“This type of record will never happen again.”
Pat Fitzgerald confidently proclaimed this statement at the conclusion of the 2019 season, which saw Northwestern finish 3-9 with just one win and a whopping eight losses in conference play.
It was a bold claim, but considering everything he had accomplished for the program in nearly two decades as head coach, many Northwestern fans were inclined to believe him. Fitz gave them more than enough reason to in the following year, as he led Northwestern to a 7-2 record and a Big Ten West title in the 2020 COVID-modified season.