November 5, 2015 by Mollie Cahillane
Northwestern Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald and quarterback Clayton Thorson (18) celebrate a win against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Northwestern defeated Nebraska 30-28. Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Despite tumbling out of the AP Top 25 Poll in Week 8, Northwestern football is ranked No. 21 in this year’s first College Football Playoff Rankings.
Northwestern’s early season wins over ranked opponents, Duke and Stanford, likely contributed to its CFP ranking. The Wildcats also dominated Minnesota in a 27-0 shutout and easily defeated Ball State and Eastern Illinois.