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]
Seasons
edit| 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] | 8–5 | 5–4 | T–2nd (West) | W Las Vegas | ||||
| Total: | 557–695–44 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
Notes
edit- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ 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
edit- ^ Pomerantz, Gary (September 26, 1982). "Northwestern: Paradise Found After 34 Lost Weekends". Washington Post.
- ^ a b Northwestern Wildcats Index. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
- ^ CFRC College Football Database - Northwestern