College Football Rankings 2020: Projected AP Top 25 final rankings

Northwestern locked down its spot in the top half of the final AP Top 25 for 2020 with a resounding 35-19 victory over Auburn at the Citrus Bowl. If not for their inexplicable 29-20 loss at Michigan State, this Wildcats team would likely have been playing in a New Year’s Six bowl even after losing to Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. As it is, they might not break the top 10 of the AP Top 25 — but they will come close in a section of tight voting.

Peyton Ramsey broke out against the Tigers defense, throwing for 291 yards and three touchdowns while completing more than two-thirds of his passes. Ramsey added 50 yards and a touchdown on the ground, chipping in to a rushing attack led by Cam Porter’s 98 yards and a score. The Wildcats defense gave up 300 passing yards to Bo Nix and Cord Sandberg, but they also held Auburn to just 61 rushing yards as a team.

As a result of their 7-2 campaign, Northwestern is going to finish with the school’s highest AP Top 25 ranking of the Pat Fitzgerald era. If they do hit the top 10 in the poll, it will be the first time for the Wildcats since they reached the Rose Bowl a quarter-century ago. Regardless of their final ranking, this was an unprecedented season in Evanston amidst the unprecedented circumstances of playing in a pandemic.