Northwestern Earns Bowl Game Predictions After Purdue Win

Gavin Dorsey

Oct 20, 2025, 00:46

Gavin Dorsey

Oct 20, 2025, 00:46

Updated at: Oct 20, 2025, 00:46

Northwestern's 2025 season has already exceeded the expectations of college football's national media and preseason prognosticators. One more win would clinch a bowl game for the Wildcats, which last reached the postseason in 2023.

According to ESPN's FPI metric, the 'Cats had just a 6% chance of winning six games heading into the season, with 3.7 expected wins and 1.7 expected wins in Big Ten play. Now 5-2 (3-1 B1G), Northwestern's odds have skyrocketed to 83.3% with five games remaining.

The Wildcats play Nebraska, USC, No. 25 Michigan, Minnesota and No. 23 Illinois to close out the season, needing just one win to return to a bowl game. There's still a lot of football left to play, but the postseason predictions have already started rolling in for David Braun's squad.

After shutting out Purdue on Saturday, Northwestern is currently projected to play in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl by ESPN's Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabath. Bonagura's prediction had NU matched up against No. 19 Louisville (5-1, 2-1 ACC), while Schlabath went with Pittsburgh (5-2, 3-1 ACC).

The 'Cats previously beat Pitt in the 2016 iteration of the Pinstripe Bowl, 31-24, their lone trip to Yankee Stadium. Running back Justin Jackson was named the game's MVP with an all-time performance, in which he powered Northwestern with 224 rushing yards and three touchdowns. The Wildcats' defense also forced four turnovers to cap off a tough season with a 7-6 record.

Northwestern's road ahead is a daunting one, with its remaining opponents having combined for a 25-10 record so far. But the Wildcats have proven to be a force in their own right.

Among 136 FBS teams, the 'Cats rank 24th in scoring defense (17.7 points per game) and total defense (305.3 yards per game). Northwestern has complemented the stout defensive unit with the eighth-best time of possession margin in the nation, the third-fewest penalty yards and a rushing offense that averages over 190 yards per game on the ground.

If Northwestern wants to topple its conference foes down the stretch, it'll need to rely on this same formula over the season's final five games. The Wildcats have run the ball well, played exemplary defense and made minimal mistakes, and following the same blueprint that Northwestern used to upset Penn State could vault NU into the postseason.

Northwestern Earns Bowl Game Predictions After Purdue Win