Game notes: Northwestern at Minnesota
Saturday, November 21, kickoff time not yet set, Huntington Bank Stadium.The game page.
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The matchup
- Northwestern (5–1, 2–1 in conference) at Minnesota (4–2, 2–1 in conference), Saturday, November 21, kickoff time not yet set, Huntington Bank Stadium.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file. Ranks as of the game, as listed with the schedule (AP poll, else the coaches’).
The series
- It will be their 100th meeting; Minnesota leads the series 56–38–5.resultsEvery meeting on file; official counts take out wins the NCAA vacated and count forfeits as the rivalry’s article does.
- Last meeting: Saturday, November 22, 2025: Northwestern 38, Minnesota 35.resultsThe most recent meeting on file.
- They first met in 1892: Minnesota 18, Northwestern 12.resultsThe earliest meeting on file.
- Minnesota is 32–15–3 at home against Northwestern.resultsThe home team’s record against this opponent in its home games (neutral sites aside), every meeting on file.
- Last five meetings: 2025: Northwestern 38–35 (neutral site); 2023: Northwestern 37–34 (at Northwestern); 2022: Minnesota 31–3 (at Minnesota); 2021: Minnesota 41–14 (at Northwestern); 2019: Minnesota 38–22 (at Northwestern).resultsThe last five meetings on file.
Northwestern
- Northwestern is 5–1 (2–1 in conference games), 0–1 against ranked teams.resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 34–18 vs. South Dakota State; W 41–7 vs. Colorado; L 23–29 at No. 5 Indiana; W 34–13 vs. Penn State; W 45–14 vs. Ball State; W 24–21 at Michigan State.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Northwestern has won three straight, since losing 29–23 to Indiana (Sept. 25, 2026).resultsThe team’s current run of results, every finished game on file across seasons.
- Northwestern is No. 30 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- David Braun is 24–20 in his fourth season at Northwestern.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- David Braun is 2–0 against Minnesota.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Aidan Chiles (QB): 1,398 passing yards, 9 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Caleb Komolafe (RB): 401 rushing yards, 4 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Braydon Brus (LB): 52 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Griffin Wilde needs 3 touchdown catches to pass Ross Lane (13, 2005–08) for 10th on Northwestern’s career touchdown catches list. He has 11 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2020, Northwestern beat No. 10 Wisconsin 17–7.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
Minnesota
- Minnesota is 4–2 (2–1 in conference games).resultsWins and losses in this season’s finished games before kickoff, from the game results on file.
- This season: W 59–7 vs. Eastern Illinois; L 13–38 vs. Mississippi State; W 41–7 vs. Akron; W 27–24 at Washington; W 20–14 vs. Michigan; L 13–41 at Purdue.resultsThis season’s finished games.
- Minnesota is No. 70 of 138 FBS teams in our Elo ratings.our ratingsOur Elo rating, from every game on file, ranked among active FBS teams.
- P.J. Fleck is 70–46 in his 10th season at Minnesota and 100–68 as an FBS head coach.results, WikipediaHead-coaching seasons on file, ours rebuilt from game results and the season articles’ coaching splits.
- P.J. Fleck is 4–5 against Northwestern.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
- Drake Lindsey (QB): 1,335 passing yards, 9 TD, the team leader in passing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- T.J. Thomas Jr. (RB): 319 rushing yards, 1 TD, the team leader in rushing yards.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Maverick Baranowski (LB): 45 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, the team leader in tackles.resultsThis season’s team leaders and national ranks, from player season statistics.
- Anthony Smith needs 1 sack to pass Willie VanDeSteeg (21.5, 2005–08) for fifth on Minnesota’s career sacks list. He has 21 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Drake Lindsey needs 2 touchdown passes to pass Billy Cockerham (29, 1996–99) for ninth on Minnesota’s career touchdown passes list. He has 28 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Drake Lindsey needs 220 yards to pass Tim Schade (3,986, 1993–94) for 10th on Minnesota’s career passing yards list. He has 3,767 so far.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- Darius Taylor is tied with Herb Joesting (23, 1925–27) for 10th on Minnesota’s career rushing touchdowns list, at 23 so far; one more rushing touchdown breaks the tie.Wikipedia, resultsThe school’s record lists (its Wikipedia statistical leaders article, from the school’s media guide) against our totals from his season lines at the school, this season through the last game in our records.
- On this date in 2009, Minnesota lost to No. 15 Iowa 12–0.resultsThe team’s most notable finished game on this calendar date in an earlier season: a ranked opponent first, then a bowl, then the newest.
The coaches
- P.J. Fleck is 0–2 against David Braun’s teams as a head coach.results, WikipediaGames between the two coaches’ teams in seasons each was the head coach, every game on file.
Sources
Every sentence here is ours, written from counts we make over the games on file. Where the facts come from:
- CollegeFootballData.com: Game results, rankings and player statistics; the sentence and every count in it are ours. Derived output (CollegeFootballData.com terms, section 4).
- CollegeFootballDigest: Our own ratings (Elo) and research notes. CC BY 4.0.
- Wikipedia: Facts from Wikipedia’s lists and articles (schools’ record books, trophies, College GameDay sites, coaching records), restated. CC BY-SA 4.0 (facts restated; credit Wikipedia).
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