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2018 Schedule

EvanstonCat

EvanstonCat

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Didn't see anyone post it here and I guess there's nothing really new here, but it's officially out:

http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/6/28/northwestern-finalizes-2018-football-schedule.aspx

2018 Football Schedule Saturday, September 1 at Purdue
Saturday, September 8 vs. Duke
Saturday, September 15 vs. Akron
Saturday, September 29 vs. Michigan
Saturday, October 6 at Michigan State
Saturday, October 13 vs. Nebraska
Saturday, October 20 at Rutgers
Saturday, October 27 vs. Wisconsin
Saturday, November 3 vs. Notre Dame
Saturday, November 10 at Iowa
Saturday, November 17 at Minnesota
Saturday, November 24 vs. Illinois

Schedule looks a bit rougher than this year's. We play 8 bowl teams, including all 3 of our non-conference foes. We skip Penn State and Ohio State - not sure how that happened except that it's offset by missing Indiana and Maryland as well. Although I really wish we would play Ohio State every year. We do get Rutgers for the first time ever, I think.
 
EvanstonCat said:
Didn't see anyone post it here and I guess there's nothing really new here, but it's officially out:

http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/6/28/northwestern-finalizes-2018-football-schedule.aspx

2018 Football Schedule Saturday, September 1 at Purdue
Saturday, September 8 vs. Duke
Saturday, September 15 vs. Akron
Saturday, September 29 vs. Michigan
Saturday, October 6 at Michigan State
Saturday, October 13 vs. Nebraska
Saturday, October 20 at Rutgers
Saturday, October 27 vs. Wisconsin
Saturday, November 3 vs. Notre Dame
Saturday, November 10 at Iowa
Saturday, November 17 at Minnesota
Saturday, November 24 vs. Illinois

Schedule looks a bit rougher than this year's. We play 8 bowl teams, including all 3 of our non-conference foes. We skip Penn State and Ohio State - not sure how that happened except that it's offset by missing Indiana and Maryland as well. Although I really wish we would play Ohio State every year. We do get Rutgers for the first time ever, I think.
Click to expand...
BTW - on Akron. Yes, they were a bowl team but that does not mean they were or are good. They got hammered by Penn State and Iowa State and in their bowl game against Florida Altantic. The rest was MAC.
 
EvanstonCat said:
Didn't see anyone post it here and I guess there's nothing really new here, but it's officially out:

http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/6/28/northwestern-finalizes-2018-football-schedule.aspx

2018 Football Schedule Saturday, September 1 at Purdue
Saturday, September 8 vs. Duke
Saturday, September 15 vs. Akron
Saturday, September 29 vs. Michigan
Saturday, October 6 at Michigan State
Saturday, October 13 vs. Nebraska
Saturday, October 20 at Rutgers
Saturday, October 27 vs. Wisconsin
Saturday, November 3 vs. Notre Dame
Saturday, November 10 at Iowa
Saturday, November 17 at Minnesota
Saturday, November 24 vs. Illinois

Schedule looks a bit rougher than this year's. We play 8 bowl teams, including all 3 of our non-conference foes. We skip Penn State and Ohio State - not sure how that happened except that it's offset by missing Indiana and Maryland as well. Although I really wish we would play Ohio State every year. We do get Rutgers for the first time ever, I think.
Click to expand...
The schedule is more difficult yes, but it sets up nicely for a 7-2 run at the Big Ten championship game.

It feels like the whole schedule comes down to that 5 game stretch: Michigan, @Michigan State, Nebraska, @Rutgers, Wisconsin.

If we take 3 wins out of those 5 games including Wisconsin, I think we win out after Notre Dame and take the division.

Purdue and Duke aren't gimmes, but they're winnable even if we're breaking in a new QB. We've been recruiting at a level where we should be able to just reload in the positions where we lose significant contributions, but it'll all come down to whether we get to a serviceable QB early on...

There's a lot of opportunity in next year's schedule for national statement wins and a division run.
 
EvanstonCat said:
Didn't see anyone post it here and I guess there's nothing really new here, but it's officially out:

http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/6/28/northwestern-finalizes-2018-football-schedule.aspx

2018 Football Schedule Saturday, September 1 at Purdue
Saturday, September 8 vs. Duke
Saturday, September 15 vs. Akron
Saturday, September 29 vs. Michigan
Saturday, October 6 at Michigan State
Saturday, October 13 vs. Nebraska
Saturday, October 20 at Rutgers
Saturday, October 27 vs. Wisconsin
Saturday, November 3 vs. Notre Dame
Saturday, November 10 at Iowa
Saturday, November 17 at Minnesota
Saturday, November 24 vs. Illinois

Schedule looks a bit rougher than this year's. We play 8 bowl teams, including all 3 of our non-conference foes. We skip Penn State and Ohio State - not sure how that happened except that it's offset by missing Indiana and Maryland as well. Although I really wish we would play Ohio State every year. We do get Rutgers for the first time ever, I think.
Click to expand...
Which home game is likely to be selected for Homecoming? When is that decided?
 
[QUOTE="EvanstonCat, We do get Rutgers for the first time ever, I think.[/QUOTE]

We play them for the first time as members of the B1G but we had a memorable loss to them about 25 years ago. I was at the game in New Brunswick and I commented to my wife near the games end that the only way NU could lose was if Rutgers ran the kickoff back and then recovered an onside kick-remember I said it was a memorable loss
 
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Michigan, ND, Wisconsin at home is encouraging

But Nebby at home is discouraging. The road team always seems to win that game.
 
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Yes, we lost back-to-back games to Rutgers in horrible fashion. One of many true lowlights during the Dark Ages. The home loss came during a terrible 0-11 season in 1989 which looked a lot like the return of THE STREAK. Makes you appreciate what Gary Barnett did here to transform things.
 
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Alvious said:
I thought the Purdue game was on a Thursday night. Did they change it, or was I mistaken?
Click to expand...

You're not mistaken; it's on Thursday, August 30. The link in the OP is from last June before the game was moved.

Catreporter said:
Yes, we lost back-to-back games to Rutgers in horrible fashion. One of many true lowlights during the Dark Ages. The home loss came during a terrible 0-11 season in 1989 which looked a lot like the return of THE STREAK. Makes you appreciate what Gary Barnett did here to transform things.
Click to expand...

We're actually 0-3 all-time against Rutgers. In addition to the two losses you mention (1989 and 1991), we also lost 28-0 in 1919.
 
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I am really excited to root for the Cats in the Fall. I really don't like playing cupcakes early in the season. For some crazy reason we almost always seem to stink in up against teams like il.st. and nhampshire. The three most important wins for us this fall are against ND, Mich, and Duke. I'd love to beat all three of them! I know we'll be ready to play vs nd & mich. I hope the ugly loss to the dukies last season will motivate us even more to be ready for them. Now, let's hope that our bsktball team will turn it around next season! Is it too late for this season? I guess we'll find out over the next month??
 
mickbula said:
The three most important wins for us this fall are against ND, Mich, and Duke.
Click to expand...

Two non-conference opponents and a team in the other division are the three most important games? How about Wisconsin?
 
Styre said:
Two non-conference opponents and a team in the other division are the three most important games? How about Wisconsin?
Click to expand...
OK! Let's win over them too! I mentioned the M/ND/Duke trio just out of personal ego trip bcause of friends/neighbors who went there and I would like to have bragging rights! Actually, I'd like to win-out over the entire schedule now that you mention it- do what Wis did in 17', but win the BIG championship too. Then, beat Bama and Stanford in the nat.championship too!! Let's go Cats!! Is this realistic? I'm not sure? But then again, NU football is in its Renaissance Era, so I guess anything is realistic for us now!!
 
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EvanstonCat said:
Didn't see anyone post it here and I guess there's nothing really new here, but it's officially out:

http://www.nusports.com/news/2017/6/28/northwestern-finalizes-2018-football-schedule.aspx

2018 Football Schedule Saturday, September 1 at Purdue
Saturday, September 8 vs. Duke
Saturday, September 15 vs. Akron
Saturday, September 29 vs. Michigan
Saturday, October 6 at Michigan State
Saturday, October 13 vs. Nebraska
Saturday, October 20 at Rutgers
Saturday, October 27 vs. Wisconsin
Saturday, November 3 vs. Notre Dame
Saturday, November 10 at Iowa
Saturday, November 17 at Minnesota
Saturday, November 24 vs. Illinois

Schedule looks a bit rougher than this year's. We play 8 bowl teams, including all 3 of our non-conference foes. We skip Penn State and Ohio State - not sure how that happened except that it's offset by missing Indiana and Maryland as well. Although I really wish we would play Ohio State every year. We do get Rutgers for the first time ever, I think.
Click to expand...

We skip Penn State because they rotate off our schedule this year — a bummer for me as I can always get to the game up at State College on my brother's season tickets. As you know, we play three from the other division under the current plan. We are attached at the hip to Michigan State for a couple of years due to the wisdom of the B1G powers-that-be, so that leaves two openings for Western teams. We pick up Michigan and get our first game against Rutgers. Just as glad Ohio State is off the radar this year. Can you imagine the schedule if the Rutgers slot was occupied by Ohio State? It's tough enough as it is.
 
If we beat Wisconsin, we have a very reasonable shot at winning the division with a 7-2 record assuming they drop one of their 2 games @Michigan or @Penn State.

I'd definitely put Wisconsin at the top in terms of importance, but naturally winning 6 of the other 8 Big Ten games has to also happen to give meaning to a win against Wisconsin.

That's why that middle stretch of games is going to determine the season: Michigan, @Michigan State, Nebraska, @Rutgers, Wisconsin.

If we have only 0 or 1 Big Ten loss(es) when Wisconsin comes to town, that game will be the biggest in Evanston in a while in terms of importance.
 
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pawildcat said:
We are attached at the hip to Michigan State for a couple of years due to the wisdom of the B1G powers-that-be
Click to expand...

Well, considering that NU-MSU games have been so entertaining the last few years, I've got no problems with keeping them on the schedule.
 
I’m glad a Wrigley Field game isn’t on the table for 2018. The Oct. & Nov. home games are excellent and Senior Day should be at Ryan Field.
 
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