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Has Northwestern won a national championship?
Key takeaways
- Northwestern Wildcats football has not won a national championship.
- Across the Big Ten, Michigan (12), USC (11), Ohio State (9), Minnesota (7), Michigan State (6), Illinois (5), Nebraska (5), Penn State (2), Washington (2), Indiana (1), Iowa (1), Maryland (1), Rutgers (1), UCLA (1) have claimed national titles.
- All-time record in our game log (1892-2026): 571-710-40.
0 National titles
571-710-40 Record 1892-2026
8 of 18 Bowl / playoff wins
1936 (7-1) Best season
Northwestern postseason, 1892-2026
| Season | Record | Postseason |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7-6 | Won GameAbove Sports Bowl |
| 2023 | 8-5 | Won SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl |
| 2020 | 7-2 | Won Vrbo Citrus Bowl |
| 2018 | 9-5 | Won Bowl game |
| 2017 | 10-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 2016 | 7-6 | Won NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL |
| 2015 | 10-3 | Lost OUTBACK BOWL |
| 2012 | 10-3 | Won TAXSLAYER.com GATOR BOWL |
| 2011 | 6-7 | Lost MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL OF TEXAS |
| 2010 | 7-6 | Lost TICKETCITY BOWL |
| 2009 | 8-5 | Lost OUTBACK BOWL |
| 2008 | 9-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2005 | 7-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2003 | 6-7 | Lost Bowl game |
| 2000 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1996 | 9-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1995 | 10-2 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1948 | 8-2 | Won Bowl game |
Source: CollegeFootballData game results via the CFB Data Hub.
National titles across the Big Ten
| Team | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|
 Michigan Wolverines | 12 | 2023 |
 USC Trojans | 11 | 2004 |
 Ohio State Buckeyes | 9 | 2024 |
 Minnesota Golden Gophers | 7 | 1960 |
 Michigan State Spartans | 6 | 1966 |
 Illinois Fighting Illini | 5 | 1951 |
 Nebraska Cornhuskers | 5 | 1997 |
 Penn State Nittany Lions | 2 | 1986 |
 Washington Huskies | 2 | 1991 |
 Indiana Hoosiers | 1 | 2025 |
 Iowa Hawkeyes | 1 | 1958 |
 Maryland Terrapins | 1 | 1953 |
 Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 1 | 1869 |
 UCLA Bruins | 1 | 1954 |
 Northwestern Wildcats this page | 0 | None yet |
 Oregon Ducks | 0 | None yet |
 Purdue Boilermakers | 0 | None yet |
 Wisconsin Badgers | 0 | None yet |
Current Big Ten members, claimed national championships.
Where Northwestern sits in the Big Ten
Current Big Ten programs have claimed 64 national titles between them: 12 for Michigan, 11 for USC, nine for Ohio State, seven for Minnesota, six for Michigan State, five for Illinois, five for Nebraska, two for Penn State, two for Washington, one for Indiana, one for Iowa, one for Maryland, one for Rutgers and one for UCLA. The other four programs are still chasing a first. See how this season is shaping up on the Big Ten standings, or browse every season on the Northwestern record by year page.
Editorial note
College football crowned national champions by polls and selectors before the BCS (1998) and the College Football Playoff (2014). The titles here are the ones each program claims in its own record book.
Northwestern Wildcats football has not won a national championship.
About the author and reviewer
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Frequently asked questions
Has Northwestern ever won a national championship?
Northwestern Wildcats football has not won a national championship.
Which Big Ten teams have won national championships?
Michigan (1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1918, 1923, 1932, 1933, 1947, 1948, 1997, 2023), USC (1928, 1931, 1932, 1939, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1974, 1978, 2003, 2004), Ohio State (1942, 1954, 1957, 1961, 1968, 1970, 2002, 2014, 2024), Minnesota (1904, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1940, 1941, 1960), Michigan State (1951, 1952, 1955, 1957, 1965, 1966), Illinois (1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, 1951), Nebraska (1970, 1971, 1994, 1995, 1997), Penn State (1982, 1986), Washington (1960, 1991), Indiana (2025), Iowa (1958), Maryland (1953), Rutgers (1869), UCLA (1954).