| Year: | 1940 |
| Team: | Northwestern Wildcats |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
| Short Conf: | Big Ten |
| Aprank: | 8 |
| Record: | 6–2 |
| Conf Record: | 4–2 |
| Head Coach: | Pappy Waldorf |
| Hc Year: | 6th |
| Off Scheme: | Single-wing |
| Mvp: | Paul Hiemenz |
| Captain: | Dick Richards[1] |
| Stadium: | Dyche Stadium |
The 1940 Northwestern Wildcats team was an American football team that represented Northwestern University during the 1940 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth year under head coach Pappy Waldorf, the Wildcats compiled a 6–2 record (4–2 against Big Ten Conference opponents), finished in third place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked No. 8 in the final AP Poll. Their only losses came against No. 1 Minnesota and No. 3 Michigan.[2] [3]
Northwestern was ranked at No. 4 (out of 697 college football teams) in the final rankings under the Litkenhous Difference by Score system for 1940.[4]
They played their home games at Dyche Stadium in Evanston, Illinois.