List of Northwestern Wildcats football seasons

Last updated

The Wildcats have played at Ryan Field since 1927. Ryan Field.jpg
The Wildcats have played at Ryan Field since 1927.

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 1876 [1] , the Wildcats have participated in more than 1,100 officially sanctioned games, including 9 bowl games.

Contents

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. [2] [3] The Wildcats went 64 years without winning a bowl game after the 1949 Rose Bowl. Northwestern has also experienced success, winning eight conference titles. [3] [4]

Seasons

YearCoachOverallConferenceStandingBowl/playoffs Coaches#AP°
Independent(1882–1890)
1882No coach 1–1
1883–85No team
1886No coach 0–1
1887No team
1888No coach 2–1
1889No coach 2–2
1890No coach 4–1–1
Knowlton Ames (Independent)(1891)
1891 Knowlton Ames 2–2–3
Knowlton Ames(IAANW)(1892)
1892Knowlton Ames 5–3–2 1–34th
Paul Noyes (IAANW)(1893)
1893 Paul Noyes 2–5–3 0–24th
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)
1896Alvin Culver 6–1–2 2–1–13rd
Jesse Van Doozer (Western Conference)(1897)
1897 Jesse Van Doozer 5–3 0–26th
W. H. Bannard (Western Conference)(1898)
1898 W. H. Bannard 9–4–1 0–47th
Charles Hollister (Western Conference)(1899–1902)
1899 Charles Hollister 7–6 2–23rd
1900Charles Hollister 7–2–3 2–1–25th
1901Charles Hollister 8–2–1 3–25th
1902Charles Hollister 6–6 0–4T–8th
Walter McCornack (Western Conference)(1903–1905)
1903 Walter McCornack 10–1–3 1–0–2T–1st
1904Walter McCornack 8–2 1–2T–5th
1905Walter McCornack 8–2–1 0—2T–7th
1906No team
1907No team
Alton Johnson (Western Conference)(1908)
1908 Alton Johnson 2–2 0–2T–7th
Bill Horr (Western Conference)(1908)
1909 Bill Horr 1–3–1 1–3T–5th
Charles Hammett (Western Conference)(1910–1912)
1910 Charles Hammett 1–3–1 1–2–1T–6th
1911Charles Hammett 3–4 1–47th
1912Charles Hammett 2–3–1 2–35th
Dennis Grady (Western Conference)(1913)
1913 Dennis Grady 1–6 0–69th
Fred Murphy (Western Conference)(1914–1918)
1914 Fred Murphy 1–6 0–69th
1915Fred Murphy 2–5 0–59th
1916Fred Murphy 6–1 4–12nd
1917Fred Murphy 5–2 3–2T–3rd
1918Fred Murphy 2–2–1 1–16th
Charlie Bachman (Western Conference)(1919)
1919 Charlie Bachman 2–5 1–4T–7th
Elmer McDevitt (Western Conference)(1920–1921)
1920 Elmer McDevitt 3–4 2–37th
1921Elmer McDevitt 1–6 0–510th
Glenn Thistlethwaite (Western Conference)(1922–1926)
1922 Glenn Thistlethwaite 3–3–1 1–3–18th
1923Glenn Thistlethwaite 2–6 0–610th
1924Glenn Thistlethwaite 4–4 1–3T–8th
1925Glenn Thistlethwaite 5–3 3–12nd
1926Glenn Thistlethwaite 7–1 5–0T–1st
Dick Hanley (Western Conference)(1927–1934)
1927 Dick Hanley 4–4 2–3T–6th
1928Dick Hanley 5–3 2–3T–7th
1929Dick Hanley 6–3 3–2T–3rd
1930Dick Hanley 7–1 5–0T–1st
1931Dick Hanley 7–1–1 5–1T–1st
1932Dick Hanley 3–4–1 2–3–15th
1933Dick Hanley 1–5–2 1–4–17th
1934Dick Hanley 3–5 2–3T–5th
Pappy Waldorf (Western Conference)(1935–1946)
1935 Pappy Waldorf 4–3–1 2–3–15th
1936Pappy Waldorf 7–1 6–01st7
1937Pappy Waldorf 4–4 3–3T–4th
1938Pappy Waldorf 4–2–2 2–1–24th17
1939Pappy Waldorf 3–4–1 3–2–15th
1940Pappy Waldorf 6–2 4–23rd8
1941Pappy Waldorf 5–3 4–24th11
1942Pappy Waldorf 1–9 0–69th
1943Pappy Waldorf 6–2 5–13rd9
1944Pappy Waldorf 1–7–1 0–5–18th
1945Pappy Waldorf 4–4–1 3–3–14th
1946Pappy Waldorf 4–4–1 2–3–1T–6th
Robert Voigts (Western Conference)(1947–1952)
1947 Robert Voigts 3–6 2–48th
1948Robert Voigts 8–2 5–12ndW Rose 7
1949Robert Voigts 4–5 3–47th
1950Robert Voigts 6–3 3–35th
1951Robert Voigts 5–4 2–46th
1952Robert Voigts 2–6–1 2—5T–6th
Robert Voigts (Big Ten Conference)(1953–1954)
1953Robert Voigts 3–6 0–610th
1954Robert Voigts 2–7 1–5T–8th
Lou Saban (Big Ten Conference)(1955)
1955 Lou Saban 0–8–1 0–6–110th
Ara Parseghian (Big Ten Conference)(1956–1963)
1956 Ara Parseghian 4–4–1 3–3–16th
1957Ara Parseghian 0–9 0–710th
1958Ara Parseghian 5–4 3–47th17
1959Ara Parseghian 6–3 4–35th
1960Ara Parseghian 5–4 3–4T–5th
1961Ara Parseghian 4–5 2–4T–8th
1962Ara Parseghian 7–2 4–2T–3rd16
1963Ara Parseghian 5–4 3–4T–5th
Alex Agase (Big Ten Conference)(1964–1972)
1964 Alex Agase 3–6 2–5T–7th
1965Alex Agase 4–6 3–46th
1966Alex Agase 3–6–1 2–4–1T–7th
1967Alex Agase 3–7 2–58th
1968Alex Agase 1–9 1–6T–8th
1969Alex Agase 3–7 3–4T–5th
1970Alex Agase 6–4 6–1T–2nd
1971Alex Agase 7–4 6–32nd
1972Alex Agase 2–9 1–810th
John Pont (Big Ten Conference)(1973–1977)
1973 John Pont 4–7 4–4T–4th
1974John Pont 3–8 2–6T–7th
1975John Pont 3–8 2–69th
1976John Pont 1–10 1–710th
1977John Pont 1–10 1–810th
Rick Venturi (Big Ten Conference)(1978–1980)
1978 Rick Venturi 0–10–1 0–8–110th
1979Rick Venturi 1–10 0–910th
1980Rick Venturi 0–11 0–910th
Dennis Green (Big Ten Conference)(1981–1985)
1981 Dennis Green 0–11 0–910th
1982Dennis Green 3–8 2–7T–8th
1983Dennis Green 2–9 2–7T–8th
1984Dennis Green 2–9 2–79th
1985Dennis Green 3–8 1–7T–9th
Francis Peay (Big Ten Conference)(1986–1991)
1986 Francis Peay 4–7 2–6T–8th
1987Francis Peay 2–8–1 2–69th
1988Francis Peay 2–8–1 2–5–1T–7th
1989Francis Peay 0–11 0–810th
1990Francis Peay 2–9 1–7T–8th
1991Francis Peay 3–8 2–6T–8th
Gary Barnett (Big Ten Conference)(1992–1998)
1992 Gary Barnett 3–8 3–5T–6th
1993Gary Barnett 2–9 0–8T–9th
1994Gary Barnett 3–7–1 [n 1] 2–6 [n 1] T–8th [n 1]
1995Gary Barnett 10–2 8–01stL Rose 78
1996Gary Barnett 9–3 7–1T–1stL Citrus 1615
1997Gary Barnett 5–7 3–58th
1998Gary Barnett 3–9 0–811th
Randy Walker (Big Ten Conference)(1999–2005)
1999 Randy Walker 3–8 1–710th
2000Randy Walker 8–4 6–2T–1stL Alamo
2001Randy Walker 4–7 2–6T–10th
2002Randy Walker 3–9 1–7T–10th
2003Randy Walker 6–7 4–4T–7thL Motor City
2004Randy Walker 6–6 5–34th
2005Randy Walker 7–5 5–3T–3rdL Sun
Pat Fitzgerald (Big Ten Conference)(2006–2022)
2006 Pat Fitzgerald 4–8 2–6T–8th
2007Pat Fitzgerald 6–6 3–5T–7th
2008Pat Fitzgerald 9–4 5–3T–4thL Alamo
2009Pat Fitzgerald 8–5 5–3T–4thL Outback
2010Pat Fitzgerald 7–6 3–5T–6thL TicketCity
2011Pat Fitzgerald 6–7 3–55th (Legends)L Texas
2012Pat Fitzgerald 10–3 5–33rd (Legends)W Gator 1617
2013Pat Fitzgerald 5–7 1–76th (Legends)
2014Pat Fitzgerald 5–7 3–5T–5th (West)
2015Pat Fitzgerald 10–3 6–2T–2nd (West)L Outback 2223
2016Pat Fitzgerald 7–6 5–4T–4th (West)W Pinstripe
2017Pat Fitzgerald 10–3 7–22nd (West)W Music City 1717
2018Pat Fitzgerald 9–5 8–11st (West)W Holiday 1921
2019Pat Fitzgerald 3–9 1–87th (West)
2020Pat Fitzgerald 7–2 6–21st (West)W Citrus 1010
2021Pat Fitzgerald 3–9 1–8T–6th (West)
2022Pat Fitzgerald 1–11 1–87th (West)
David Braun [n 2] (Big Ten Conference)(2023–present)
2023 David Braun 8–5 5–4T–2nd (West)W Las Vegas
2024David Braun 4–8 2–716th
Total:563–703–44
      National championship        Conference title        Conference division title or championship game berth

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Michigan State self-forfeited all wins in the 1994 season, resulting in Northwestern's 1994 loss to Michigan State being retroactively changed to a win.
  2. ↑ Prior to the 2023 season, defensive coordinator David Braun was named interim head coach at Northwestern after head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired amid allegations of widespread hazing within the football program.

References

  1. ↑ "2025 Northwestern Football Media Guide" (PDF). Northwestern Athletics. August 20, 2025.
  2. ↑ Pomerantz, Gary (September 26, 1982). "Northwestern: Paradise Found After 34 Lost Weekends". Washington Post.
  3. 1 2 Northwestern Wildcats Index. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  4. ↑ CFRC College Football Database - Northwestern
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