Northwestern Football: Can Pat Fitzgerald turn Wildcats around in 2020?

LINCOLN, NE - OCTOBER 5: Head coach Pat Fitzgerald of the Northwestern Wildcats waits with the team to enter the field before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium on October 5, 2019 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images) /

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Northwestern football was dismal last season, finishing 3-9. Can the Wildcats get back to a winning record and a bowl appearance in 2020?

Northwestern has sustained success under head coach Pat Fitzgerald with nine bowl appearances and winning their last three bowls. The 2018 season saw the Wildcats win the Big Ten West title but fall short to Ohio State in the championship game. Last season however the team bottomed out and are now looking to pick up the pieces.

The team was injury riddled a year ago but the depth was also lacking. The Wildcats just did not have enough offensive firepower and it all collapsed during a miserable seven game losing streak in the middle of the season. They were able to salvage a conference win over rival Illinois to conclude the season but Fitzgerald vowed to his team a season like 2019 would never happen again.

The bar is set for Northwestern to be a perennial bowl contender. Fitzgerald also has proven before he can fix problems with his team so there is no reason to think this will not be a rebound season for the Wildcats.

Can Northwestern fix their ailments to get out of the basement of the Big Ten? Can they contend again for the division? Let’s take a look at both sides of the football and their schedule to find out.

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