The 2015 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University during the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was Pat Fitzgerald's tenth season as the team's head coach. The Wildcats home games were played at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. They were members of the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season 10–3, 6–2 in Big Ten play to finish in a tie for second place in the West Division. They were invited to the Outback Bowl where they were defeated by Tennessee 45–6.
Schedule
Northwestern announced their 2015 football schedule on June 3, 2013. The 2015 schedule consist of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season. The Wildcats hosted Big Ten foes Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State, and Purdue and travelled to Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.[1]
The Wildcats hosted three of their four non conference games against Ball State, Eastern Illinois and Stanford. Northwestern traveled to Durham, North Carolina to face Duke of the Atlantic Coast Conference on September 19.
Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
---|
September 5 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 21 Stanford* | | | ESPN | W 16–6 | 36,024 |
September 12 | 3:00 p.m. | Eastern Illinois* | | | ESPNews | W 41–0 | 29,131 |
September 19 | 11:30 a.m. | at Duke* | No. 23 | | ACCN | W 19–10 | 24,127 |
September 26 | 7:00 p.m. | Ball State* | No. 17 | | BTN | W 24–19 | 30,107 |
October 3 | 11:00 a.m. | Minnesota | No. 16 | | BTN | W 27–0 | 30,044 |
October 10 | 2:30 p.m. | at No. 18 Michigan | No. 13 | | BTN | L 0–38 | 110,452 |
October 17 | 11:00 a.m. | No. 17 Iowa | No. 20 | | ABC/ESPN2 | L 10–40 | 44,135 |
October 24 | 11:00 a.m. | at Nebraska | | | ESPN2 | W 30–28 | 89,493 |
November 7 | 11:00 a.m. | Penn State | No. 21 | | ESPNU | W 23–21 | 34,116 |
November 14 | 11:00 a.m. | Purdue | No. 18 | | BTN | W 21–14 | 30,003 |
November 21 | 2:30 pm | at No. 25 Wisconsin | No. 20 | | BTN | W 13–7 | 75,276 |
November 28 | 2:30 pm | vs. Illinois | No. 16 | | ESPNU | W 24–14 | 33,514 |
January 1, 2016 | 11:00 a.m. | vs. No. 23 Tennessee* | No. 13 | | ESPN2 | L 6–45 | 53,202 |
|
- Schedule Source:[2]
Rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
— = Not ranked RV = Received votes | Week |
---|
Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | Final |
---|
AP | — | RV | 23 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 20 | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 20 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 23 |
---|
Coaches | — | RV | 24 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 21 | RV | RV | RV | 24 | 21 | 17 | 13 | 12 | 22 |
---|
CFP | Not released | 21 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 14 | 13 | Not released |
---|
Roster
2015 Northwestern Wildcats football team roster
|
Players
|
Coaches
|
Offense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
WR
|
2
|
Christian Salem
|
Jr
|
RB
|
4
|
Solomon Vault
|
So
|
WR
|
5
|
Miles Shuler
|
Sr
|
WR
|
6
|
Mike McHugh
|
Jr
|
QB
|
7
|
Matt Alviti
|
So
|
WR
|
8
|
Stephen Buckley
|
Jr
|
SB
|
9
|
Garrett Dickerson
|
So
|
QB
|
10
|
Zack Oliver
|
Sr
|
QB
|
11
|
T. J. Green
|
Fr
|
WR
|
11
|
Pierre Youngblood-Ary
|
Sr
|
RB
|
12
|
Auston Anderson
|
Fr
|
RB
|
13
|
Warren Long
|
Jr
|
WR
|
14
|
Christian Jones (C)
|
Sr
|
QB
|
14
|
Lloyd Yates
|
Fr
|
WR
|
15
|
Macan Wilson
|
So
|
WR
|
16
|
Quinn Baker
|
So
|
QB
|
17
|
Daniel Kubiuk
|
Fr
|
QB
|
18
|
Clayton Thorson
|
Fr
|
WR
|
19
|
Cameron Dickerson
|
Sr
|
RB
|
20
|
John Moten IV
|
Fr
|
RB
|
21
|
Justin Jackson
|
So
|
WR
|
24
|
Mark Gorogianis
|
So
|
WR
|
25
|
Luke Dauch
|
Sr
|
WR
|
36
|
Corey Acker
|
So
|
SB
|
40
|
Dan Vitale (C)
|
Sr
|
WR
|
43
|
Cole Johnson
|
So
|
SB
|
46
|
Eric Lutzen
|
Fr
|
OL
|
53
|
Geoff Mogus
|
Sr
|
OL
|
57
|
Matt Frazier
|
Sr
|
OL
|
59
|
J. B. Butler
|
Fr
|
OL
|
63
|
Ian Park
|
Jr
|
OL
|
64
|
Andrew Otterman
|
Fr
|
OL
|
65
|
Jared Thomas
|
Fr
|
OL
|
68
|
Connor Mahoney
|
Jr
|
OL
|
69
|
Brad North
|
So
|
OL
|
70
|
Shane Mertz
|
Sr
|
OL
|
71
|
Tommy Doles
|
Fr
|
OL
|
72
|
Blake Hance
|
Fr
|
OL
|
73
|
Adam DePietro
|
Jr
|
OL
|
74
|
Graham Bullmore
|
So
|
OL
|
76
|
Eric Oloson
|
Jr
|
OL
|
78
|
Adam Lemke-Bell
|
Fr
|
OL
|
79
|
Sam Coverdale
|
So
|
WR
|
80
|
Austin Carr
|
Jr
|
WR
|
81
|
Jelani Roberts
|
Fr
|
WR
|
82
|
Andrew Scanlan
|
Jr
|
WR
|
83
|
Chad Hanaoka
|
So
|
WR
|
84
|
Cameron Green
|
Fr
|
WR
|
85
|
Chris Cliff
|
Fr
|
SB
|
85
|
Mark Szott
|
Sr
|
WR
|
86
|
Flynn Nagel
|
Fr
|
WR
|
87
|
Garrett Kidd
|
Sr
|
SB
|
88
|
Jayme Taylor
|
So
|
WR
|
89
|
Charlie Fessler
|
Fr
|
|
Defense
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
DL
|
1
|
Max Chapman
|
Sr
|
S
|
2
|
Traveon Henry (C)
|
Sr
|
CB
|
3
|
Keith Watkins II
|
So
|
DL
|
7
|
Ifeadi Odenigbo
|
Jr
|
DB
|
10
|
Jake Murray
|
Fr
|
DL
|
13
|
Deonte Gibson (C)
|
Sr
|
S
|
16
|
Godwin Igwebuike
|
So
|
CB
|
17
|
Marcus McShepard
|
So
|
LB
|
18
|
Anthony Walker
|
So
|
S
|
21
|
Kyle Queiro
|
So
|
CB
|
22
|
Parrker Westphal
|
Fr
|
CB
|
23
|
Nick VanHoose
|
Sr
|
CB
|
24
|
Montre Hartage
|
Fr
|
S
|
26
|
Terrance Brown
|
Jr
|
CB
|
27
|
Matthew Harris
|
Jr
|
DB
|
28
|
Alonzo Mayo
|
Fr
|
DB
|
29
|
Trae Williams
|
Fr
|
LB
|
31
|
Tommy Vitale
|
Fr
|
LB
|
32
|
Nate Hall
|
Fr
|
DB
|
33
|
Steven Reese
|
Fr
|
LB
|
34
|
Simba Short
|
Fr
|
LB
|
35
|
Tom Hruby
|
Jr
|
DB
|
38
|
Dami Arowolaju
|
Jr
|
S
|
41
|
Jared McGee
|
Fr
|
LB
|
42
|
Joseph Jones
|
Jr
|
DL
|
44
|
James Prather
|
Fr
|
LB
|
45
|
Nathan Fox
|
Fr
|
LB
|
46
|
Anthony Pierce-Adams
|
Fr
|
DB
|
47
|
Joe Bergin
|
Fr
|
S
|
48
|
Tommy Odell
|
So
|
LB
|
49
|
Josh Roberts
|
So
|
LB
|
51
|
Jaylen Prater
|
Jr
|
LB
|
53
|
Cameron Queiro
|
Fr
|
DL
|
54
|
Trent Goens
|
Fr
|
LB
|
55
|
Drew Smith
|
Sr
|
LB
|
56
|
Brett Walsh
|
So
|
DL
|
58
|
Heath Reineke
|
Fr
|
DL
|
67
|
Tyler Lancaster
|
So
|
DL
|
90
|
C. J. Robbins
|
Sr
|
DL
|
92
|
Kenton Playko
|
Fr
|
DL
|
93
|
Greg Kuhar
|
Jr
|
DL
|
94
|
Dean Lowry
|
Sr
|
DL
|
95
|
Jordan Thompson
|
Fr
|
DL
|
97
|
Joe Gaziano
|
Fr
|
DL
|
98
|
Xavier Washington
|
So
|
DL
|
99
|
Ben Oxley
|
Fr
|
|
Special teams
Pos. |
# |
Name |
Class
|
K
|
7
|
Jack Mitchell
|
Jr
|
K, P
|
33
|
Matt Micucci
|
Jr
|
K
|
38
|
Arthur Omilian
|
Sr
|
K
|
38
|
Mason Weissenhofer
|
Fr
|
LS
|
52
|
Chaz Fitzpatrick
|
Jr
|
P, K
|
96
|
Hunter Niswander
|
So
|
|
- Head coach
- Coordinators/assistant coaches
- Randy Bates (Linebackers)
- Jerry Brown (Defensive Backs)
- Adam Cushing (Offensive Line)
- Mike Hankwitz (Defensive Coordinator)
- Bob Heffner (Superbacks)
- Marty Long (Defensive Line)
- Matt MacPherson (Running Backs / Recruiting Coordinator)
- Mick McCall (Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks)
- Dennis Springer (Wide Receivers)
- Clay Bignell (Defensive Graduate Assistant)
- Chris Bowers (Director of Player Personnel)
- Cody Cejda (Director of Football Operations)
- Darby Dunnagan (Director of Video Operations)
- David Girardi (Defensive Graduate Assistant)
- Dan Hernandez (Offensive Graduate Assistant)
- Jay Hooten (Director of Sports Performance for Football)
- Tommy Rees (Offensive Graduate Assistant)
- Jacob Schmidt (Director of Player Development)
- Troy Sutton (Assistant Director of Sports Performance for Football)
- Mike Jasinski (Recruiting Intern)
- Legend
- (C) Team captain
- (S) Suspended
- (I) Ineligible
Roster Last update: December 30, 2015
|
References
|
---|
Venues | |
---|
Bowls & rivalries | |
---|
Culture and lore | |
---|
People | |
---|
Seasons | |
---|