2012 Northwestern Wildcats football team

2012 Northwestern Wildcats football
Gator Bowl champion
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
DivisionLegends Division
Ranking
CoachesNo. 16
APNo. 17
Record10–3 (5–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMick McCall (5th season)
Offensive schemeSpread
Defensive coordinatorMike Hankwitz (5th season)
Base defenseMultiple 4–3
Captains
  • Brian Arnfelt
  • Kain Colter
  • Brian Mulroe
  • David Nwabuisi
Home stadiumRyan Field
Seasons
← 2011
2013 →
2012 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Legends Division
No. 25 Nebraska xy   7 – 1     10 – 4  
No. 24 Michigan   6 – 2     8 – 5  
No. 17 Northwestern   5 – 3     10 – 3  
Michigan State   3 – 5     7 – 6  
Iowa   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Minnesota   2 – 6     6 – 7  
Leaders Division
No. 3 Ohio State* x   8 – 0     12 – 0  
Penn State*   6 – 2     8 – 4  
Wisconsin y$   4 – 4     8 – 6  
Purdue   3 – 5     6 – 7  
Indiana   2 – 6     4 – 8  
Illinois   0 – 8     2 – 10  
Championship: Wisconsin 70, Nebraska 31
  • $ – BCS representative as conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • * Ohio State and Penn State ineligible for conference championship game and post-season bowl games due to NCAA sanctions.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2012 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University during the 2012 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his seventh season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach. The Wildcats home games were played at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. They were members of the Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference. The Wildcats won their first bowl game since the 1949 Rose Bowl against California by defeating Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl 34–20.[1] They finished the season 10–3 (5–3 Big Ten).

  1. ^ Greenstein, Teddy (January 1, 2013). "Northwestern Wins Gator Bowl to End Drought". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved January 1, 2013.