What happens if NU shows promise, but misses a bowl yet again?
Northwestern has now gone two straight years without making a bowl game, and with that in mind, the national media isn't very high on the Wildcats' chances to return to the postseason this year. ESPN released its 2015-16 bowl projections this week and neither Brett McMurphy nor Mark Schlabach have NU projected to go to a bowl game this year.
Going off the F/+ ratings and injury luck, NU was probably good enough to be a bowl team the last two years — particularly in 2013 — if more had gone the Wildcats' way.