Big Ten · FBS
Northwestern 7-6
2025 season · Wildcats
No. 53 toughest schedule of 136 — see full rankings
Northwestern is 7-6 under head coach David Braun. Its 13 opponents were a combined 48-30 before playing the Wildcats and are 38-39 since. The best win was over UL Monroe, which was 3-1 going in.
Data last updated
Open a row to see that opponent's season, split into games before Northwestern, the game itself, and games after. Total includes the game vs. Northwestern.
Wk 2·
Western Illinois
Home · OVC-Big South · FCS
W 42-7
- Before
- 0-1
- After
- 4-6
- Total
- 4-8
Show Western Illinois' seasonHide Western Illinois' season
Wk 2
Western Illinois
Home · OVC-Big South · FCS
Show Western Illinois' seasonHide Western Illinois' season
W 42-7
0-1
4-6
4-8
Wk 2·
Western Illinois
Home · OVC-Big South · FCS
W 42-7
- Before
- 0-1
- After
- 4-6
- Total
- 4-8
Show Western Illinois' seasonHide Western Illinois' season
Wk 2
Western Illinois
Home · OVC-Big South · FCS
Show Western Illinois' seasonHide Western Illinois' season
W 42-7
0-1
4-6
4-8
Wk 7·
Away · Big Ten
W 22-21
- Before
- 3-2
- After
- 4-3
- Total
- 7-6
Show Penn State's seasonHide Penn State's season
Wk 7
W 22-21
3-2
4-3
7-6
Wk 7·
Away · Big Ten
W 22-21
- Before
- 3-2
- After
- 4-3
- Total
- 7-6
Show Penn State's seasonHide Penn State's season
Wk 7
W 22-21
3-2
4-3
7-6
W 34-7
- Before
- 7-5
- After
- 0-0
- Total
- 7-6
Show Central Michigan's seasonHide Central Michigan's season
GameAbove Sports Bowl
27 days rest
W 34-7
7-5
0-0
7-6
W 34-7
- Before
- 7-5
- After
- 0-0
- Total
- 7-6
Show Central Michigan's seasonHide Central Michigan's season
GameAbove Sports Bowl
27 days rest
W 34-7
7-5
0-0
7-6
- Conference
- Big Ten
- Head coach
- David Braun
- Stadium
- Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium, seats 12,023, Evanston, Illinois
- NFL draft
- 2 picked in the 2026 NFL draft, earliest in round 3
Receipt insights
- Northwestern's opponents were a combined 48-30 (.615) before playing Northwestern.
- Best win by opponent record: Minnesota, finished 8-5 (won 38-35, Wk 13).
Combined opponents
Across 13 completed games
Before playing Northwestern
48-30
61.5%
vs. Northwestern
6-7
46.2%
After playing Northwestern
38-39
49.4%
Total (including vs. Northwestern)
92-76
54.8%
Teams we beat34-53total (39.1%)
Before playing Northwestern 21-20 · after 13-26
Teams that beat us58-23total (71.6%)
Before playing Northwestern 27-10 · after 25-13
How we count
Records are summed once per game on this schedule, so an opponent who shows up twice is counted twice. Before playing Northwestern uses only that opponent's games completed before the kickoff. vs. Northwestern is the opponents' combined record in those head-to-head games. After playing Northwestern uses only games completed later. Total adds the three together. Canceled, postponed, and vacated games are excluded. Winning percentage counts a tie as half a win.