Northwestern Wildcats

Head Coach: David Braun (2nd year)

Offensive Coordinator: Chip Kelly (1st year)

Defensive Coordinator: Tim McGarigle

Spring Game: No spring game

2026 Schedule

Most Likely: 6-6(expected 6.3)badge = team's win probability; ⚡ = toss-up (45-55%)

South Dakota StateSep 5W

ColoradoSep 1970% -14.0

@ IndianaSep 2628% +15.5

Penn StateOct 337% +9.0

Ball StateOct 1081% -24.0

@ Michigan StateOct 17⚡ 55% -3.0

RutgersOct 2457% -5.0

@ OregonOct 3121% +22.0

IowaNov 765% -10.0

@ Ohio StateNov 1428% +15.5

@ MinnesotaNov 2140% +7.0

IllinoisNov 28⚡ 46% +2.5

The Wildcats enter 2026 with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly.

David Braun's Wildcats feature portal RB Gavin Sawchuk (111, from Florida State) and QB Aidan Chiles (109, from Michigan State) leading a rebuilt roster. DLs Carmine Bastone and Michael Kilbane (both 87) anchor the defensive front. Ten transfer starters as Northwestern competes in the Big Ten.

Key Games

Toss-up: trails Illinois (Big Ten)46% win

Toss-up: edges Michigan State (Big Ten)55% win

Toss-up: edges Rutgers (Big Ten)57% win

97Total Players

17Transfers

50Returning

30Freshmen

Starter Quality (out of 100)

Overall

Returning

Transfer

Quarterbacks(6)

#7Aidan Chiles

6'2" · 215 lbs · Age 21

Transfer

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Starter

#13Gavin Frakes

6'4" · 235 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Backup

#2Ryan Boe

6'3" · 215 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#12Marcus Romain

6'0" · 210 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Johnny O'Brien

6'2" · 180 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Nicco Marchiol

6-2 · 210 lbs

Transfer

Senior

Role: Backup

Running Backs(6)

#4Gavin Sawchuk

5'11" · 201 lbs · Age 22

Transfer

R-Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Starter

#6Joseph Himon II

5'9" · 190 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Backup

#5Caleb Komolafe

5'11" · 210 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

Mar'Kel Porter

5'10" · 195 lbs · Age 20

Transfer

R-Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#26Albert Kunickis III

6'3" · 225 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Sean Morris II

5'10" · 205 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Wide Receivers(10)

#3Frank Covey IV

6'1" · 210 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Key Reserve

#17Griffin Wilde

6'2" · 200 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Starter

#10Ricky Ahumaraeze

6'4" · 210 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Backup

#19Drew Wagner

5'10" · 185 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

#80Hayden Eligon II

6'4" · 210 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

#82Braden Blueitt

6'0" · 200 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#89Cam Russell

6'3" · 210 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#14Dube Enongene

6'1" · 200 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Jaden McDuffie

6'3" · 165 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Keaton Reinke

6'3" · 205 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Tight Ends(6)

Alex Honig

6'4" · 245 lbs · Age 23

Transfer

R-Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Starter

#83Blake Van Buren

6'4" · 248 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Backup

Luke Dehnicke

6'3" · 230 lbs · Age 21

Transfer

R-Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Backup

#18Camp Magee

6'5" · 220 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#81Chris Petrucci

6'4" · 250 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Tom McGlinchey

6'6" · 230 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Offensive Line(15)

#64Anthony Birsa

6'5" · 310 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

Arkel Anugwom

6'4" · 310 lbs · Age 22

Transfer

R-Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Backup

David Anchondo

6'5" · 305 lbs · Age 22

Transfer

R-Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Backup

#73Deuce McGuire

6'5" · 310 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Starter

Grant Seagren

6'6" · 310 lbs · Age 22

Transfer

R-Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

#77Idrys Cotton

6'4" · 315 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Backup

#76Michael O'Connell

6'7" · 305 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Backup

#78Trey Boyd

6'5" · 305 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Backup

#62Ezomo Oratokhai

6'4" · 310 lbs · Age 19

Returning

R-Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Starter

#67Jace Borcherding

6'4" · 300 lbs · Age 19

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Hayden Flavin

6'7" · 270 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Jack Fuchs

6'8" · 290 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Leighton Burbach

6'8" · 255 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Owen Fors

6'4" · 290 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Dennis Rahouski

6-8 · 295 lbs

Returning

R-Sophomore

Role: Starter

Defensive Line(18)

Jamaal Johnson

6'2" · 255 lbs · Age 23

Transfer

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Starter

#15Brendan Flakes

6'4" · 291 lbs · Age 20

Returning

R-Senior

3 years remaining

Role: Starter

Dominic Kirks

6'4" · 267 lbs · Age 21

Transfer

R-Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Rotation

Glory Stephen-Wangboje

6'2" · 293 lbs · Age 22

Transfer

R-Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Rotation

#47Michael Kilbane

6'5" · 275 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Senior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

#94Migo Jackson

6'0" · 295 lbs · Age 23

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Backup

#55Dylan Roberts

6'3" · 280 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#92Mason Green

6'2" · 250 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#54Tyler Gant

6'3" · 290 lbs · Age 20

Returning

R-Junior

3 years remaining

Role: Starter

#97Braxton Strong

6'4" · 250 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#93Caden O'Rourke

6'5" · 230 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#44Callen Campbell

6'4" · 260 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#59Jack Trautmann

6'3" · 255 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#96Jonah Hayes

6'6" · 245 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#98Landon Lauter

6'5" · 285 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#56Mason Mayne

6'3" · 265 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#53Tanner Jumpp

6'3" · 270 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#99Troy Regovich

6'5" · 280 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Linebackers(11)

Kobie McKinzie

6'2" · 236 lbs · Age 23

Transfer

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Starter

#33Braydon Brus

6'1" · 230 lbs · Age 21

Returning

R-Senior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

#45Jack Sadowsky V

6'2" · 230 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Senior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

#40Jason Reynolds II

6'2" · 230 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Backup

#51Miles Crutchley

6'0" · 220 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Backup

#58Nathaniel Campbell

6'3" · 225 lbs · Age 23

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Backup

#42Nigel Glover

6'3" · 230 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#34Payton Roth

6'4" · 225 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#38Josh Veldman

6'5" · 210 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#46Lincoln Creager

6'3" · 215 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#32Matthew Smith

6'2" · 210 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Defensive Backs(19)

#9Braden Turner

5'11" · 195 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Backup

#13Josh Fussell

6'0" · 195 lbs · Age 20

Returning

R-Junior

3 years remaining

Role: Starter

Montae Pate

6'3" · 170 lbs · Age 23

Transfer

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Backup

Brenden Deasfernandes

6'0" · 195 lbs · Age 23

Transfer

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Starter

#16J.J. Lewis

6'0" · 200 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Backup

#27Jack Oyola

5'11" · 200 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Backup

#7Ore Adeyi

5'11" · 195 lbs · Age 23

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Backup

#6Robert Fitzgerald

6'0" · 210 lbs · Age 21

Returning

Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Starter

#23Cole Shivers

5'10" · 180 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#21Damon Walters

6'1" · 195 lbs · Age 20

Returning

R-Junior

3 years remaining

Role: Starter

#26Jalen Lewis

5'9" · 200 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#20Alijah Jones

6'0" · 185 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#29Jon Jon Stevens Jr.

6'0" · 190 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#25Marquet Dorsey Jr.

6'2" · 195 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#35Sean Martin

6'1" · 185 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#11Seth Valeri

6'0" · 190 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#22Terrion Curry-Hicks

5'11" · 185 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#28Timi Oke

6'1" · 185 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

#31Tito Williams Jr.

6'2" · 185 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve

Kickers(2)

#94Henry Helms

6'1" · 180 lbs · Age 20

Returning

Sophomore

3 years remaining

Role: Backup

Jackson Kleather

5-11 · 175 lbs

Transfer

Senior

Role: Starter

Punters(1)

#92Nikola Dugandzic

6'5" · 215 lbs · Age 18

Returning

Sophomore

4 years remaining

Role: Starter

Long Snappers(3)

#49Liam Reardon

6'1" · 230 lbs · Age 23

Returning

Senior

1 years remaining

Role: Backup

Evan Boutorwick

6'3" · 230 lbs · Age 21

Transfer

R-Junior

2 years remaining

Role: Backup

#39Jack Florentine

6'0" · 215 lbs · Age 18

Freshman

4 years remaining

Role: Reserve