Expectations for Northwestern football next season

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Coach David Braun and his team know this season will be hard. A three-game stretch at Oregon, vs. Iowa and at Ohio State gives Northwestern the hardest stretch on any FBS schedule in 2026, according to CBS Sports. The Wildcats will also travel to face defending Big Ten and national champion Indiana and visit Minnesota, which went 7-0 at home in 2025. However, with a new coaching staff, new recruits and a new stadium on the horizon, should the ’Cats be counted out? What should fans expect from Northwestern football in 2026? Here’s a look at some key questions.

How might the coaching changes affect the Wildcats?

Out with Zach Lujan, in with Chip Kelly. This might be the most impactful decision the Wildcats made over the offseason. Kelly, the former head coach of both the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, represents an extremely high-profile pickup for the ‘Cats, especially at the offensive coordinator position.

Kelly’s offense is known to be run-heavy. Last season, the loss of Cam Porter to an ACL injury against Western Illinois prompted the ‘Cats to drastically shift their running back lineup, landing on Caleb Komolafe as the starter after a 27-carry, 119-yard game against UCLA on the lakefront. There is no question that Kelly will utilize Komolafe as well as Joseph Himon II to the best of their abilities. In his introductory press conference, Kelly called Komolafe “one tough sucker,” referring to his sheer strength and power.

Kelly was not Braun’s only high-profile hire this offseason. He also brought in former UCLA assistant head coach and play-caller Jerry Neuheisel as the quarterbacks coach for the Wildcats. Projected starting quarterback Aidan Chiles, a transfer from Michigan State, is a dynamic, dual-threat player who fits the exact mold Kelly historically weaponized: a run-heavy offense with a looming passing threat. While Chiles had an up-and-down tenure with the Spartans, Northwestern is optimistic about his talent, especially with receivers like Griffin Wilde and Hayden Eligon II back for another year. Neuheisel’s track record with developing high-quality passers gives the Wildcats an intriguing quarterback ceiling.

Braun is known to be ambitious. A fake punt against Michigan in Wildcat territory on fourth-and-1 in the first quarter, and five fourth-down attempts against Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, highlighted Northwestern’s aggressive tendencies. These coaching staff changes clearly reflect Braun’s drive to develop Northwestern into a marquee Big Ten team. Following the ‘Cats’ last-second field goal loss to Michigan at Wrigley Field in 2025, Braun said, “The expectation is to go win a Big Ten championship. People better understand that…Don’t mistake our program’s politeness with weakness.”

Overall, this coaching staff figures to be aggressive, especially with the schedule the Wildcats face the upcoming season. Even playing some of the highest-ranked preseason opponents in 2026, it is clear the team will not back down. As Braun said after the Michigan loss, “Putting the world on notice that this isn’t just the good old ’Cats that are going to try their best, we expect the same treatment, expectation and everything that goes into everyone else. I know there’s big boys in this conference. Well, good. Bring them on.”

What returning and new players could step up?

Northwestern has many transfers and returning players who are bound to make an impact on the team’s performance in 2026. While not all will be highlighted, these five stand out as ones to watch.

Aidan Chiles (QB, transfer from Michigan State, senior): Chiles will likely be the starting quarterback for the Wildcats in 2026, and the coaching staff has expressed nothing but excitement for the talented senior. As a senior, he brings experience, talent and poise. Coming from a fellow Big Ten school, he has worked under pressure, shown he understands loud Big Ten environments and proven he is up to the challenge.

Griffin Wilde (WR, senior): A former player for South Dakota State when it won the FCS Championship in 2023, Wilde made a splash at Northwestern in 2025, putting up 71 receptions and eight touchdowns. Perhaps one of his most impressive performances in 2025 came against Minnesota, where he hauled in 11 receptions, the most by a Wildcat since 2018, for 111 yards and a touchdown. Wilde was the most targeted receiver for Northwestern and one of the most highly targeted players in the Big Ten in 2025, reaffirming his spot as the leading wide receiver for the ‘Cats.

Caleb Komolafe (RB, redshirt junior): Eighth in the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns and fifth in carries, Komolafe’s breakout was essential to Northwestern in 2025 following Porter’s injury. Scoring 11 rushing and one receiving touchdown in 2025, he made a massive impact on the Wildcats’ offense, and with a run-heavy Kelly calling the shots, that is unlikely to change.

Robert Fitzgerald (DB, redshirt senior): Posting a Big Ten-high 70 solo tackles and 115 total in 2025, Fitzgerald is an extremely talented defensive player who made his mark on the team. Braun, the former defensive coordinator for the Wildcats, has always taken pride in his strong defensive unit. While the defensive front looks a bit different, Northwestern’s secondary looks to remain a constant strength for this defense, with Fitzgerald as the anchor.

Gavin Sawchuk (RB, transfer from Florida State, graduate student): Sawchuk’s stats speak for themselves from last season at Florida State: 109 carries, 486 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns. Braun and his team are excited to have him as an addition to their running back room, joining Komolafe and Himon II to create a deep and talented backfield. While it is unclear exactly what Sawchuk’s role will be in 2026 with the talent surrounding him, the Wildcats will no doubt have great depth at the running back position.

How will the new stadium impact the team?

Perhaps the most exciting development is the new Ryan Field, on which Northwestern and Pat Ryan spent over $850 million. It is a smaller stadium than the original Ryan Field to create an intimate atmosphere ideally full of Northwestern fans. Located just outside of Chicago, a massive hub for Big Ten alumni, Northwestern football games tend to attract large percentages of away fans. However, the new stadium figures to reinvigorate ‘Cats fans to come out and show up to support the team.

With the smaller stadium size, the school aims to create a true home-field advantage. No, it will not be The Big House, The Swamp or Death Valley, but the design was created to trap noise within the stadium, ideally coming from the student section nicknamed the Wildcat Wall. However, students need to show up, and Northwestern knows this. The creation of the Purple Line, college football’s first-ever student hype tunnel, is bound to encourage students to be loud and show up.

While there still is some uncertainty about when the stadium will open, Northwestern seems relatively confident that it will be ready for a Friday night game on Oct. 2 against Penn State, airing on Fox.

The takeaway is simple: a new stadium creates new momentum. More fan involvement creates a home-field advantage, which in turn can help the team win more games. This leads to more funding, which increases fan involvement. Furthermore, the recruiting appeal of a nearly $1 billion stadium is significant, as players should be excited to play in a world-class facility.

What could an ideal season look like?

It is difficult to predict how the Cardiac ‘Cats will perform over a season, so here is a look at what the ceiling might be. While many of these wins and losses in the chart below may be interchangeable, an 8-4 (maybe 9-3) season would be ideal for the Wildcats. It is hard to see Northwestern marching into Ohio State, Indiana or Oregon and leaving with a win, but stranger things have happened in the world of Northwestern football.

The 2025 season was full of “what ifs.” What if Northwestern beat Michigan at Wrigley Field? What if Northwestern held on in that snow game against Illinois? What if Northwestern didn’t throw that interception against Nebraska and held on to win? What if Northwestern didn’t fumble in the end zone against USC?

It remains to be seen how Northwestern will fare in 2026, but a new offensive coordinator, new players and a new stadium all figure to be promising developments for the Wildcats.

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