2020 Northwestern Wildcats football team explained

Year:	2020
Team:	Northwestern Wildcats
Sport:	football
Conference:	Big Ten Conference
Short Conf:	Big Ten
Division:	West Division
Coachrank:	10
Aprank:	10
Record:	7–2
Conf Record:	6–1
Hc Year:	15th
Oc Year:	1st
Dc Year:	13th
Champion:	Big Ten West Division champion Citrus Bowl champion
Bowl Result:	W 35–19 vs. Auburn

The 2020 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois, and competed in the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They were led by 15th-year head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

On August 11, 2020, the Big Ten Conference canceled all fall sports competitions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[1] However, on September 16, the Big Ten reinstated the season, announcing an eight-game season beginning on October 24.^[2]

Schedule

Northwestern had games scheduled against Tulane, Central Michigan, and Morgan State, but canceled these games on July 9 due to the Big Ten Conference's decision to play a conference-only schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^{[3] [4]}

Game summaries

Maryland

See also: 2020 Maryland Terrapins football team.

At Iowa

See also: 2020 Iowa Hawkeyes football team.

Nebraska

See also: 2020 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.

At Purdue

See also: 2020 Purdue Boilermakers football team.

Wisconsin

See also: 2020 Wisconsin Badgers football team.

At Michigan State

See also: 2020 Michigan State Spartans football team.

At Minnesota (Cancelled)

See also: 2020 Minnesota Golden Gophers football team.

Illinois

See also: 2020 Illinois Fighting Illini football team and Illinois–Northwestern football rivalry.

Vs. Ohio State

See also: 2020 Big Ten Football Championship Game and 2020 Ohio State Buckeyes football team.

Vs. Auburn

See also: 2021 Citrus Bowl and 2020 Auburn Tigers football team.

Players drafted into the NFL

See also: 2021 NFL draft.

1	13		OT	Los Angeles Chargers
1	26		CB	Cleveland Browns
5	174		DE	Los Angeles Rams

Undrafted players

Blake Gallagher	LB	Baltimore Ravens
Riley Lees	WR	Cincinnati Bengals
Gunnar Vogel	OT	Chicago Bears
J.R. Pace	CB	Atlanta Falcons
John Raine	TE	Atlanta Falcons
Paddy Fisher	LB	Carolina Panthers

Source:^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Big Ten Statement on 2020-21 Fall Season . https://web.archive.org/web/20200811191111/https://bigten.org/news/2020/8/11/general-big-ten-statement-on-2020-21-fall-season.aspx . dead . August 11, 2020 . . August 11, 2020. August 11, 2020.
2. Web site: The Big Ten Conference Adopts Stringent Medical Protocols; Football Season to Resume October 23-24, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200916150241/https://bigten.org/news/2020/9/16/the-big-ten-conference-adopts-stringent-medical-protocols-football-season-to-resume-october-23-24-2020.aspx . dead . September 16, 2020 . . September 16, 2020. September 16, 2020.
3. Web site: Myerberg . Paul . Big Ten football reduces season schedule to only conference games, maybe setting stage for others to follow . USA TODAY . 10 July 2020.
4. Web site: 2020 Northwestern Football Schedule . FBSchedules.com . February 29, 2020.
5. Web site: Bible. The NFL Draft. 2021 NFL Draft undrafted free agent tracker: Rookie UDFA signings from all 32 teams.. 2021-05-27. The NFL Draft Bible on Sports Illustrated: The Leading Authority on the NFL Draft. May 11, 2021 . en.