List of Northwestern Wildcats football seasons

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.

The Wildcats have played at Ryan Field since 1927.

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

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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

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  1. ^ 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.
  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

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  1. ^ Pomerantz, Gary (September 26, 1982). "Northwestern: Paradise Found After 34 Lost Weekends". Washington Post.
  2. ^ a b Northwestern Wildcats Index. Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  3. ^ CFRC College Football Database - Northwestern