Breaking down Northwestern's 2026 football schedule

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,683
1,277
113
Ouch. IU, OSU, Oregon, three of the top 5 teams, not to mention Ill, Ia, MSU and even PSU should be back to being a stronger team. Pus SDSU is no slouch for an FBS opponent., Brutal
 
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AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
10,105
1,688
113
Ouch. IU, OSU, Oregon, three of the top 5 teams, not to mention Ill, Ia, MSU and even PSU should be back to being a stronger team. Pus SDSU is no slouch for an FBS opponent., Brutal
MSU is our second weakest Big Ten opponent on paper. If Fitz gets them back to league average next year it's a major accomplishment on his part. Important road game for a lot of reasons, hard to have a good season without that one.
 
Jan 25, 2026
3
0
1
Fitz sucks. That’ll be a win but we have 3 almost guaranteed road losses so we better hold serve at home or we’re barbecued chicken.
 

SimpsonElmwood

Sophomore
Nov 20, 2004
1,856
190
63

phatcat_rivals223240

All-Conference
Nov 5, 2001
18,908
1,060
113
I predict a cardiac event-inducing Cat victory over the Gophers in 2026. The score will be 39-36.
The 2023 MN game was a top 5 game for me personally at RF. Maybe top 3. I lived too far away for a long time and could only go to a game or 2 per season or bowl/away games. Went to several in 2022 (and UTEP 2023), and decided last minute to buy a ticket. It looked like 2-10 after 3 quarters of listless football v the Gophs. The stands started emptying. Then Ben Bryant stole my heart with a comeback for the ages. As Mark Twain said, it was a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. I still get chills when I watch the highlights.
 

SimpsonElmwood

Sophomore
Nov 20, 2004
1,856
190
63
The 2023 MN game was a top 5 game for me personally at RF. Maybe top 3. I lived too far away for a long time and could only go to a game or 2 per season or bowl/away games. Went to several in 2022 (and UTEP 2023), and decided last minute to buy a ticket. It looked like 2-10 after 3 quarters of listless football v the Gophs. The stands started emptying. Then Ben Bryant stole my heart with a comeback for the ages. As Mark Twain said, it was a thunderbolt out of a clear sky. I still get chills when I watch the highlights.
That was a wild game. I had given up all hope but was watching anyway. When the Cats started coming back, I turned to my daughter and said, "I think they are going to win this game." It was wild.

The Gopher-Cat series is crazy. Beyond these last two, the Victory Right game and the Brendan Smith interception game were insane. I miss those Glann Mason days.
 

Baz = Heisman

Junior
Aug 15, 2025
548
327
63
Phil Steele had us at the 23rd hardest schedule in 2025 and I think most of us said 6-6 was the goal preseason. After the Tulane game, I thought we might win 2 but we did indeed get to 6-6 and then won the bowl. It feels like 6-6 should be the goal in 2026 again and then the 2027 season would be our “go for it” season which a much more manageable schedule.
 
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ToledoCat

Freshman
Dec 7, 2007
1,584
51
48
With the schedule 6-6 and a bowl game, any bowl game would be a win. MSU game will be critical. FITZ role and our likely QB having MSU ties will be over hyped. It will be good to get that discussion behind us.

 

CatManTrue

All-American
Oct 4, 2008
16,537
5,695
97
With the schedule 6-6 and a bowl game, any bowl game would be a win. MSU game will be critical. FITZ role and our likely QB having MSU ties will be over hyped. It will be good to get that discussion behind us.

6-6 and another bowl game would be a solid season.

The road slate is brutal. But maybe we can shock the world - Indiana should face a larger drop off than people are anticipating. They’re losing a TON of talent, not just Heisman winner Mendoza.
 
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