The School
On May 30, 1850, nine men gathered to discuss a school to serve the Northwest Territory. Five years later, Northwestern held classes for 10 students with 2 faculty. 27 years later they played their first football game.
The Mascot
The first mascot was a live, caged bear cub from the Lincoln Park Zoo named Furpaw. After a losing season, Furpaw was blamed for bringing bad luck. The following year, a Chicago Tribune reporter described the players as "Wildcats [that] had come down from Evanston."
At A Glance
Last Game
Next Game
563-705-41
Season Summary
| Season |
Record |
Week 1
Rank (AP) |
Final Rank
(AP/CFP) |
Conf
Champs |
Nat
Champs |
|
2024
|
4-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
2023
|
8-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
2022
|
1-11
|
|
|
|
|
|
2021
|
3-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
2020
|
7-2
|
|
#15/14
|
|
|
|
2019
|
3-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
2018
|
9-5
|
|
#-/22
|
|
|
|
2017
|
10-3
|
|
#-/21
|
|
|
|
2016
|
7-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
2015
|
10-3
|
|
#12/13
|
|
|
|
2014
|
5-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
2013
|
5-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
2012
|
10-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
2011
|
6-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
2010
|
7-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
2009
|
8-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008
|
9-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
2007
|
6-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
2006
|
4-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
2005
|
7-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
2004
|
6-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003
|
6-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
2002
|
3-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
2001
|
4-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
2000
|
8-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1999
|
3-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1998
|
3-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1997
|
5-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
1996
|
9-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1995
|
10-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1994
|
3-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
1993
|
2-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1992
|
3-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1991
|
3-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1990
|
2-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1989
|
0-11
|
|
|
|
|
|
1988
|
2-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1987
|
2-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1986
|
4-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
1985
|
3-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1984
|
2-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1983
|
2-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1982
|
3-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1981
|
0-11
|
|
|
|
|
|
1980
|
0-11
|
|
|
|
|
|
1979
|
1-10
|
|
|
|
|
|
1978
|
0-10
|
|
|
|
|
|
1977
|
1-10
|
|
|
|
|
|
1976
|
1-10
|
|
|
|
|
|
1975
|
3-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1974
|
3-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1973
|
4-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
1972
|
2-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1971
|
7-4
|
#20
|
|
|
|
|
1970
|
6-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1969
|
3-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
1968
|
1-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1967
|
3-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
1966
|
3-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1965
|
4-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1964
|
3-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1963
|
5-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1962
|
7-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1961
|
4-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1960
|
5-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1959
|
6-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1958
|
5-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1957
|
0-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1956
|
4-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1955
|
0-8
|
|
|
|
|
|
1954
|
2-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
1953
|
3-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1952
|
2-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1951
|
5-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1950
|
6-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1949
|
4-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1948
|
8-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1947
|
3-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1946
|
4-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1945
|
4-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1944
|
1-7
|
|
|
|
|
|
1943
|
6-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1942
|
1-9
|
|
|
|
|
|
1941
|
5-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1940
|
6-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1939
|
3-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1938
|
4-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1937
|
4-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1936
|
7-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1935
|
4-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1934
|
3-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1933
|
1-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1932
|
3-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1931
|
7-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1930
|
7-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1929
|
6-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1928
|
5-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1927
|
4-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1926
|
7-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1925
|
5-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1924
|
4-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1923
|
2-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1922
|
3-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1921
|
1-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1920
|
3-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1919
|
2-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1918
|
2-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1917
|
5-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1916
|
7-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1915
|
2-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1914
|
1-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1913
|
1-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1912
|
2-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1911
|
3-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1910
|
1-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1909
|
1-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1908
|
2-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1905
|
8-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1904
|
8-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1903
|
10-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1902
|
6-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1901
|
8-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1900
|
7-2
|
|
|
|
|
|
1899
|
7-6
|
|
|
|
|
|
1898
|
9-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1897
|
5-3
|
|
|
|
|
|
1896
|
6-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1895
|
6-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1894
|
4-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1893
|
2-5
|
|
|
|
|
|
1892
|
6-4
|
|
|
|
|
|
1891
|
0-1
|
|
|
|
|
|
1890
|
1-0
|
|
|
|
|
Team
The Team. The Team. The Team.