Where Northwestern football stands during a pivotal spring season

EVANSTON, Ill. – It’s a big year for Northwestern football.

David Braun is coming off a 4-8 season where the Wildcats were in a class behind the top of the Big Ten. After an offseason that included plenty of portal additions, Braun spoke of his excitement at what lies before him with the 2025 Northwestern team.

“(We’re) really excited about the progression that our current football team is making as we move towards the 2025 season,” Braun said at Northwestern’s Pro Day on Tuesday.

After Braun addressed reporters, here’s where Northwestern football stands during a pivotal spring season.

‘We got a lot of work to do’

Northwestern is in a transitional moment.

Braun’s first season was a success. The second was a struggle. The common denominator was the addition of four new teams to the Big Ten, plus a temporary stadium and a schedule that included the eventual national champions.

In 2025, Northwestern has to be in a position to win games. 

“We have to check our egos at the door,” Braun said. “We have to get to work.”

The Wildcats weren’t light years away in 2024. They played College Football Playoff participant Indiana well for three quarters, had an impressive stretch against Ohio State before the Buckeyes took off and showed their mettle in a blowout road win over Maryland.

But, 2025 doesn’t get easier with a trip to Tulane on the docket, as well as Oregon, UCLA, USC and Penn State on the schedule, too. Northwestern can’t get left behind in an ever-changing college football landscape.

Still, after enduring 2024, Braun likes what he sees from his program which includes homegrown players, key transfers and returning captains.

“Still a lot of work to be done,” Braun said. “But there are certainly some elements within the program in all three phases that have us really excited about the depth within our program,…

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Publish date : 2025-03-18 22:38:00

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