The opportunity to pull off consecutive 10-win seasons disappeared for Northwestern by late September last year, when the Wildcats stood just 1-3 overall. Over the next two months, Northwestern had to claw back just to reach a bowl game, qualifying with a victory against Illinois in the regular season finale.
But, in many ways, the Wildcats can view their 2016 campaign as a success. Northwestern defeated Pittsburgh 31-24 in the Pinstripe Bowl to mark the school's second bowl victory of the Pat Fitzgerald era. With the Wildcats set to open spring practice ahead of the 2017 season, they can build on that positive momentum with several veteran players and make a run at a potential Big Ten West title.