Big Ten Power Rankings Week 14: Ohio State Still on Top?

Nov 29, 2014; Evanston, IL, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Zack Oliver (10) throws a pass during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Ryan Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Now, with a 5-7 season, should Northwestern start over? Or should they wait and see another year? Hey, these guys proved they can win this year. They just couldn’t handle success.

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11

Northwestern Wildcats 5-7 (2-6)

Last week: Lost to Illinois Fighting Illini 47-33
Last rank: 8

Northwestern showed it can beat Notre Dame and Wisconsin this year but not Illinois and easy out of conference games. That’s kind of a staple for Pat Fitzgerald’s inconsistent teams.

And at 5-7, these guys are once again missing a bowl game, which has to be frustrating for the fans in Northern Illinois.

The defense, which has been good and bad at different times this year, kept this team out of a bowl game by choosing to be bad against a good Illinois offense. And Trevor Siemian has not helped at all at quarterback, so the result had to be somewhat expected.

Now, with a 5-7 season, should Northwestern start over? Or should they wait and see another year? Hey, these guys proved they can win this year. They just couldn’t handle success.

Next: No. 10 Ranked Big Ten Team