| Year: | 1979 |
| Team: | Northwestern Wildcats |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
| Short Conf: | Big Ten |
| Record: | 1–10 |
| Conf Record: | 0–9 |
| Head Coach: | Rick Venturi |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Captain: | Kevin Berg[1] |
| Captain2: | Mike Fiedler |
| Stadium: | Dyche Stadium |
The 1979 Northwestern Wildcats team represented Northwestern University during the 1979 Big Ten Conference football season. In their second year under head coach Rick Venturi, the Wildcats compiled a 1–10 record (0–9 against Big Ten Conference opponents) and finished in last place in the Big Ten Conference.[2]
The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Mike Kerrigan with 961 passing yards, Jeff Cohn with 426 rushing yards, and Todd Sheets with 614 receiving yards.[3]
Northwestern's 54–21 loss to Syracuse on September 22 began a 34-game losing streak, the longest in NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) history. The Wildcats did not win another game until September 25, 1982.
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club | |
| Guard | 12 | 330 | Dallas Cowboys |