| Year: | 1987 |
| Team: | Northwestern Wildcats |
| Sport: | football |
| Conference: | Big Ten Conference |
| Short Conf: | Big Ten |
| Record: | 2–8–1 |
| Conf Record: | 2–6 |
| Head Coach: | Francis Peay |
| Hc Year: | 2nd |
| Def Coach: | Bob Junko |
| Dc Year: | 2nd |
| Captain: | Game captains[1] |
| Stadium: | Dyche Stadium |
The 1987 Northwestern Wildcats team represented Northwestern University during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their second year under head coach Francis Peay, the Wildcats compiled a 2–8–1 record (2–6 against Big Ten Conference opponents) and finished in ninth place in the Big Ten Conference.[2]
The team's offensive leaders were quarterback Mike Greenfield with 1,265 passing yards, Byron Sanders with 778 rushing yards, and George Jones with 668 receiving yards.[3]