Back to Rankings
Big Ten

Northwestern

2025 Season Performance

#57
Rank
6-6
Record
51.8
Points
0.843
SOS

Current Form

L1 streak
HOT
Last 3 1-2
Last 5 1-4

Key Games

Best W @ #74 Penn State 22-21
Worst L @ #27 Nebraska 21-28

Record Splits

Home 4-1
Away 1-4
Neutral 1-1
Conference 4-5
Non-Conf 2-1
Close (7 pts or less) 3-3
FCS Opponents 1

Rank Progression

#36
#58
#80
#102
#125
W1
#115
W4
#109
W7
#42
W10
#50
W13
#47
W15
#57

Season Breakdown

Hover adjusted pts for details
Week
Game
Score
Raw
Adj
Diff
1
08/30
L
NR @ #43 Tulane
3-23
-7.3
-6.0
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+0.8 -5.2
Loss Record Modifier
+1.0 -4.1
Margin Scaling
-1.9 -6.0
Total -6.0 pts
+1.3
2
09/05
W
#115 vs #45 Western Illinois
42-7
+0.0
+0.0
Point Breakdown
FCS Opponent - 0 pts
+0.0
3
09/13
L
#77 vs #16 Oregon
14-34
-6.6
-6.9
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
-2.4 -10.4
Loss Opp Modifier
+5.2 -5.2
Loss Record Modifier
+1.9 -3.3
Margin Scaling
-2.5 -5.8
Recency Weighting
-1.1 -6.9
Total -6.9 pts
-0.3
5
09/27
W
#109 vs #128 UCLA
17-14
+5.1
+12.1
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
-1.0 9.0
Win Opp Modifier
+0.1 9.1
Margin Scaling
+1.1 10.3
Recency Weighting
+1.8 12.1
Total 12.1 pts
+7.0
6
10/04
W
#96 vs #68 UL Monroe
42-7
+14.8
+8.9
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
-1.0 9.0
Win Opp Modifier
-3.9 5.1
Margin Scaling
+3.9 8.9
Total 8.9 pts
-5.9
7
10/11
W
#61 @ #74 Penn State
22-21
+18.9
+25.2
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
+3.5 13.5
Win Opp Modifier
+7.2 20.7
Margin Scaling
+0.6 21.4
Recency Weighting
+3.9 25.2
Total 25.2 pts
+6.3
8
10/18
W
#42 vs #105 Purdue
19-0
+13.4
+10.8
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
-1.0 9.0
Win Opp Modifier
-1.8 7.2
Margin Scaling
+3.6 10.8
Total 10.8 pts
-2.6
9
10/25
L
#41 @ #27 Nebraska
21-28
-3.5
-5.0
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+2.2 -3.8
Loss Record Modifier
+0.5 -3.3
Margin Scaling
-1.0 -4.3
Recency Weighting
-0.8 -5.0
Total -5.0 pts
-1.6
11
11/08
L
#50 @ #10 USC
17-38
-5.1
-5.5
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+3.0 -3.0
Loss Record Modifier
+0.8 -2.2
Margin Scaling
-2.5 -4.7
Recency Weighting
-0.8 -5.5
Total -5.5 pts
-0.5
12
11/15
L
#60 N #12 Michigan
22-24
-3.5
-3.8
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+1.2 -6.8
Loss Opp Modifier
+3.4 -3.4
Loss Record Modifier
+0.9 -2.5
Margin Scaling
-0.7 -3.2
Recency Weighting
-0.6 -3.8
Total -3.8 pts
-0.3
13
11/22
W
#67 N #41 Minnesota
38-35
+24.0
+24.0
Point Breakdown
Base Points
+10.0 10.0
Location Modifiers
+1.5 11.5
Win Opp Modifier
+7.6 19.1
Margin Scaling
+1.3 20.4
Recency Weighting
+3.7 24.0
Total 24.0 pts
+0.1
14
11/30
L
#47 @ #23 Illinois
13-20
-4.0
-4.1
Point Breakdown
Base Points
-8.0 -8.0
Location Modifiers
+2.0 -6.0
Loss Opp Modifier
+3.0 -3.0
Loss Record Modifier
+0.6 -2.4
Margin Scaling
-1.0 -3.5
Recency Weighting
-0.6 -4.1
Total -4.1 pts
-0.0
Total
6-6 Record
46.2
49.7
+3.5

All-Time Summary (2016-2025)

10
Seasons
53-64
Record
45%
Win Rate
#59
Avg Rank
#8
Best Rank
0.866
Avg SOS

Final Rank by Season

#1
#34
#67
#100
#134
2016
#50
2017
#14
2018
#13
2019
#88
2020
#16
2021
#102
2022
#124
2023
#32
2024
#91
2025
#57

Season-by-Season Breakdown

Year Conference Record Final Rank Best Rank Points SOS Champion
2025 Big Ten 6-6 (50%) #57 #41 51.8 0.843 -
2024 Big Ten 4-8 (33%) #91 #18 0.7 0.838 -
2023 Big Ten 7-5 (58%) #32 #30 103.1 0.821 -
2022 Big Ten 1-11 (8%) #124 #11 -59.7 0.910 -
2021 Big Ten 3-9 (25%) #102 #75 -29.2 0.901 -
2020 Big Ten 6-2 (75%) #16 #8 122.9 0.892 -
2019 Big Ten 3-9 (25%) #88 #75 3.0 0.890 -
2018 Big Ten 8-5 (62%) #13 #9 167.2 0.863 -
2017 Big Ten 9-3 (75%) #14 #13 177.3 0.841 -
2016 Big Ten 6-6 (50%) #50 #42 70.7 0.865 -