Football · Men's Basketball · Women's Basketball
Northwestern
Best finish
No. 8
Seasons ranked
17 / 24
Best finish
No. 8 (2020-2021)
Sports
Football · Men's Basketball · Women's Basketball
Polls
Media · Coaches · Playoff
Years in the Rankings
Any poll, any sportBest ranking by season · 2000-2001 – 2023-2024
Each point is Northwestern's best rank that season. Lower is better; gaps are seasons unranked.
A year is lit when Northwestern was ranked in any poll that season; the best rank reached is shown. Click a year to open that season's poll board and cycle it week by week.
2020s3 ranked
2010s9 ranked
2000s5 ranked
2009
Best · No. 25
Men's2008
Best · No. 20
FB
2007Unranked
2006Unranked
2005
Best · No. 21
FB2004Unranked
2003Unranked
2002Unranked
2001
Best · No. 14
FB2000
Best · No. 12
FBRecent Season
Media Top 25 · 2020-2021Ranking by week
Lower is better. Gaps mark weeks the team was unranked. Open this season's board →
2020-2021 Schedule
7–2Opponent ranks are their Media Top 25 position that week. Ranked wins are highlighted.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 8 | vs |  Maryland |
W 43–3 |
| Wk 9 | at |  Iowa |
W 21–20 |
| Wk 10 | vs |  Nebraska |
W 21–13 |
| Wk 11 | at |  Purdue |
W 27–20 |
| Wk 12 | vs | 10 Wisconsin |
W 17–7 |
| Wk 13 | at |  Michigan State |
L 20–29 |
| Wk 15 | vs |  Illinois |
W 28–10 |
| Wk 16 | vs | 3 Ohio State · neutral |
L 10–22 |
| Bowl | vs |  Auburn · neutral |
W 35–19 |