Homecoming Page
Created
2/10/02
Updated
6/12/10

 



NU Homecoming Games
NU was one of the earliest colleges to celebrate homecoming.  It began its homecoming tradition in 1911, just one year after Illinois held the very first college homecoming celebration.  7,500 fans and alumni returned to Northwestern Field to see Amos Alonzo Stagg's Chicago powerhouse edge the Purple 9 to 3.

The 'Cats now have a three game winning streak for homecoming.  NU edged Minnesota in a comeback thriller in 2007 and swamped Purdue in 2008.  In 2009 the team notched the biggest comeback win in its history when it erased a 25-point deficit to beat Indiana, 29-28.

In 2011 NU was slated to play Penn State for homecoming for the first time ever.  The following year NU was scheduled to host Illinois for a homecoming game for the first time since 1996.  However, because of conference realignment, both of those homecoming games are now in doubt.


Team Played
# of Times Played
(as of end of 2009)
NU Wins
NU Losses
Minnesota
15
10
5
Indiana
14
9
5
Ohio State
13
2
11
Wisconsin
12
6
6
Purdue
12
7
5
Illinois
9
5
4
Iowa
8
3
5
Mich. St.
7
1
6
Michigan
6
1
5
Penn St.
0
0
0
Nebraska 0 0 0
Chicago
2
1
1
Notre Dame
1
1
0
Total
99
46
53

1911 Chicago 9, NU 3
1912 NU 6, Illinois 0
1913 Indiana 21, NU 20
1914 Purdue 34, NU 6
1915 Ohio State 34, NU 0
1916 NU 20, Iowa 13
1917 NU 21, Michigan 12
1918 NU 21, Chicago 6
1919 Iowa 14, NU 7
1920 NU 14, Purdue 0
1921 Wisconsin 27, NU 0
1922 NU 24, Purdue 13
1923 Iowa 17, NU 14
1924 NU 17, Indiana 7
1925 NU 17, Indiana 14
1926 NU 22, Purdue 0
1927 Indiana 18, NU 7
1928 NU 10 Minnesota 9
1929 Indiana 19, NU 14
1930 NU 20, Wisconsin 7
1931 NU 32, Minnesota 14
1932 Ohio State 20, NU 6
1933 Illinois 3, NU 0
1934 Illinois 14, NU 3
1935 NU 10, Illinois 3
1936* NU 6, Minnesota 0
1937 Illinois 6, NU 0
1938 NU 6, Minnesota 3
1939 NU 13, Illinois 0
1940 Minnesota 13, NU 12
1941 Michigan 14, NU 7
1942 Ohio State 20, NU 6
1943 NU 42, Minnesota 6
1944 Indiana 14, NU 7
 1945 NU 26, Purdue 14
1946 Ohio State 39, NU 27
1947 NU 7, Indiana 6
1948 NU 21, Ohio State 7
1949 Wisconsin 14, NU 6
1950 Ohio State 32, NU 0
1951 Wisconsin 41, NU 0
1952 NU 23, Indiana 13
1953 Wisconsin 34, NU 13
1954 Ohio State 14, NU 7
1955 Indiana 20, NU 14
1956 Ohio State 6, NU 2
1957 Iowa 6, NU 0
1958 NU 21, Ohio State 0
1959 NU 30, Indiana 13
1960 Michigan St. 21, NU 18
1961 NU 14, Indiana 8
1962** NU 35, Notre Dame 6
1963 Michigan St. 15, NU 7
1964 NU 17, Wisconsin 13
1965 NU 9, Iowa 0
1966 Michigan St. 22, NU 0
1967 Ohio State 6, NU 2
1968 Michigan 35, NU 0
1969 Ohio State 35, NU 6
1970 NU 38, Purdue 14
1971 NU 41, Minnesota 20
1972 NU 23, Indiana 14
1973~ Minnesota 52, NU 43
1974 NU 24, Indiana 22
1975 Iowa 24, NU 21
1976 Wisconsin 28, NU 25
1977 Ohio State 35, NU 15
1978 Michigan 59, NU 14
 1979 Iowa 58, NU 6
1980 Ohio State 63, NU 0
1981 Purdue 35, NU 0
1982 NU 31, Minnesota 21
1983 NU 19, Minnesota 8
1984 Purdue 49, NU 7
1985 Minnesota 21, NU 10
1986 Wisconsin 35, NU 27
1987 Michigan St. 38, NU 0
1988 NU 35, Wisconsin 14
1989 Minnesota 20, NU 18
1990 NU 44, Wisconsin 34
1991 NU 17, Illinois 11
1992 Michigan St. 27, NU 26
1993 Minnesota 28, NU 26
1994 Illinois 28, NU 7
1995 NU 35, Wisconsin 0
1996 NU 27, Illinois 24
1997 NU 19, Michigan St. 17
1998~~ Michigan 12, NU 6
1999 NU 23, Iowa 21
2000 Purdue 41, NU 28
2001 NU 23, Minnesota 17
2002 Purdue 42, NU 13
2003 NU 16, Wisconsin 7
2004 NU 13, Purdue 10
2005~~ Michigan 33, NU 17
2006 Michigan St. 41, NU 38
2007 NU 49, Minnesota 48
2008 NU 48, Purdue 26
2009 NU 29, Indiana 28
2010 Michigan St.
2011 Penn State (?)
2012 Illinois  (?)

*Played on Halloween and broadcast on radio nationally, the game snapped Minnesota's 28-game winning streak.

**The only time NU has played a homecoming opponent from outside the Big Ten.

~Until 1997 this game held the Big Ten record for combined score and for largest losing score.

~~Night game.