for second place in the Big Ten. Indiana was invited to the Peach Bowl, where they lost to Tennessee. The team played home games at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.
The 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl was an American college football bowl game that was played on December 28, 2013 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The 25th annual Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl featured the Michigan Wolverines of the Big Ten Conference and the Kansas State Wildcats of the Big 12 Conference. The game was telecast at 8:15 p.m. MST on ESPN. It is one of the 2013–14 bowl games that concluded the 2013 FBS football season. The game was sponsored by the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant franchise.
The 2018 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University during the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois and competed in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They were led by 13th-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald.