This win should put the kibosh on any remnants...

[Katatonic]

of the story-line that NU has only won 1 (2-3) bowl games since 1949.

4 bowl wins and 3 in a row (1 against each the Pac12 and ACC and 2 against the SEC).

 

[zeek55]

I think it will, and since Utah will likely be ranked in the final polls, this will also be our first bowl win over a ranked team (finishing ranked unlike Pitt which lost its rankings after losing to us in 2016).

Either way, winning bowl games is important because they're the final impression that you leave across the nation, especially finishing ranked as we will this year.

 

[Katatonic]

And while some may poo-poo it, hopefully a pre-season ranking leading into next season.

Sure, doesn't mean much if you don't win the games, but it keeps NU in the minds of CFB fans (and more importantly recruits) and it's easier to bounce back into the rankings after a loss.

Plus a top 25 season opener match-up btwn NU and SU should get some good national press.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

And while some may poo-poo it, hopefully a pre-season ranking leading into next season.

Sure, doesn't mean much if you don't win the games, but it keeps NU in the minds of CFB fans (and more importantly recruits) and it's easier to bounce back into the rankings after a loss.

Plus a top 25 season opener match-up btwn NU and SU should get some good national press.

Stanford won today, but they certainly didn’t look great.

 

[DaCat]

We like breaking in new QBs against Stanford.

 

[Katatonic]

Maybe I spoke/wrote too soon.

The win closes one of the best seasons in school history, with the school’s first Big Ten West championship and just the fifth bowl win in school history, though three of those have come in the past three seasons.

https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...estern-races-past-no-17-utah-in-holiday-bowl/

And there's this...

The win improves Northwestern's all-time bowl game record to 5-10. However, they have now three-straight bowl games; from the 1948-2012 seasons, they won two bowl games — the 1949 Rose Bowl and the 2013 Gator Bowl.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/n...h-holiday-bowl-thorson-fitzgerald-heading-nfl

What's it going to take?

Hitting double-digits in bowl wins?

Stanford won today, but they certainly didn’t look great.

Have to keep in mind that SU had close to half their starters out on O.

 

[Alan Smithee]

Maybe I spoke/wrote too soon.

The win closes one of the best seasons in school history, with the school’s first Big Ten West championship and just the fifth bowl win in school history, though three of those have come in the past three seasons.

https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...estern-races-past-no-17-utah-in-holiday-bowl/

And there's this...

The win improves Northwestern's all-time bowl game record to 5-10. However, they have now three-straight bowl games; from the 1948-2012 seasons, they won two bowl games — the 1949 Rose Bowl and the 2013 Gator Bowl.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/n...h-holiday-bowl-thorson-fitzgerald-heading-nfl

What's it going to take?

Hitting double-digits in bowl wins?




Have to keep in mind that SU had close to half their starters out on O.

Stanford's bowl game was pretty early, too.

 

[zeek55]

Maybe I spoke/wrote too soon.

The win closes one of the best seasons in school history, with the school’s first Big Ten West championship and just the fifth bowl win in school history, though three of those have come in the past three seasons.

https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...estern-races-past-no-17-utah-in-holiday-bowl/

And there's this...

The win improves Northwestern's all-time bowl game record to 5-10. However, they have now three-straight bowl games; from the 1948-2012 seasons, they won two bowl games — the 1949 Rose Bowl and the 2013 Gator Bowl.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/n...h-holiday-bowl-thorson-fitzgerald-heading-nfl

What's it going to take?

Hitting double-digits in bowl wins?




Have to keep in mind that SU had close to half their starters out on O.

I posted a while back that one of the benchmarks we need to hit as a program is 10 bowl wins.

So we're halfway to that, and I do think that's the point at which the 64 year gap will finally be ancient history in terms of national media narratives about NU football... [not that we care that much about that, since to recruits recent memory is what matters most, which is our 3 straight bowl wins and 4 of last 5].

 

[Katatonic]

At this point, don't think even 10 bowl wins will do the trick.

Think there will always be a writer or 2 referring back to NU's past bowl record as a point of interest.

 

[zeek55]

At this point, don't think even 10 bowl wins will do the trick.

Think there will always be a writer or 2 referring back to NU's past bowl record as a point of interest.

Sure, but I think the overall narrative about that will be gone, plus I'd imagine it'll take some time, so we'll be further removed from 2013, which doesn't feel that far back at the moment.


When we have 12 or 13 bowl wins, nobody will really care about a long period of time that we went without bowl wins.

 

[Deeringfish]

At this point, don't think even 10 bowl wins will do the trick.

Think there will always be a writer or 2 referring back to NU's past bowl record as a point of interest.

Everyone has to die. Then we will be happy.

 

[Katatonic]

^ Maybe everyone who remembers the Dark Ages will have to be departed.

 

[FitzFan]

Did you know: Northwestern had a putrid history in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl prior to the game on Monday. They had never won the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl prior to Monday's game, their first appearance in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl.

Also:

NoRtHwEstErN's hOLidaY b0wL ViCt0rY wAs ThEiR FirSt WiN SiNcE NoVeMbEr, 2018.

 

[NU Houston]

Maybe I spoke/wrote too soon.

The win closes one of the best seasons in school history, with the school’s first Big Ten West championship and just the fifth bowl win in school history, though three of those have come in the past three seasons.

https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...estern-races-past-no-17-utah-in-holiday-bowl/

And there's this...

The win improves Northwestern's all-time bowl game record to 5-10. However, they have now three-straight bowl games; from the 1948-2012 seasons, they won two bowl games — the 1949 Rose Bowl and the 2013 Gator Bowl.

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/n...h-holiday-bowl-thorson-fitzgerald-heading-nfl

What's it going to take?

Hitting double-digits in bowl wins?




Have to keep in mind that SU had close to half their starters out on O.

Do stories about the Red Sox still bring up the fact that despite winning four WS titles since 2004, prior to that they hadn't won one since 1918? At some point, long streaks of futility become ingrained in a team's identity regardless of more recent success. Lazy journalism probably doesn't hurt either, as throwing the note in there makes for a good sound bite.

 

[jjjjjjj]

What’s also never mentioned in those articles is that the Big Ten, unlike most conferences, didn’t allow anyone other than the conference champion to play in bowls (except when the same school won the conference two years in a row). That lasted until the mid-70s. NU had good teams in ‘71, ‘70, ‘62, ‘59 and other years that might have won bowl games, but they never got the chance.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Sure, but I think the overall narrative about that will be gone, plus I'd imagine it'll take some time, so we'll be further removed from 2013, which doesn't feel that far back at the moment.


When we have 12 or 13 bowl wins, nobody will really care about a long period of time that we went without bowl wins.

NU will always have historical records thrown in their face. Hell in the Illini retort that they have been in a NY6 bowl more recently than us and ignore the fact that NU has dominated the series now for 25+ years.

 

[EvanstonCat]

At this point, don't think even 10 bowl wins will do the trick.

Think there will always be a writer or 2 referring back to NU's past bowl record as a point of interest.

We may need for all sports journalists born before the 1990's or at least the 80's to die off or at least retire.

 

[Gladeskat]

NU will always have historical records thrown in their face. Hell in the Illini retort that they have been in a NY6 bowl more recently than us and ignore the fact that NU has dominated the series now for 25+ years.

Illinois retorts are funny. They reek of desperation like scenes from the movie, "Trading Places".

 

[pawildcat]

What’s also never mentioned in those articles is that the Big Ten, unlike most conferences, didn’t allow anyone other than the conference champion to play in bowls (except when the same school won the conference two years in a row). That lasted until the mid-70s. NU had good teams in ‘71, ‘70, ‘62, ‘59 and other years that might have won bowl games, but they never got the chance.

Actually, there weren't a lot of bowl games to play in for years even if you had allowed non-champions to go. Northwestern's 1948 Rose Bowl team actually finished second in the Big Ten to Michigan that year, but went because Michigan had gone the previous year. Michigan was brutal that year — beat the Cats something like 28-0.

 

[zeek55]

Actually, there weren't a lot of bowl games to play in for years even if you had allowed non-champions to go. Northwestern's 1948 Rose Bowl team actually finished second in the Big Ten to Michigan that year, but went because Michigan had gone the previous year. Michigan was brutal that year — beat the Cats something like 28-0.

That is a good point, I had wondered on that note, will this team get 2 rings? One ring for the division and one for the bowl win?


Because we've never had a team get both conference and bowl hardware before...

NU will always have historical records thrown in their face. Hell in the Illini retort that they have been in a NY6 bowl more recently than us and ignore the fact that NU has dominated the series now for 25+ years.

Yeah that's why I want the Illinois series lead badly the next couple of years, just put those clowns in the rearview mirror.

At this point, don't think even 10 bowl wins will do the trick.

Think there will always be a writer or 2 referring back to NU's past bowl record as a point of interest.

I should amend my previous statements because there is the fact that when we next get to a Rose Bowl (or NY6 bowls generally) that the 1996 and 1949 Rose Bowls will be prominently mentioned.

That's especially true when we next win a Rose Bowl: the 1949 Rose Bowl will probably be mentioned in the first 5 lines of any article about that.

But that will be a great issue to have.

 

[phatcat]

So I was at the playground with my 5YO yesterday, emblazoned in purple of course. This fairly young guy, like 30s, asked about the game. I told him we won and he made some comment like 'theyve really turned it around'. Of course, I politely corrected him and said we've been good for 20+ years but WTF? I'd hold our record up against Mich or Tex since, say, 2008.

It reminds me of the joke about Pierre the Bridgebuilder

 

[Hungry Jack]

Illinois retorts are funny. They reek of desperation like scenes from the movie, "Trading Places".

That’s just like your opinion, man.

 

[Gladeskat]

That’s just like your opinion, man.

Illinois fans are happy now knowing their AD has brought in new coaches to help in their plight.