Ball State
It's Game Day.




***** As of Tuesday morning, NU is a 35.5-point (?!?) favorite against Ball State. The spread has *increased* from its open. ***** For the 2026 season, NU is unranked in the two major polls. ***** CBS Sports ranks NU 30th, up seven spots from last week, ahead of Wisconsin and N. Dakota State. ***** Not only did CollegeFootballNews.com put NU in its top 25 this week, it ranked the 'Cats #16, up 15 places from last week, and ahead of UCLA, Wisconsin, and BYU. ***** For breaking news and updates, visit the HTP Twitter Feed *****




Game Day!
Oct. 10, 2026




The Crown Tower
Clock should be:
PURPLE









 


















Wildcat Preview and Prediction
The Lowes Line: Ball State

The Line's staff makes a reasoned pick for NU's MACtion moment at Homecoming...






Northwestern opened its new stadium in grand style, with eye-popping festivities, a rabid student section, and a thrashing of Penn State that made a statement heard across the conference.



Wildcat Preview and Prediction
The Lowes Line: Penn State

The Lowes Line makes a bold pick for NU's stadium debut game against PSU...



Braun: Ryan Field Debut Is Sold Out


In his presser Monday, Coach David Braun announced that the Penn State game is sold out...



"Hannibal," the statue NU unveiled at Ryan Field I back in 1998,
now guards the Purple Line entrance. [Anna Watson]



The Candlelite gives us a score update.
Wildcat Preview and Prediction
The Lowes Line: Indiana

The Lowes Line offers up its prediction for NU's road game with the mighty Hoosiers..


Wildcat History
A Stadium in Downtown Evanston?


As NU prepares for the New Ryan Field's debut next week, let's look at where the home of Wildcat Football nearly ended up...


'CATS ROUT COLORADO

NU unloaded on Colorado in the Martin Stadium finale, moving to 2-0 before beginning its conference slate.


Wildcat History
The NU - Colorado Series

It's been 48 years since the 'Cats last lined up against Colorado. Here is a brief look at the teams' previous two games...

Wildcat History
NU's First Football Game

As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Northwestern's first football game, HailToPurple.com has posted a series of articles about that first game. These four posts are part of the site's expanded section featuring NU's first game.




Other pages updated this week (Oct. 4):

Uniform History Page
Attendance Records
Ryan Field Page




Archived

Updated 10/2/26

Archived




DAYS HOURS MINS SECS








Next for the Wildcats:


Michigan State
Spartan Stadium
Saturday, Oct. 17
11:00 am CDT
TV: Peacock



2026 Results
(3-1; 1-1 B1G)
W
S Dakota St-FCS, M
34-18
W Colorado - M 41-7
L
Indiana - FRI 23-29
W Penn State - FRI, R 34-13
- Ball State - H.C., R 0-0
A
Michigan State
Oct 17
H Rutgers - R Oct 24
A Oregon
Oct 31
H Iowa - R Nov 7
A Ohio State Nov 14
A Minnesota Nov 21
H Illinois - R Nov 28
- -
-
(M=NM Field. R=New Ryan Field)
 
2025 Results
(7-6; 4-5 B1G)
L Tulane 3-23
W Wstrn Ill - M 42-7
L
Oregon - M 14-34
W UCLA - M 17-14
W ULM - HC - M 42-7
W Penn State 22-21
W Purdue - M 19-0
L Nebraska 21-28
L USC 17-38
L Michigan - W 22-24
W Minnesota - W 38-35
L Illinois 13-20
W Cent. Mich. - Bowl 34-7
(M=NM Field. W=Wrigley Field)





Northwestern's 2026 season marks the 150th anniversary of NU's first football game. Now, you can read about NU's very first season and how it all began.

Gus Hornsby's Gamble tells the story of Augustus Hornsby, the maverick English army officer who formed the Chicago Foot-Ball Club and taught the game to Northwestern students. Hornsby's story, relayed here for the first time anywhere, is a wild ride: he was a pioneer journalist, an explorer, and eventually a fabulously wealthy real estate tycoon. But his gambling addiction led to financial ruin and a stunning string of crimes that made Hornsby a nationally-hunted fugitive.

My book provides a new glimpse into life at Northwestern at the school's infancy and describes its first football team in detail. It is a must for any fan of Northwestern and NU history. Click here to learn more about the book. You can order it directly from Amazon.







"...It will always be my school, our school."
--Gary Barnett, as quoted by Teddy Greenstein


Front Page  |  Trivia  |  History  |  Features  |  Links  |  'Cat DataExtra  |  Bowls  |  Songs  |  Photos 
 
Comments? E-mail GoUPurple@aol.com
 
HTP first updated: July 12, 2000
Quite unaffiliated with Northwestern University.    Click here to read more about this website.