Realistic expectations for Northwestern football in 2024

When Northwestern football was gearing up for the 2023 season, no one expected that the Wildcats would be doing so without long-time head coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald was fired amid a scandal that rocked the program and he was replaced by assistant coach David Braun who was expected to be an interim. But after having a successful 8-5 season which shocked the Big Ten, capped off by a win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl, the full-time tag for Braun seemed more than earned.

It wasn't exactly all success from the beginning as the Wildcats began the season 4-5 before rattling off four straight wins to end the year.

Northwestern isn't exactly entering the 2024 season as a Big Ten contender, but even a bowl berth would have to be considered a success with the lack of big-time talent coming in with the No. 94 recruiting class and just six average transfers.

The Wildcats do return 13 starters so that should be good enough to be at least competitive yet again. But it's hard to put too much stock in one season of Braun but players seem to love him.

So what are the realistic expectations for Northwestern in 2024?

Looking at the schedule, the Wildcats will start the season 3-0 with wins over Miami (OH), Duke, and Eastern Illinois before going to Washington in Week 4. That will be a loss. They'll then beat Indiana to improve to 4-1 but then the schedule gets way more brutal. Northwestern will unfortunately drop at least five of the next six games before beating Illinois in the finale.

The Wildcats should follow up an 8-5 season with a 5-7 or 6-6 record and I think that's more than realistic.