2026 Northwestern Wildcats football team

American college football season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2026 Northwestern Wildcats football team will represent Northwestern University as a member of the Big Ten Conference during the 2026 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They are led by fourth-year head coach David Braun. The team will play its first two home games at a temporary facility constructed at the university's Martin Stadium, while playing their final five home games at Ryan Field after construction is finished, debuting on October 2.[1]

ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record0–0 (0–0 Big Ten)
Headcoach
OffensivecoordinatorChip Kelly (1st season)
Quick facts Northwestern Wildcats football, Conference ...
2026 Northwestern Wildcats football
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Record0–0 (0–0 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorChip Kelly (1st season)
Defensive coordinatorTim McGarigle (3rd season)
Home stadiumMartin Stadium
Ryan Field
Seasons
← 2025
2027 →
Close
More information Conf., Overall ...
2026 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Illinois 0–0  0–0 
Indiana 0–0  0–0 
Iowa 0–0  0–0 
Maryland 0–0  0–0 
Michigan 0–0  0–0 
Michigan State 0–0  0–0 
Minnesota 0–0  0–0 
Nebraska 0–0  0–0 
Northwestern 0–0  0–0 
Ohio State 0–0  0–0 
Oregon 0–0  0–0 
Penn State 0–0  0–0 
Purdue 0–0  0–0 
Rutgers 0–0  0–0 
UCLA 0–0  0–0 
USC 0–0  0–0 
Washington 0–0  0–0 
Wisconsin 0–0  0–0 
Championship: December 5, 2026
As of July 8, 2026
Rankings from AP poll
Close

Schedule

More information Date, Time ...
DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResult
September 57:00 p.m.South Dakota State*
BTN
September 196:30 p.m.Colorado*
  • Martin Stadium
  • Evanston, IL
TBA
September 257:00 p.m.at Indiana
FOX
October 27:00 p.m.Penn State
FOX
October 10Ball State*dagger
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
October 17at Michigan State
October 24Rutgers
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
October 31at Oregon
November 7Iowa
  • Ryan Field
  • Evanston, IL
November 14at Ohio State
November 21at Minnesota
November 28Illinois
Close

[2][3]

Game summaries

vs. South Dakota State

See also: 2026 South Dakota State Jackrabbits football team
South Dakota State Jackrabbits (0–0) at Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Jackrabbits (FCS) 0 0 000
Wildcats 0 0 000
Close

at Martin Stadium • Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: September 5
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. CST
  • TV announcers (BTN): TBD
More information Statistics, SDST ...
StatisticsSDSTNU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
South Dakota State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

vs. Colorado

See also: 2026 Colorado Buffaloes football team
Colorado Buffaloes (0–0) at Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Buffaloes 0 0 000
Wildcats 0 0 000
Close

at Martin Stadium • Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: September 19
  • Game time: 6:30 p.m. CST
  • TV announcers (FOX or FS1): TBD
More information Statistics, COLO ...
StatisticsCOLONU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Colorado Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

at Indiana

See also: 2026 Indiana Hoosiers football team
Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) at Indiana Hoosiers (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Wildcats 0 0 000
Hoosiers 0 0 000
Close

at Memorial Stadium • Bloomington, Indiana

  • Date: September 25
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. CST
  • TV announcers (FOX): TBD
More information Statistics, NU ...
StatisticsNUIU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Indiana Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

vs. Penn State

See also: 2026 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
Penn State Nittany Lions (0–0) at Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Nittany Lions 0 0 000
Wildcats 0 0 000
Close

at Ryan Field • Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: October 2
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. CST
  • TV announcers (FOX): TBD
More information Statistics, PSU ...
StatisticsPSUNU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Penn State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

vs. Ball State

Ball State Cardinals (0–0) at Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Cardinals 0 0 000
Wildcats 0 0 000
Close

at Ryan Field • Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: October 10
More information Statistics, BALL ...
StatisticsBALLNU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Ball State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

at Michigan State

See also: 2026 Michigan State Spartans football team
Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) at Michigan State Spartans (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Wildcats 0 0 000
Spartans 0 0 000
Close

at Spartan Stadium • East Lansing, Michigan

  • Date: October 17
More information Statistics, NU ...
StatisticsNUMSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Michigan State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

vs. Rutgers

See also: 2026 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
Rutgers Scarlet Knights (0–0) at Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Scarlet Knights 0 0 000
Wildcats 0 0 000
Close

at Ryan Field • Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: October 24
More information Statistics, RUTG ...
StatisticsRUTGNU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Rutgers Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

at Oregon

See also: 2026 Oregon Ducks football team
Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) at Oregon Ducks (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Wildcats 0 0 000
Ducks 0 0 000
Close

at Autzen Stadium • Eugene, Oregon

  • Date: October 31
More information Statistics, NU ...
StatisticsNUORE
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Oregon Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

vs. Iowa

See also: 2026 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
Iowa Hawkeyes (0–0) at Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Hawkeyes 0 0 000
Wildcats 0 0 000
Close

at Ryan Field • Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: November 7
More information Statistics, IOWA ...
StatisticsIOWANU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Iowa Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

at Ohio State

See also: 2026 Ohio State Buckeyes football team
Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) at Ohio State Buckeyes (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Wildcats 0 0 000
Buckeyes 0 0 000
Close

at Ohio Stadium • Columbus, Ohio

  • Date: November 14
More information Statistics, NU ...
StatisticsNUOSU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Ohio State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

at Minnesota

See also: 2026 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team
Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) at Minnesota Golden Gophers (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Wildcats 0 0 000
Golden Gophers 0 0 000
Close

at Huntington Bank Stadium • Minneapolis, Minnesota

  • Date: November 21
More information Statistics, NU ...
StatisticsNUMINN
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Minnesota Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

vs. Illinois

See also: 2026 Illinois Fighting Illini football team and Illinois–Northwestern football rivalry
Illinois Fighting Illini (0–0) at Northwestern Wildcats (0–0) – Game summary
More information Quarter, Total ...
Quarter 1 2 34Total
Fighting Illini 0 0 000
Wildcats 0 0 000
Close

at Ryan Field • Evanston, Illinois

  • Date: November 28
More information Statistics, ILL ...
StatisticsILLNU
First downs
Plays–yards
Rushes–yards
Passing yards
Passing: comp–att–int
Time of possession
Close
More information Team, Category ...
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Illinois Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Northwestern Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Close

References

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