Bowl projections showing up ...

rmndcat

Junior
Sep 4, 2009
2,840
264
83
Pinstripe v UVa would be fun. I have Cavalier in-laws.
Cactus might be drivable from here.
I worked for banks in Charlotte for several years. Profoundly meh. Have zero interest in playing Clemson.
 

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
21,946
2,099
113
I'd love to see Braun whup Dabo. Plus it's in my backyard.....
 

Deeringfish

All-Conference
Jun 23, 2008
22,073
1,918
63
I respect those who enjoy speculating, but I prefer not to do so. It's all fantasyland, at least until the Cats become bowl eligible, right?
Yeah a little too soon. Maybe when we have 5 wins with 4 or 5 games to go. Given this schedule.
 
  • Like
Reactions: docrugby1

Sheffielder

Senior
Sep 1, 2004
10,083
896
113
No need to get worked up or be pragmatic about bowl projections, it's all just for fun (and clicks) - good to see the program actually getting predictions; sometimes I will Crtl+F "Northwestern" in those articles and...0 results.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rmndcat and kaTNap

kaTNap

Junior
Nov 6, 2005
2,746
377
83
I respect those who enjoy speculating, but I prefer not to do so. It's all fantasyland, at least until the Cats become bowl eligible, right?
Nobody is even hypothetically bowl-eligible for another week or two. It's just for fun, but it's nice to see us get recognition ... and hopefully see us rise in the bowl pecking order.
 
  • Like
Reactions: rmndcat

kaTNap

Junior
Nov 6, 2005
2,746
377
83
Post week 5:

CBS says ReliaQuest vs A&M (quite a bump up from last week!)

Athlon says Music City vs Kentucky (think I've heard that song before)

ESPN says either Duke's Mayo vs Duke (vomit!) or Pinstripe vs SMU

CFN is still stuck on Pinstripe vs UVa
 
Last edited:

rmndcat

Junior
Sep 4, 2009
2,840
264
83
Nobody is even hypothetically bowl-eligible for another week or two. It's just for fun, but it's nice to see us get recognition ... and hopefully see us rise in the bowl pecking order.
We have a pretty clear path to bowl eligibility by the time of the Oregon game.
 

Purple Pete

Freshman
Sep 22, 2025
98
76
18
Post week 5:

CBS says ReliaQuest vs A&M (quite a bump up from last week!)

Athlon says Music City vs Kentucky (think I've heard that song before)
If I recall corectly, I think the name of that tune was, "We're Going to Try to Eject as Many Players as We Can."
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alvious

jne381

Sophomore
Sep 2, 2013
571
105
23
Is it too early to dream about a playoff bid? They have a tough road. Even if they take care of Ball State, Rutgers, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Illinois (which I think they can win all those), they have to host a very good Iowa team, and then OSU and Oregon on the road. To make the playoff, they will need to win those first five, and then take two of the last three. I am not sure a three loss team will make the playoff.

I can't help but think how amazing a home playoff game at NRF would be.
 

UpsetAlert

Junior
May 21, 2018
1,647
242
52
Is it too early to dream about a playoff bid? They have a tough road. Even if they take care of Ball State, Rutgers, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Illinois (which I think they can win all those), they have to host a very good Iowa team, and then OSU and Oregon on the road. To make the playoff, they will need to win those first five, and then take two of the last three. I am not sure a three loss team will make the playoff.

I can't help but think how amazing a home playoff game at NRF would be.
Gameday watch vs Iowa?
 

kaTNap

Junior
Nov 6, 2005
2,746
377
83
Post week 6 (warning! may induce nausea!):

  • CFN/Fiutak: Duke's Mayo vs. Florida State (I like this one!)
  • CBS Sports: Pinstripe vs. Duke (yuck!)
  • ESPN: Pinstripe vs. Louisville -or- Duke's Mayo vs. Duke (yuck x2!)
  • Athlon: Pinestripe vs. Pitt (like deja vu all over again!)
  • On3/McMurphy: Pinstripe vs. Pitt (is there an echo in here?)
  • USAToday ... think this was done by PJ Fleck's mom's best friend, possibly with help from Clucko the Chicken. They don't list us at all, they have Minnesota going to the ReliaQuest bowl (sure, buddy ... whatever you say!), and they think the Duke's Mayo Bowl is SEC vs ACC, when everyone else agrees it's B1G vs ACC. Sheesh....!
(I tried to put in links for all of these, but the board software just won't tolerate it, sorry. Something is buggy, somwhere ...)
 
Last edited:

kaTNap

Junior
Nov 6, 2005
2,746
377
83
I am not sure a three loss team will make the playoff.
Alabama made the playoffs last year with 3 losses, but one of those was in the SECCG ... and they're Alabama. And the argument can be (and was) made that it was a mistake to put them there.
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,410
1,475
62
Is it too early to dream about a playoff bid? They have a tough road. Even if they take care of Ball State, Rutgers, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Illinois (which I think they can win all those), they have to host a very good Iowa team, and then OSU and Oregon on the road. To make the playoff, they will need to win those first five, and then take two of the last three. I am not sure a three loss team will make the playoff.

I can't help but think how amazing a home playoff game at NRF would be.
If we win all those games except OSU, I think we are in. That is probably the only way (well.... other than winning all of them).
 

JustGary

Senior
Oct 7, 2025
363
504
93
If we win all those games except OSU, I think we are in. That is probably the only way (well.... other than winning all of them).
Basically, we can only lose one of our remaining conference games. It doesn’t matter which one as beating Ohio State and losing to anyone else will put us in. Losing two more is a deal breaker. Basically we are competing with UCLA, Oregon, USC, Iowa, and Wisconsin for one or two spots. I’m think Indiana and Ohio State are safe but things can change.
 
Wildcat Report

Latest

  1. 01 Wildcat Report Facing Fitz not that big a deal for Northwestern team chasing bigger goals
  2. 02 Wildcat Report Behind Enemy Lines: Michigan State
  3. 03 On3 Football Northwestern's David Braun on pursuit of Chip Kelly: 'We're not crazy to dream big'
  4. 04 Wildcat Report Players, coaches honor Northwestern's one and only 'Papa D', Doug Collins
  5. 05 On3 Football Associated Press releases its midseason All-Americans at halfway point in college football