By almost all accounts, the first half of Northwestern's 2025 season was a success. Picked by oddsmakers to win just 3.5 games, the Wildcats have already matched their 2024 win total with a 4-2 record at the midpoint.
David Braun's squad took care of business against Western Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe, picked up a conference victory over UCLA and upset Penn State as three-touchdown underdogs on the road last weekend. Northwestern's only losses have come to two teams receiving votes in the AP Poll — No. 8 Oregon and Tulane.
The Wildcats must win two of their final six games in order to return to a bowl game for the first time since 2023 — an outcome most NU fans would've gladly welcomed ahead of the season — but not everyone is high on the team's postseason chances. The Athletic's Scott Dochterman gave Northwestern a "C+" grade for the season the 'Cats have had so far.
In a Tuesday article that ranked every Big Ten team's season, Dochterman's C+ placed the Wildcats ninth among the conference's 18 schools.
"The Wildcats have become a midseason surprise thanks to their victory at Penn State that got Nittany Lions coach James Franklin fired," Dochterman said. "Northwestern doesn’t do anything at an elite level, but it can run the ball, play tough defense and avoid penalties. That’s a decent combination when you’re trying to reach a bowl game."
Through six games, Northwestern ranks seventh in the Big Ten in rushing offense (183.2 yards per game), seventh in scoring defense (17.7 points per game), eighth in total defense (305.3 yards per game) and 17th in penalty yardage (179 yards).
The Wildcats' win over Penn State was impressive, but Dochterman is understandably skeptical of Northwestern's performance in its two defeats. NU struggled to score against the Ducks' defense for much of the game, and quarterback Preston Stone had five turnovers in the season-opening loss to the Green Wave.
However, the 'Cats are 3-0 since their bye week, which Braun has said was an opportunity to reevaluate everything.
"It's not the same football team [as in Week 1]," Braun said after defeating the Nittany Lions, 22-21, on Saturday. "It's a reflection for all of us within the program, in life, that you are not defined by one bad day. You aren't defined by one bad game. Our group took that to heart. That was a bad day. That was a frustrating day. But it did not take away all the hard work that had gone into building this football team and building the unity that we're talking about back in January. It's a testament to the leadership within our locker room from our players."
Since the loss to Tulane, Stone has thrown eight touchdowns to two picks and completed nearly 65% of his passes. The Wildcats are now relying on their graduate transfer quarterback and a strong ground game to complement their sturdy defense, and the combination of those has recalibrated what a "successful" 2025 season looks like for Northwestern.
It's a daunting road ahead for the 'Cats, who face four teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the latest AP Poll over their final six games. But the window has now shifted for Northwestern, and only the Wildcats truly know what they're capable of.
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