NW
FBS PROGRAM EXPLORER
Northwestern
Program Explorer
Program arc
Win rate shows the results layer. End-of-season power shows the strength layer. A serious history page needs both.
Bars: win rate
Line: public power vs average team
Historical snapshot
A fast read on what this program usually is, what its peak looks like, and how the latest season compares.
The number of fully modeled seasons currently attached to this program.
A recent multi-year closing-power average. This is the kind of anchor that should matter in preseason priors.
How the current season's closing power stacks up against the program's recent standard.
How far the current season finished below the strongest loaded team in program history.
The strongest closing power this program has posted in the loaded archive.
No earlier loaded season beat the current closing power.
No earlier loaded season beat the current resume.
The highest loaded all-level board finish currently attached to this program.
The strongest body-of-work season currently attached to this program in the loaded archive.
Where the current season sits inside this program's loaded history on the two main scales.
A cleaner fan-facing answer to the question: is this near the top of the program's arc or just another solid year?
The cleanest results season in the loaded archive, regardless of whether it was also the strongest by power.
Current context
The premium fan question is not only "how good is this team?" It is "how good is this season relative to the program I know?"
Program signals
The clearest historical takeaways, written for scan speed.
2025 Season
Ended at power +20.4, record 7-6, and final loaded-board rank #58.
2020 Season
Resume 95 / 100 with 7 wins and a 78% win rate.
10-2
The cleanest loaded season by results came in 1995, with a margin of +130.
1978 Season
0-10 with power -- and margin -348.
Best resume season
2026 | 96 / 100
Latest versus standard
+10.1
Season explorer
Every loaded season, with conference era attached to the correct year and filters built for the questions fans actually ask.
| Season | Conference | Lens | Record | Final Rank | End Power | End Resume | Margin | Season Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Big TenFBS | CurrentThis season anchors the current board. | 6-2 | #10 | +29.3 | 96 | +119 | Open team page |
| 2025 | Big TenFBS | In range | 7-6 | #58 | +20.4 | 94 | +46 | Program view |
| 2024 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 4-8 | #91 | +17.2 | 70 | −102 | Program view |
| 2023 | Big TenFBS | In range | 8-5 | #57 | +20.1 | 94 | −6 | Program view |
| 2022 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 1-11 | #111 | +15.5 | 57 | −175 | Program view |
| 2021 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 3-9 | #96 | +9.0 | 34 | −149 | Program view |
| 2020 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 7-2 | #37 | +4.8 | 95 | +79 | Program view |
| 2019 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 3-9 | #58 | +7.9 | 43 | −87 | Program view |
| 2018 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 9-5 | #41 | +10.2 | 90 | +14 | Program view |
| 2017 | Big TenFBS | Best finishHighest loaded final board finish. | 10-3 | #32 | +11.5 | 90 | +119 | Program view |
| 2016 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 7-6 | #38 | +10.2 | 81 | +49 | Program view |
| 2015 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 10-3 | #69 | +6.9 | 92 | +12 | Program view |
| 2014 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 5-7 | #77 | +6.4 | 62 | −26 | Program view |
| 2013 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 5-7 | #61 | +8.6 | 56 | −11 | Program view |
| 2012 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 10-3 | #44 | +9.5 | 94 | +119 | Program view |
| 2011 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 6-7 | #70 | +7.0 | 71 | +16 | Program view |
| 2010 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 7-6 | #72 | +7.1 | 63 | −34 | Program view |
| 2009 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 8-5 | #53 | +9.2 | 72 | +19 | Program view |
| 2008 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 9-4 | #58 | +9.3 | 86 | +55 | Program view |
| 2007 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 6-6 | #77 | +7.7 | 44 | −62 | Program view |
| 2006 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 4-8 | #70 | +8.0 | 47 | −116 | Program view |
| 2005 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 7-5 | #53 | +9.1 | 83 | −19 | Program view |
| 2004 | Big TenFBS | Below recent levelClosed well below the program's recent baseline, which is not the same as a bad season. | 6-6 | #64 | +8.1 | 66 | −47 | Program view |
| 2003 | Big TenFBS | In range | 6-7 | #-- | -- | -- | −63 | Program view |
| 2002 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-9 | #-- | -- | -- | −221 | Program view |
| 2001 | Big TenFBS | In range | 4-7 | #-- | -- | -- | −58 | Program view |
| 2000 | Big TenFBS | In range | 8-4 | #-- | -- | -- | +41 | Program view |
| 1999 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −160 | Program view |
| 1998 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-9 | #-- | -- | -- | −123 | Program view |
| 1997 | Big TenFBS | In range | 5-7 | #-- | -- | -- | −45 | Program view |
| 1996 | Big TenFBS | In range | 9-3 | #-- | -- | -- | +58 | Program view |
| 1995 | Big TenFBS | Best recordCleanest win-loss season in the loaded archive. | 10-2 | #-- | -- | -- | +130 | Program view |
| 1994 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-7 | #-- | -- | -- | −141 | Program view |
| 1993 | Big TenFBS | In range | 2-9 | #-- | -- | -- | −150 | Program view |
| 1992 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −203 | Program view |
| 1991 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −146 | Program view |
| 1990 | Big TenFBS | In range | 2-9 | #-- | -- | -- | −160 | Program view |
| 1989 | Big TenFBS | In range | 0-11 | #-- | -- | -- | −256 | Program view |
| 1988 | Big TenFBS | In range | 2-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −158 | Program view |
| 1987 | Big TenFBS | In range | 2-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −142 | Program view |
| 1986 | Big TenFBS | In range | 4-7 | #-- | -- | -- | −34 | Program view |
| 1985 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −162 | Program view |
| 1984 | Big TenFBS | In range | 2-9 | #-- | -- | -- | −211 | Program view |
| 1983 | Big TenFBS | In range | 2-9 | #-- | -- | -- | −297 | Program view |
| 1982 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −173 | Program view |
| 1981 | Big TenFBS | In range | 0-11 | #-- | -- | -- | −423 | Program view |
| 1980 | Big TenFBS | In range | 0-11 | #-- | -- | -- | −293 | Program view |
| 1979 | Big TenFBS | In range | 1-10 | #-- | -- | -- | −271 | Program view |
| 1978 | Big TenFBS | In range | 0-10 | #-- | -- | -- | −348 | Program view |
| 1977 | Big TenFBS | In range | 1-10 | #-- | -- | -- | −235 | Program view |
| 1976 | Big TenFBS | In range | 1-10 | #-- | -- | -- | −177 | Program view |
| 1975 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −169 | Program view |
| 1974 | Big TenFBS | In range | 3-8 | #-- | -- | -- | −245 | Program view |
| 1973 | Big TenFBS | In range | 4-7 | #-- | -- | -- | −111 | Program view |
| 1972 | Big TenFBS | In range | 2-9 | #-- | -- | -- | −144 | Program view |
| 1971 | Big TenFBS | In range | 7-4 | #-- | -- | -- | +28 | Program view |
| 1970 | Big TenFBS | In range | 6-4 | #-- | -- | -- | +72 | Program view |