The Northwestern Wildcats football program is a college football team representing Northwestern University in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Wildcats compete in the Big Ten Conference.
The Wildcats' first football game was played in 1882 against Lake Forest College. Northwestern won 11-0. The Wildcats joined the Big Ten Conference in 1896.
Northwestern has won three Big Ten championships, in 1903, 1931, and 1936. The Wildcats have also played in six bowl games, winning two of them.
The Wildcats' most successful era came in the 1930s under the leadership of head coach Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf. Waldorf led the Wildcats to two Big Ten championships (1931 and 1936) and a bowl game appearance in the 1936 Rose Bowl.
Here are some of the most notable Northwestern Wildcats football players:
- Otto Graham (quarterback, 1942-1945; College Football Hall of Fame inductee)
- Pat Fitzgerald (linebacker, 1993-1996; College Football Hall of Fame inductee)
- Dan Persa (quarterback, 2007-2011; Northwestern's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns)
- Justin Jackson (running back, 2014-2017; Northwestern's all-time leading rusher)
- Rashawn Slater (offensive tackle, 2017-2020; Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2020)
Check out the best posts of the internet that tell the history of Northwestern Wildcats football program in this collection we have assembled. The Wildcats represent Northwestern University of Chicago on the gridiron.
