Drowning in a sea of controversy ahead of the 2024 college football season, David Braun somehow kept the Northwestern Wildcats alive and plotted a course for the postseason. Can the team follow up that unexpected success in the new-look Big Ten? The Northwestern 2024 football schedule has reasons for optimism but also comes with a nasty sting in the tail at the end.
Northwestern 2024 Football Schedule
- vs. Miami (OH) RedHawks
Saturday, August 31, time TBA - vs. Duke Blue Devils
Saturday, September 7, time TBA - vs. Eastern Illinois Panthers
Saturday, September 14, time TBA - at Washington Huskies
Saturday, September 21, time TBA - vs. Indiana Hoosiers
Saturday, October 5, time TBA - at Maryland Terrapins
Saturday, October 12, time TBA - vs. Wisconsin Badgers
Saturday, October 19, time TBA - at Iowa Hawkeyes
Saturday, October 26, time TBA - at Purdue Boilermakers
Saturday, November 2, time TBA - vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
Saturday, November 16, time TBA - at Michigan Wolverines
Saturday, November 23, time TBA - vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
Saturday, November 30, time TBA
According to the CFN Strength of Schedule, the Northwestern 2024 football schedule ranks as the ninth most difficult in the Big Ten. In the new-look, 18-team conference, that’s as mid-table as you can get. Opening the campaign with three out-of-conference “home” games — the Wildcats won’t truly be at home while Ryan Field is renovated — certainly helps ease into the season.
That said, their opener against the Miami (OH) RedHawks isn’t a gimme, with the reigning MAC champions returning several key players. Meanwhile, the Duke Blue Devils are a program in transition with a new head coach and quarterback, so Week 2 might be the perfect time to face them. They wrap up non-conference with non-FBS Eastern Illinois Panthers.
The Northwestern 2024 football schedule kicks into gear with the Big Ten slate and a road trip to the West Coast to face the Washington Huskies. The Wildcats only face one conference newcomer this fall. The other road games on the schedule include the Iowa Hawkeyes, Purdue Boilermakers, and the Maryland Terrapins.
KEEP READING: 2024 Big Ten Weekly Football Schedule
With nine conference games, the Wildcats fall foul of the home/road split, with one final road trip to the Michigan Wolverines adding a sting in the tail at the end of the season. That comes one week after a home clash with a strong Ohio State Buckeyes team that should be a title contender. The other three home games are against Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
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