Record
6-1 wins–losses
No rank assigned
Results earned. Wins and losses do not account for opponent strength or victory margin.
2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00
SP+ workbook recordNorthwestern
2026 season
Big Ten
2026 preseason report
Historical preseason snapshot from 2026-07-29, including roster context and illustrative season projections. This is not a live injury feed.
What every system says
Northwestern's rank in each system (1 = best). Middle rank 16 across 8 systems; best 11, worst 22, so they disagree by 11 places.
- Lab EPA
- #11
- Through week 82026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
- Lab SRS
- #16
- up 42026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
- SP+
- #20
- up 62026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
- Elo
- #22
- up 32026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- FPI
- #20
- up 42026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- CORE
- #16
- up 1 · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:002026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8 · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- CFBD SRS
- #16
- up 32026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
- WEPA
- #11
- up 42026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Event cutoff not supplied · captured 2026-10-30T11:02:01.130624+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
FPI context
ESPN FPI via CFBD · 2026
Résumé and schedule
Results earned and schedule difficulty
- Strength of record
- #17 of 138
- Schedule strength
- #53 of 138
- Remaining schedule strength
- #12 of 138
- Game control
- #20 of 138
Unit efficiency
Performance by unit
- Overall
- #17 of 138
- Offense
- #19 of 138
- Defense
- #37 of 138
- Special teams
- #64 of 138
Ranks calculated among rated FBS teams; ties share rank. #1 means strongest résumé, hardest schedule, best game control or highest efficiency. These are separate measures, not a combined forecast. Captured Oct 30, 2026, 06:02:01 CDT. FPI supplies no results-through week; capture time records when we received it.
Why the ratings disagree
Northwestern · 2026. Each system answers a different question. The cards show each source's rank (published or computed here) and coverage, so a rank gap can also reflect which teams have data.
Descriptive EPA
0.171 net EPA/play
#11
2026 · 138 rated FBS teams · Through week 8. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
Observed per-play efficiency after opponent adjustment. FBS-vs-FBS plays; no preseason strength prior. Sparse schedules can produce sharp early movement.
2026, through CFBD Week 8; opponent adjusted ridge
Lab EPA from CFBD playsLocal predictive SRS
10.95 points
#16 · Up 4 places since the previous CFBD cutoff
2026 · 138 FBS roster teams, including prior-only teams · Through week 8 · built 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings take separate places, ordered by team name.
This season's 7 games, with recent games counting a bit more: average margin +17.18 (with blowouts capped at 35 points and overtime games counted as a 1-point result, then 2.5 points of home field removed) against opponents averaging -3.27, schedule #73 of 138 (#1 = toughest); 1 FCS opponent counts at −25; FBS opponents alone average -0.23. That is worth +13.91 on its own; the preseason prior of +1.71 still carries 24% of the weight, giving +10.95.
How each game enters this SRS rating
Northwestern · 2026, through CFBD Week 8. Margins are team minus opponent. The fit caps margins and treats overtime as a one-point result before adjusting for venue. Recent games carry more weight; the fit share includes the preseason prior in its denominator.
| Game | Raw margin → transformed | Venue adjustment | Recency weight | Fit share | Opponent rating | Margin term | Opponent term | Total term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 · South Dakota State home · 2026-09-06 · ID 401858431 | +16.00 → +16.00 | -2.50 | 0.7637 | 9.29% | -25.00 (fixed lower division) | 1.254 | -2.321 | -1.068 |
| Week 3 · Colorado home · 2026-09-19 · ID 401856796 | +34.00 → +34.00 | -2.50 | 0.8249 | 10.03% | -6.21 | 3.159 | -0.623 | 2.536 |
| Week 4 · Indiana away · 2026-09-26 · ID 401858461 | -6.00 → -6.00 | +2.50 | 0.8572 | 10.42% | +17.33 | -0.365 | 1.806 | 1.441 |
| Week 5 · Penn State home · 2026-10-03 · ID 401858476 | +21.00 → +21.00 | -2.50 | 0.8909 | 10.83% | +7.11 | 2.004 | 0.770 | 2.774 |
| Week 6 · Ball State home · 2026-10-10 · ID 401858482 | +31.00 → +31.00 | -2.50 | 0.9259 | 11.26% | -12.59 | 3.208 | -1.418 | 1.791 |
| Week 7 · Michigan State away · 2026-10-17 · ID 401858491 | +3.00 → +3.00 | +2.50 | 0.9622 | 11.70% | +0.05 | 0.643 | 0.006 | 0.649 |
| Week 8 · Rutgers home · 2026-10-24 · ID 401858498 | +28.00 → +28.00 | -2.50 | 1.0000 | 12.16% | -5.70 | 3.100 | -0.693 | 2.407 |
Game terms +10.53 points; prior term +0.42 points. Their unrounded sum is the fitted rating +10.95 points. The preseason prior is +1.71 with 24.32% of the fit weight. Displayed values are rounded; the producer checks the unrounded identity within 0.00000001 points.
These are additive terms of the current fit, not the effect of removing a game. Opponent ratings already reflect the connected schedule. Lower-division opponents use the fixed anchor, not an individually fitted rating. The rating's model-based 95% band is ±9.1 points; this decomposition does not reduce uncertainty or assign causal effects.
Download fitted terms and source hashesEstimated strength from schedule-adjusted scoring margins, margin caps, home-field adjustment and recency weighting. Half of prior-season strength, including postseason, carries forward with two games of weight. SRS includes FCS opponents under a fixed strength assumption. 7 current games; prior available.
2026, through CFBD Week 8; generated 2026-10-30T11:17:06.745613+00:00
Lab SRS from CFBD scoresExternal SP+
13.7 SP+ points
#20 · Up 6 places
2026 · 138 published SP+ teams · Provider week 9 · captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Published provider ranks; tie handling is not documented in this snapshot.
Bill Connelly's published predictive strength estimate. Its method and scale differ from local SRS.
2026, provider Week 9; captured 2026-10-25T21:28:39.844929+00:00
Bill Connelly SP+ workbookExternal CORE
16.91 net points per 100 offensive + 100 defensive plays
#16 of 138 by overall (ranked here; CORE publishes no rank)
2026 · 138 rated FBS teams in this CORE board · 2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00. Rank 1 is best; lower rank numbers are better. Higher rating values are better. Equal ratings share the best tied rank; the next rank skips places.
CFBD's context- and opponent-relative efficiency. Offense is higher-better; defense is points allowed above average, so lower is better; overall is offense minus defense. It counts only pass and rush plays from FBS-vs-FBS games, with no special teams, overtime or garbage time; early-week values are pulled toward average but are still uncertain, and it is not a résumé ranking. Its scale is not comparable to EPA, SRS or SP+. Offense 13.73 on 354 plays; defense -3.18 on 339 plays.
2026, through regular Week 8; model core-v1; captured 2026-10-30T11:02:06.855798+00:00
CFBD CORE ratingCORE board: offense vs defenseEPA ranks Northwestern 5 places higher than local SRS at the matched cutoff. This identifies a disagreement; it does not isolate its cause. SP+ movement compares provider weeks 8 and 9. Provider weeks may differ from CFBD weeks, so no cross-provider rank gap is calculated. CORE reports its own inclusive cutoff and is shown beside these systems for comparison only; it is an external research rating and is never blended into the lab's opponent-adjusted EPA, local SRS or any pick.
Team ratings and rank gaps are not matchup spreads or win probabilities. Matchup context and a calibrated forecast mapping are required. Do not average EPA, SRS, SP+ and CORE values across their different scales.
Read local SRS assumptions and forecast evidenceProgram context
2026 · CFBD records, polls, recruiting, coaches- Record
- 6-1 · conf 3-1 · home 5-0 · away 1-1 · expected wins 6.1
- Polls (Week 9)
- AP Top 25 #20 · Coaches Poll #18
- CFP latest
- not published
- CFP final
- not published
- Against the spread
- 2026: 5-2 ATS (+10.9 avg) · 2025: 9-4 ATS (+5.2 avg)
- Head coach
- David Braun · hired 2023-07-10 · 19-19 over 4 captured seasons
- Recruiting classes
- 2024 #80 (166 pts) · 2025 #66 (188 pts) · 2026 #52 (205 pts)
- Returning
- 89% of production · 95% of usage
Passing, receiving and rushing detail
Category Production Usage Passing 94% 100% Receiving 86% 89% Rushing 88% 95% Shares of prior-season PPA and usage returning in each category. Missing values are unavailable.
Provider values from CFBD captures dated 2026-09-22, 2026-10-30. head coach for the season; tenure counts cover only the captured seasons, hire date is the provider's. Returning usage carries no signal beyond returning production in this repo's research; neither is a model input.
Recruiting by position group
2023–2026 classes · High school · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30 UTC
| Position group | Commits | Avg. stars | Avg. rating | Total rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defensive Back | 15 | 2.93 | 0.8508 | 12.76 |
| Defensive Line | 16 | 3.00 | 0.8610 | 13.78 |
| Linebacker | 6 | 3.17 | 0.8622 | 5.17 |
| Offensive Line | 16 | 3.06 | 0.8663 | 13.86 |
| Quarterback | 4 | 3.00 | 0.8587 | 3.43 |
| Receiver | 12 | 3.00 | 0.8585 | 10.30 |
| Running Back | 4 | 3.00 | 0.8665 | 3.47 |
| Special Teams | 8 | 2.88 | 0.8407 | 6.73 |
Recruiting class aggregates, not current roster strength. Commits count recruits across the window; total rating also reflects class size. JUCO, prep-school and transfer ratings are excluded. These values do not enter the prediction model.
Player efficiency and usage
2026 · observed 2026-10-30 UTCPassing and rushing WEPA adjust efficiency for opponents. Kicker PAAR measures points added above replacement. Higher is better within each metric. Metric rows are ordered by sample size, followed by usage-only players. Usage is the share of team plays involving the player within each category; categories overlap and should not be added. CFBD definitions
| Player / history | Metric | Value | Plays / attempts | Overall usage | Usage detail | Recruiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aidan Chiles · QBCFBD athlete 5075805. Northwestern (2026–2026); Michigan State (2024–2025); Oregon State (2023–2023) | Passing WEPA | 0.533 | 160 | 51.0% | Pass 97.2% · Rush 21.5%1st 50.9% · 2nd 36.8% · 3rd 73.5% Standard downs 48.8% · Passing downs 56.4% | 2023: 4★ · 0.9365 |
Caleb Komolafe · RBCFBD athlete 5078244. Northwestern (2023–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.214 | 82 | 22.0% | Pass 6.6% · Rush 33.7%1st 24.3% · 2nd 25.0% · 3rd 12.0% Standard downs 25.5% · Passing downs 13.5% | 2023: 3★ · 0.8436 |
Aidan Chiles · QBCFBD athlete 5075805. Northwestern (2026–2026); Michigan State (2024–2025); Oregon State (2023–2023) | Rushing WEPA | 0.429 | 59 | 51.0% | Pass 97.2% · Rush 21.5%1st 50.9% · 2nd 36.8% · 3rd 73.5% Standard downs 48.8% · Passing downs 56.4% | 2023: 4★ · 0.9365 |
Gavin Sawchuk · RBCFBD athlete 4685545. Florida State (2025–2025); Northwestern (2026–2026); Oklahoma (2022–2024) | Rushing WEPA | 0.056 | 36 | 10.1% | Pass 1.1% · Rush 16.9%1st 9.9% · 2nd 12.5% · 3rd 7.2% Standard downs 9.9% · Passing downs 10.5% | 2022: 4★ · 0.9583 |
Joseph Himon II · RBCFBD athlete 4816307. Northwestern (2022–2026) | Rushing WEPA | 0.199 | 36 | 10.5% | Pass 5.5% · Rush 14.6%1st 11.3% · 2nd 14.6% · 3rd 2.4% Standard downs 9.6% · Passing downs 12.8% | 2022: 3★ · 0.8752 |
Jackson Kleather · PKCFBD athlete 5122027. Northwestern (2026–2026); Bowling Green (2023–2025) | Kicker PAAR | 3.850 | 14 | — | Pass — · Rush —1st — · 2nd — · 3rd — Standard downs — · Passing downs — | 2023: 3★ · 0.8167 |
Alex Honig · TECFBD athlete 4569262. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 5.5% | Pass 13.2% · Rush 0.0%1st 6.9% · 2nd 3.4% · 3rd 4.3% Standard downs 4.9% · Passing downs 7.1% | Not linked |
Daniel Anderson · RBCFBD athlete 5149001. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 4.6% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 7.4%1st 4.8% · 2nd 7.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 5.3% · Passing downs 2.7% | Not linked |
Drew Wagner · WRCFBD athlete 5222752. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 7.9% | Pass 17.7% · Rush 1.5%1st 6.8% · 2nd 8.3% · 3rd 10.8% Standard downs 6.5% · Passing downs 11.3% | Not linked |
Frank Covey IV · WRCFBD athlete 4917942. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.3% | Pass 4.5% · Rush 0.0%1st 2.9% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 1.9% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Griffin Wilde · WRCFBD athlete 5154734. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 10.1% | Pass 25.4% · Rush 0.0%1st 12.6% · 2nd 5.6% · 3rd 10.8% Standard downs 10.9% · Passing downs 8.3% | Not linked |
Hayden Eligon Ii · WRCFBD athlete 5084772. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.4% | Pass 8.8% · Rush 0.0%1st 3.1% · 2nd 2.0% · 3rd 6.8% Standard downs 2.2% · Passing downs 6.3% | Not linked |
Luke Dehnicke · TECFBD athlete 5328488. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 6.9% | Pass 15.9% · Rush 0.0%1st 7.8% · 2nd 5.0% · 3rd 8.3% Standard downs 7.6% · Passing downs 5.4% | Not linked |
Marcus Romain · RBCFBD athlete 5199860. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 5.3% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 7.8%1st 2.9% · 2nd 7.4% · 3rd 7.7% Standard downs 7.4% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Nicco Marchiol · QBCFBD athlete 4685459. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.3% | Pass 2.1% · Rush 2.5%1st 0.0% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 13.6% Standard downs 1.1% · Passing downs 5.4% | Not linked |
Ricky Ahumaraeze · WRCFBD athlete 4921291. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 3.5% | Pass 9.0% · Rush 0.0%1st 3.9% · 2nd 1.0% · 3rd 7.1% Standard downs 3.1% · Passing downs 4.6% | Not linked |
Robby Preckel · TECFBD athlete 5216569. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.5% | Pass 3.1% · Rush 0.5%1st 1.2% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 1.7% Standard downs 1.3% · Passing downs 2.1% | Not linked |
Ryan Boe · QBCFBD athlete 5193492. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 1.8% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 3.3%1st 3.4% · 2nd 0.0% · 3rd 0.0% Standard downs 2.5% · Passing downs 0.0% | Not linked |
Sean Morris II · RBCFBD athlete 5161830. Team attribution from the captured season usage record. | Not available | — | — | 2.4% | Pass 0.0% · Rush 4.3%1st 1.6% · 2nd 2.8% · 3rd 4.5% Standard downs 1.1% · Passing downs 6.1% | Not linked |
Transfers
Incoming · 17 reported
| Player | From | Date | Stars / rating | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aidan Chiles · QB | Michigan State | 2026-01-07 | 4★ / 0.9000 | Immediate |
| Alex Honig · TE | UConn | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Arkel Anugwom · OT | Alabama | 2026-01-10 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Brenden Deasfernandes · CB | Central Michigan | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8700 | Immediate |
| David Anchondo · OT | Saginaw Valley State | 2025-12-11 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Dominic Kirks · EDGE | Ohio State | 2026-01-22 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Evan Boutorwick · LS | Michigan | 2026-01-09 | — / — | Immediate |
| Gavin Sawchuk · RB | Florida State | 2026-01-19 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Glory Stephen-Wangboje · DL | Sacred Heart | 2026-01-22 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Grant Seagren · OT | Oklahoma State | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Jackson Kleather · K | Bowling Green | 2026-01-10 | 2★ / — | Immediate |
| Jamaal Johnson · EDGE | UCF | 2026-01-06 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Kobie McKinzie · LB | Oklahoma | 2026-01-06 | 4★ / 0.9000 | Immediate |
| Luke Dehnicke · TE | Minnesota Duluth | 2026-01-09 | 3★ / 0.8800 | Immediate |
| Mar'Kel Porter · RB | Bowling Green | 2026-01-14 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Montae Pate · CB | Weber State | 2026-01-12 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Nicco Marchiol · QB | West Virginia | 2026-03-17 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
Outgoing · 8 reported
| Player | To | Date | Stars / rating | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anto Saka · EDGE | Texas A&M | 2026-01-07 | 4★ / 0.9200 | Immediate |
| Dashun Reeder · RB | UConn | 2026-01-24 | 3★ / 0.8400 | Immediate |
| Dillon Tatum · S | Miami (OH) | 2026-01-06 | 4★ / — | Immediate |
| Evan Smith · CB | Duke | 2026-01-17 | 3★ / 0.8600 | Immediate |
| Hayden Wright · OT | Houston | 2026-01-05 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
| Hunter Welcing · TE | Ohio State | 2026-01-12 | 4★ / 0.9100 | Immediate |
| Jack Olsen · K | Miami | 2026-01-17 | 3★ / 0.8500 | Immediate |
| Nick Herzog · OT | Not reported | 2026-01-08 | 3★ / — | Immediate |
Transfer observations can include unresolved destinations. CFBD supplies no timezone for transfer dates and no athlete ID linking these records to the efficiency table. These observations do not establish current roster membership or game availability.
Descriptive context only; no player or transfer value enters the prediction model. Adjusted metrics require unambiguous season/team history. Usage-only rows use the captured athlete ID and team; conflicting usage identities are omitted. Missing values are unavailable, not zero. Provider coverage is incomplete.
Coaching eras
Continuous appointments at Northwestern. Records are CFBD-attributed results; active tenures and the current season may be incomplete.
David Braun · career 19–19 across 4 seasons and 1 schools
Tenure timeline · 30 appointments
2023–present · David Braun · active at capture
19–19 · 38 attributed games · 4 seasons
Hired 2023-07-10. Exact effective dates unavailable.
2006–2022 · Pat Fitzgerald
110–101 · 211 attributed games · 17 seasons
Hired 2006-07-07. Exact effective dates unavailable.
1999–2005 · Randy Walker
37–46 · 83 attributed games · 7 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1992–1998 · Gary Barnett
35–45–1 · 81 attributed games · 7 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1986–1991 · Francis Peay
13–51–2 · 66 attributed games · 6 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1981–1985 · Dennis Green
10–45 · 55 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1978–1980 · Rick Venturi
1–31–1 · 33 attributed games · 3 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1973–1977 · John Pont
12–43 · 55 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1964–1972 · Alex Agase
32–58–1 · 91 attributed games · 9 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1956–1963 · Ara Parseghian
36–35–1 · 72 attributed games · 8 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1955–1955 · Lou Saban
0–8–1 · 9 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1947–1954 · Robert Voigts
33–39–1 · 73 attributed games · 8 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1935–1946 · Pappy Waldorf
49–45–7 · 101 attributed games · 12 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1927–1934 · Dick Hanley
36–26–4 · 66 attributed games · 8 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1922–1926 · Glenn Thistlethwaite
21–17–1 · 39 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1920–1921 · Elmer McDevitt
4–10 · 14 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1919–1919 · Charlie Bachman
2–5 · 7 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1914–1918 · Fred Murphy
16–16–1 · 33 attributed games · 5 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1913–1913 · Dennis Grady
1–6 · 7 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1910–1912 · Charles Hammett
6–10–2 · 18 attributed games · 3 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1909–1909 · Bill Horr
1–3–1 · 5 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1908–1908 · Alton Johnson
2–2 · 4 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1903–1905 · Walter McCornack
26–5–4 · 35 attributed games · 3 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1899–1902 · Charles Hollister
27–16–4 · 47 attributed games · 4 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1898–1898 · W.H. Bannard
9–4–1 · 14 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1897–1897 · Jesse Van Doozer
5–3 · 8 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1895–1896 · Alvin Culver
12–6–2 · 20 attributed games · 2 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1894–1894 · A.A. Ewing
4–5 · 9 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1893–1893 · Paul Noyes
2–5–3 · 10 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
1892–1892 · Knowlton Ames
5–3–2 · 10 attributed games · 1 seasons
Exact effective dates unavailable.
Season résumé · 2015–2026
Coach-attributed records appear beside team-season ratings, recruiting and poll context. Shared seasons appear once per coach; rows are not assigned to individual stints. Ratings describe team performance, not a causal coaching effect.
| Season / coach | Record | Conference | Postseason | SP+ | SRS | Recruiting rank | Final poll |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 · David Braun · incomplete attribution | 0–0 | — | — | 12.6 | 15.5 | 52 | — |
| 2025 · David Braun | 7–6 | 4–5 | 1–0 | 5.8 | 4.4 | 66 | — |
| 2024 · David Braun | 4–8 | 2–7 | 0–0 | -8.2 | -3.3 | 80 | — |
| 2023 · David Braun | 8–5 | 5–4 | 1–0 | -1.3 | -0.3 | 47 | — |
| 2022 · Pat Fitzgerald | 1–11 | 1–8 | 0–0 | -13.4 | -7.2 | 48 | — |
| 2021 · Pat Fitzgerald | 3–9 | 1–8 | 0–0 | -11.1 | -7.2 | 50 | — |
| 2020 · Pat Fitzgerald | 7–2 | 6–2 | 1–0 | 9 | 12.2 | 47 | 10 |
| 2019 · Pat Fitzgerald | 3–9 | 1–8 | 0–0 | -5.5 | -3.2 | 52 | — |
| 2018 · Pat Fitzgerald | 9–5 | 8–2 | 1–0 | 1.9 | 6.3 | 58 | — |
| 2017 · Pat Fitzgerald | 10–3 | 7–2 | 1–0 | 11.2 | 13.1 | 50 | 17 |
| 2016 · Pat Fitzgerald | 7–6 | 5–4 | 1–0 | 2.9 | 9.9 | 52 | — |
| 2015 · Pat Fitzgerald | 10–3 | 6–2 | 0–1 | 0.2 | 3 | 55 | 23 |
Source: CFBD · captured 2026-10-26T02:02:59.394463+00:00 UTC. Season résumé covers 2015–2026; timeline spans all returned tenures. — means unavailable. Career summaries cover active coaches at capture. This snapshot is descriptive and is not a pregame cutoff.
CFBD season overview
2026 stored season snapshot, including postseason and garbage time. Raw CFBD PPA is not opponent-adjusted EPA or player WEPA. No week cutoff; these values do not enter our forecasts.
Captured 2026-10-26 04:10:14.047809 UTC · Source data
Stat rankings
CFBD FBS ranks · source updated 2026-10-25 13:12:27 UTC · calculated 2026-10-26 04:10:14 UTC · provider cache expiry 2026-10-26 04:20:14 UTC. Rank 1 is best; percentiles use CFBD’s 0–100 scale.
| Statistic | Offense rank / population | Percentile | Defense rank / population | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPA / play | 7 / 138 | 95.6 | 42 / 138 | 70.1 |
| Success rate | 12 / 138 | 92.0 | 90 / 138 | 35.0 |
| Explosiveness | 13 / 138 | 91.2 | 23 / 138 | 83.9 |
| Standard-down success | 29 / 138 | 79.6 | 102 / 138 | 26.3 |
| Passing-down success | 7 / 138 | 95.6 | 39 / 138 | 72.3 |
| Pass PPA | 11 / 138 | 92.7 | 24 / 138 | 83.2 |
| Rush PPA | 18 / 138 | 87.6 | 82 / 138 | 40.9 |
| Pass explosiveness | 50 / 138 | 64.2 | 9 / 138 | 94.2 |
| Rush explosiveness | 13 / 138 | 91.2 | 61 / 138 | 56.2 |
| Line yards | 79 / 138 | 43.1 | 119 / 138 | 13.9 |
| Second-level yards | 7 / 138 | 95.6 | 76 / 138 | 45.3 |
| Open-field yards | 10 / 138 | 93.4 | 108 / 138 | 21.9 |
| Stuff rate | 109 / 138 | 21.2 | 108 / 138 | 21.9 |
| Power success | 60 / 138 | 56.9 | 46 / 138 | 67.2 |
| Havoc | 81 / 138 | 41.6 | T51 / 138 | 63.1 |
| Front-seven havoc | T123 / 138 | 10.2 | T123 / 138 | 10.6 |
| DB havoc | T12 / 138 | 91.6 | 3 / 138 | 98.5 |
| Points / opportunity | 14 / 138 | 90.5 | 11 / 138 | 92.7 |
| Average field position | T96 / 138 | 29.9 | T48 / 138 | 63.9 |
| Field-position expected points | 104 / 138 | 24.8 | 46 / 138 | 67.2 |
Player PPA and usage
Ordered by overall usage. Open a player for pass, rush, down and situation splits. Usage is the provider’s share of team plays in each situation; PPA is the provider’s average or total for that player. Missing values stay blank (—); play counts are not supplied here. Standard downs are 1st down, 2nd-and-7 or shorter, and 3rd/4th-and-4 or shorter; other situations are passing downs.
Aidan Chiles · QBUsage 51.0% · Avg PPA 0.533 · Total 123.693
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.533 | 123.693 | 51.0% |
| Pass | 0.518 | 91.251 | 97.2% |
| Rush | 0.579 | 32.442 | 21.5% |
| 1st down | 0.403 | 45.496 | 50.9% |
| 2nd down | 0.614 | 32.564 | 36.8% |
| 3rd down | 0.692 | 42.220 | 73.5% |
| Standard downs | 0.457 | 71.762 | 48.8% |
| Passing downs | 0.692 | 51.931 | 56.4% |
Caleb Komolafe · RBUsage 22.0% · Avg PPA 0.236 · Total 23.595
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.236 | 23.595 | 22.0% |
| Pass | 0.628 | 7.538 | 6.6% |
| Rush | 0.182 | 16.056 | 33.7% |
| 1st down | 0.231 | 12.496 | 24.3% |
| 2nd down | 0.218 | 7.832 | 25.0% |
| 3rd down | 0.327 | 3.266 | 12.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.173 | 14.226 | 25.5% |
| Passing downs | 0.520 | 9.369 | 13.5% |
Joseph Himon II · RBUsage 10.5% · Avg PPA 0.360 · Total 17.274
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.360 | 17.274 | 10.5% |
| Pass | 0.611 | 6.108 | 5.5% |
| Rush | 0.294 | 11.166 | 14.6% |
| 1st down | 0.567 | 14.166 | 11.3% |
| 2nd down | 0.215 | 4.513 | 14.6% |
| 3rd down | -0.703 | -1.406 | 2.4% |
| Standard downs | 0.440 | 13.642 | 9.6% |
| Passing downs | 0.214 | 3.633 | 12.8% |
Gavin Sawchuk · RBUsage 10.1% · Avg PPA -0.066 · Total -3.040
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.066 | -3.040 | 10.1% |
| Pass | -0.762 | -1.523 | 1.1% |
| Rush | -0.034 | -1.517 | 16.9% |
| 1st down | -0.432 | -9.501 | 9.9% |
| 2nd down | 0.331 | 5.960 | 12.5% |
| 3rd down | 0.084 | 0.501 | 7.2% |
| Standard downs | -0.314 | -10.055 | 9.9% |
| Passing downs | 0.501 | 7.015 | 10.5% |
Griffin Wilde · WRUsage 10.1% · Avg PPA 1.052 · Total 48.392
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1.052 | 48.392 | 10.1% |
| Pass | 1.052 | 48.392 | 25.4% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.634 | 17.753 | 12.6% |
| 2nd down | 1.356 | 10.846 | 5.6% |
| 3rd down | 1.868 | 16.810 | 10.8% |
| Standard downs | 0.781 | 27.330 | 10.9% |
| Passing downs | 1.915 | 21.062 | 8.3% |
Drew Wagner · WRUsage 7.9% · Avg PPA 0.481 · Total 17.328
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.481 | 17.328 | 7.9% |
| Pass | 0.489 | 15.638 | 17.7% |
| Rush | 0.423 | 1.690 | 1.5% |
| 1st down | 0.899 | 13.481 | 6.8% |
| 2nd down | 0.016 | 0.193 | 8.3% |
| 3rd down | 0.406 | 3.653 | 10.8% |
| Standard downs | 0.601 | 12.616 | 6.5% |
| Passing downs | 0.314 | 4.712 | 11.3% |
Luke Dehnicke · TEUsage 6.9% · Avg PPA 1.033 · Total 13.432
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1.033 | 13.432 | 6.9% |
| Pass | 1.033 | 13.432 | 15.9% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 1.216 | 8.512 | 7.8% |
| 2nd down | 0.884 | 2.652 | 5.0% |
| 3rd down | 0.756 | 2.268 | 8.3% |
| Standard downs | 1.015 | 10.154 | 7.6% |
| Passing downs | 1.093 | 3.279 | 5.4% |
Alex Honig · TEUsage 5.5% · Avg PPA 0.792 · Total 16.640
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.792 | 16.640 | 5.5% |
| Pass | 0.792 | 16.640 | 13.2% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | 0.452 | 5.875 | 6.9% |
| 2nd down | 1.959 | 7.836 | 3.4% |
| 3rd down | 2.315 | 6.944 | 4.3% |
| Standard downs | 0.452 | 5.875 | 4.9% |
| Passing downs | 1.346 | 10.765 | 7.1% |
Marcus Romain · RBUsage 5.3% · Avg PPA -0.327 · Total -1.310
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.327 | -1.310 | 5.3% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | -0.327 | -1.310 | 7.8% |
| 1st down | -0.063 | -0.063 | 2.9% |
| 2nd down | -0.477 | -0.955 | 7.4% |
| 3rd down | -0.292 | -0.292 | 7.7% |
| Standard downs | -0.327 | -1.310 | 7.4% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Daniel Anderson · RBUsage 4.6% · Avg PPA -0.261 · Total -1.568
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.261 | -1.568 | 4.6% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | -0.261 | -1.568 | 7.4% |
| 1st down | -0.477 | -1.430 | 4.8% |
| 2nd down | -0.046 | -0.138 | 7.0% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.669 | -3.346 | 5.3% |
| Passing downs | 1.779 | 1.779 | 2.7% |
Ricky Ahumaraeze · WRUsage 3.5% · Avg PPA 0.371 · Total 4.077
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.371 | 4.077 | 3.5% |
| Pass | 0.371 | 4.077 | 9.0% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | -0.087 | -0.524 | 3.9% |
| 2nd down | 0.875 | 0.875 | 1.0% |
| 3rd down | 0.932 | 3.726 | 7.1% |
| Standard downs | 0.148 | 1.035 | 3.1% |
| Passing downs | 0.761 | 3.043 | 4.6% |
Hayden Eligon Ii · WRUsage 3.4% · Avg PPA 0.498 · Total 5.483
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.498 | 5.483 | 3.4% |
| Pass | 0.498 | 5.483 | 8.8% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | -0.123 | -0.617 | 3.1% |
| 2nd down | 2.646 | 5.293 | 2.0% |
| 3rd down | 0.202 | 0.808 | 6.8% |
| Standard downs | -0.123 | -0.617 | 2.2% |
| Passing downs | 1.017 | 6.101 | 6.3% |
Sean Morris II · RBUsage 2.4% · Avg PPA 0.744 · Total 2.231
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.744 | 2.231 | 2.4% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | 0.744 | 2.231 | 4.3% |
| 1st down | -0.530 | -0.530 | 1.6% |
| 2nd down | 0.752 | 0.752 | 2.8% |
| 3rd down | 2.009 | 2.009 | 4.5% |
| Standard downs | -0.530 | -0.530 | 1.1% |
| Passing downs | 1.380 | 2.760 | 6.1% |
Nicco Marchiol · QBUsage 2.3% · Avg PPA 0.383 · Total 1.149
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.383 | 1.149 | 2.3% |
| Pass | -1.081 | -1.081 | 2.1% |
| Rush | 1.115 | 2.230 | 2.5% |
| 1st down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | 0.383 | 1.149 | 13.6% |
| Standard downs | 1.202 | 1.202 | 1.1% |
| Passing downs | -0.027 | -0.053 | 5.4% |
Ryan Boe · QBUsage 1.8% · Avg PPA 0.375 · Total 0.375
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 0.375 | 0.375 | 1.8% |
| Pass | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Rush | 0.375 | 0.375 | 3.3% |
| 1st down | 0.375 | 0.375 | 3.4% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | 0.375 | 0.375 | 2.5% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
Robby Preckel · TEUsage 1.5% · Avg PPA -1.967 · Total -9.836
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -1.967 | -9.836 | 1.5% |
| Pass | -2.342 | -9.368 | 3.1% |
| Rush | -0.469 | -0.469 | 0.5% |
| 1st down | -0.245 | -0.489 | 1.2% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | -1.081 | -1.081 | 1.7% |
| Standard downs | -1.580 | -4.741 | 1.3% |
| Passing downs | -2.548 | -5.096 | 2.1% |
Frank Covey IV · WRUsage 1.3% · Avg PPA -0.752 · Total -0.752
| Split | Average PPA | Total PPA | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | -0.752 | -0.752 | 1.3% |
| Pass | -0.752 | -0.752 | 4.5% |
| Rush | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 1st down | -0.752 | -0.752 | 2.9% |
| 2nd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| 3rd down | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
| Standard downs | -0.752 | -0.752 | 1.9% |
| Passing downs | — | 0.000 | 0.0% |
2026 · Through provider Week 8. Each metric uses only published FBS teams with a numeric value. Higher percentile is better; tied values receive the midpoint of their positions, rounded to a whole percentile. Missing values are unranked.
Values and percentiles
| Metric | Value | Percentile | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offense PPA/play | 0.325 | 96th138 teams | higher |
| Offense success rate | 0.494 | 92nd138 teams | higher |
| Offense explosiveness | 1.342 | 91st138 teams | higher |
| Offense pass PPA/play | 0.465 | 93rd138 teams | higher |
| Offense rush PPA/play | 0.223 | 88th138 teams | higher |
| Defense PPA/play | 0.022 | 70th138 teams | lower |
| Defense success rate | 0.423 | 35th138 teams | lower |
| Defense explosiveness | 1.132 | 84th138 teams | lower |
| Defense havoc created | 0.167 | 63rd138 teams | higher |
Passing profile
2026 · CFBD passing family · raw PPACaptured 2026-10-30. Offense: 98% of 167 attempts charted. Average depth of target 9.1 yards (67th percentile of FBS). Yards after catch 5.5 per completion. Completion 69.5%, 9.6 yards per attempt, pass PPA 0.62.
| Side | Actual | Expected | CPOE (pp) | Qualifying / all attempts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 72.1% | 60.7% | +11.5 | 140 / 167 |
| Defense allowed | 60.9% | 61.8% | -0.9 | 202 / 251 |
Actual and expected use the same qualifying attempts, which can be fewer than all passes. CPOE is their difference in percentage points (pp); higher is better on offense, lower allowed is better on defense. CFBD models FBS-vs-FBS passes, excluding spikes, throwaways, intentional grounding and attempts without air yards. — means unavailable; small samples have fewer than 40 qualifying attempts.
138 teams with at least 40 charted attempts. The highlighted point is Northwestern.
Highlighted bars are deep zones. Shares are of located attempts only.
Defense and rushing detail
| Side | Attempts | Charted | ADOT | YAC | Comp % | PPA | CPOE | CPOE att |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passing offense | 167 | 98% | 9.1 | 5.5 | 69.5% | 0.62 | +11.5 pp | 140 |
| Passing defense | 251 | 100% | 9.3 | 4.0 | 58.6% | 0.06 | -0.9 pp | 202 |
Rushing production
| Side | Attempts | Yards / carry | Success | PPA | Line yards / rush | Second-level yards / rush | Open-field yards / rush | Stuff rate | Power success |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 277 | 5.2 | 47.6% | 0.28 | 3.00 | 1.30 | 2.00 | 17.5% | 74.4% |
| Defense allowed | 233 | 4.7 | 45.7% | 0.12 | 3.20 | 1.00 | 1.40 | 16.4% | 68.4% |
Second-level yards are gained 5–10 yards past the line; open-field yards are beyond 10. These are provider per-rush averages, not totals. Power success measures success with two or fewer yards needed. Exact line-metric and power-success denominators are not supplied in this feed.
Rushing sample and attribution
| Side | Yards recorded | Individual | Unattributed | Sacks | Kneels | Team rushes | Multiple carriers | Direction located / eligible |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | 265 / 277 | 255 | 22 | 14 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 250 / 252 · 99.2% |
| Defense allowed | 231 / 233 | 230 | 3 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 217 / 219 · 99.1% |
Counts are attempts. Team totals include sacks, kneels, team-only rushes and unresolved attribution; these categories can overlap and must not be summed. Direction coverage uses ordinary direction-eligible rushes, not all attempts. Missing fields in older captures remain unavailable.
Raw provider values, no opponent adjustment; not model inputs. CFBD metric definitions.
Game-by-game passing and rushing
2026 · Passing CPOE · percentage points. Dashed line: season +11.5 pp. 6 of 7 captured games have this metric. Missing observations break the line.
CPOE is completion percentage over expected on qualifying FBS-vs-FBS attempts; positive means more completions than expected. PPA is raw provider PPA. These are game observations, not opponent-adjusted forecasts. P labels postseason weeks.
Game log and attempt coverage
| Week | Opponent | Pass att | CPOE att | Comp %* | Expected %* | CPOE | ADOT | Pass PPA | Rush att | Rush yds/carry | Rush PPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | South Dakota State | 24 | 0 | — | — | — | 11.3 | 0.66 | 31 | 7.3 | 0.52 |
| W3 | Colorado | 22 | 22 | 77.3% | 60.4% | +16.9 pp | 8.2 | 0.74 | 51 | 3.3 | 0.10 |
| W4 | Indiana | 29 | 28 | 75.0% | 58.8% | +16.2 pp | 9.9 | 0.68 | 26 | 2.5 | 0.09 |
| W5 | Penn State | 14 | 14 | 71.4% | 68.5% | +2.9 pp | 5.4 | -0.14 | 55 | 7.5 | 0.47 |
| W6 | Ball State | 24 | 23 | 69.6% | 59.1% | +10.5 pp | 10.4 | 1.00 | 31 | 4.4 | 0.18 |
| W7 | Michigan State | 29 | 28 | 64.3% | 60.1% | +4.2 pp | 8.8 | 0.41 | 42 | 3.2 | 0.11 |
| W8 | Rutgers | 25 | 25 | 76.0% | 60.7% | +15.3 pp | 8.3 | 0.67 | 41 | 7.2 | 0.40 |
*Completion and expected rates use the same CPOE-eligible attempts. ADOT uses available air-yard attempts; a game needs at least one. No missing family is filled with the other family’s data.
Punting and returns
2026 season to date · CFBD · captured 2026-10-30T11:16:37.416814+00:00. Descriptive totals, including postseason when present.
Our punts
21 punts · 38.4 gross yards/punt · 34.3 net yards/punt
6 inside the 20 · 1 touchbacks · 0 blocked
Known gross yards: 21/21 punts. Known net yards: 17/21 punts.
Our punt returns
4 returns · 9.8 yards/return · 0 touchdowns
0 muffs · 0 opponent punts blocked
Known return yards: 4/4 returns. Return totals include team-only and unattributed plays.
Recent games
| Game | Punts | Gross yd/punt | Net yd/punt | Known net yards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 8 · Rutgers | 2 | 34.5 | 39.0 | 1/2 |
| Week 7 · Michigan State | 3 | 46.3 | 30.7 | 3/3 |
| Week 6 · Ball State | 2 | 41.0 | 46.0 | 1/2 |
| Week 5 · Penn State | 2 | 42.0 | 42.0 | 2/2 |
| Week 4 · Indiana | 4 | 45.0 | 36.0 | 3/4 |