Last weekend held major implications for Northwestern, as they head into Minneapolis. As Zach Pereles wrote last week, “Northwestern can surpass Minnesota in the Big Ten and the Big Ten West and gain a game on them in the overall season record mark while also holding head-to-head tiebreakers over both the Gophers and the Hawkeyes.”
Instead, Northwestern fell to Minnesota 29-12, and now need a win over in-state rival Illinois to secure a bowl berth. However, USA Today explains that several 5-7 teams will likely be needed to fill out the bowl slots. Those candidates are selected by APR, so a loss on Saturday does not necessarily crush Northwestern’s postseason hopes.