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Big Ten

Northwestern

2021 Season Performance

#104
Rank
3-9
Record
-39.2
Points
0.853
SOS

Current Form

L6 streak
Last 3 0-3
Last 5 0-5

Key Games

Best W vs #62 Rutgers 21-7
Worst L @ #79 Duke 23-30

Record Splits

Home 3-3
Away 0-5
Neutral 0-1
Conference 1-8
Non-Conf 2-1
Close (7 pts or less) 0-2
FCS Opponents 1

Rank Progression

#27
#52
#77
#102
#128
Pre
#32
W3
#108
W6
#103
W9
#102
W12
#100
W15
#104

Season Breakdown

Hover Wk 15 pts for details
Week
Game
Score
Wk 15
1
09/04
L
NR vs #82 Michigan State
21-38
-7.3
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
-2.4 -10.4
Loss Opp Modifier
+5.2 -5.2
Loss Record Modifier
+1.5 -3.7
Margin Scaling
-2.5 -6.2
Recency Weighting
-1.1 -7.3
Total -7.3 pts
2
09/11
W
#118 vs FCS Indiana State
24-6
+0.0
Point Breakdown
FCS Opponent - 0 pts
3
09/18
L
#100 @ #79 Duke
23-30
-7.9
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
-0.2 -6.2
Loss Record Modifier
-1.0 -7.2
Margin Scaling
-0.7 -7.9
Total -7.9 pts
4
09/25
W
#108 vs #129 Ohio
35-6
+8.8
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
-1.0 9.0
Win Opp Modifier
-4.1 4.9
Margin Scaling
+3.9 8.8
Total 8.8 pts
5
10/02
L
#95 @ #85 Nebraska
7-56
-9.5
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+1.1 -4.9
Loss Record Modifier
-0.4 -5.2
Margin Scaling
-2.8 -8.0
Recency Weighting
-1.4 -9.5
Total -9.5 pts
7
10/16
W
#103 vs #62 Rutgers
21-7
+17.7
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
-1.0 9.0
Win Opp Modifier
+3.0 12.0
Margin Scaling
+3.0 15.0
Recency Weighting
+2.7 17.7
Total 17.7 pts
8
10/23
L
#74 @ #6 Michigan
7-33
-6.1
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+3.0 -3.0
Loss Record Modifier
+1.1 -1.9
Margin Scaling
-3.3 -5.2
Recency Weighting
-0.9 -6.1
Total -6.1 pts
9
10/30
L
#92 vs #16 Minnesota
14-41
-8.7
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
-2.4 -10.4
Loss Opp Modifier
+5.2 -5.2
Loss Record Modifier
+1.0 -4.2
Margin Scaling
-3.1 -7.4
Recency Weighting
-1.3 -8.7
Total -8.7 pts
10
11/06
L
#102 vs #11 Iowa
12-17
-5.7
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
-2.4 -10.4
Loss Opp Modifier
+5.2 -5.2
Loss Record Modifier
+1.4 -3.8
Margin Scaling
-1.1 -4.8
Recency Weighting
-0.9 -5.7
Total -5.7 pts
11
11/13
L
#98 @ #6 Wisconsin
7-35
-6.6
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+3.0 -3.0
Loss Record Modifier
+0.7 -2.3
Margin Scaling
-3.2 -5.6
Recency Weighting
-1.0 -6.6
Total -6.6 pts
12
11/20
L
#99 N #12 Purdue
14-32
-6.1
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+1.2 -6.8
Loss Opp Modifier
+3.4 -3.4
Loss Record Modifier
+0.7 -2.7
Margin Scaling
-2.5 -5.1
Recency Weighting
-0.9 -6.1
Total -6.1 pts
13
11/27
L
#100 @ #36 Illinois
14-47
-8.1
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+2.4 -3.6
Loss Record Modifier
+0.1 -3.5
Margin Scaling
-3.3 -6.8
Recency Weighting
-1.2 -8.1
Total -8.1 pts
Total
3-9 Record
-39.3

All-Time Summary (2016-2026)

11
Seasons
57-65
Record
47%
Win Rate
#54
Avg Rank
#4
Best Rank
0.849
Avg SOS

Final Rank by Season

#1
#34
#67
#100
#134
2016
#34
2017
#11
2018
#8
2019
#96
2020
#7
2021
#104
2022
#124
2023
#22
2024
#91
2025
#57
2026
#35

Season-by-Season Breakdown

Year Conference Record Final Rank Best Rank Points SOS Champion
2026 Big Ten 4-1 (80%) #35 #24 46.3 0.683 -
2025 Big Ten 6-6 (50%) #57 #41 51.8 0.843 -
2024 Big Ten 4-8 (33%) #91 #18 0.8 0.852 -
2023 Big Ten 7-5 (58%) #22 #21 108.5 0.846 -
2022 Big Ten 1-11 (8%) #124 #6 -65.6 0.895 -
2021 Big Ten 3-9 (25%) #104 #74 -39.2 0.853 -
2020 Big Ten 6-2 (75%) #7 #4 144.4 0.943 -
2019 Big Ten 3-9 (25%) #96 #70 -20.4 0.861 -
2018 Big Ten 8-5 (62%) #8 #6 220.7 0.916 -
2017 Big Ten 9-3 (75%) #11 #11 186.3 0.830 -
2016 Big Ten 6-6 (50%) #34 #22 89.6 0.813 -