2013 Northwestern Wildcats football team

2013 Northwestern Wildcats football

Conference	Big Ten Conference
Division	Legends Division
2013 record	5–7 (1–7 Big Ten)
Head coach	Pat Fitzgerald
Offensive coordinator	Mick McCall
Offensive scheme	Spread
Defensive coordinator	Mike Hankwitz
Base defense	Multiple 4–3
Home stadium	Ryan Field (Capacity: 47,130)
Seasons ← 2012 2014 →

2013 Big Ten football standings
	Conf				Overall
Team		W		L		W		L
Legends Division
No. 3 Michigan State x$		8	–	0		13	–	1
Iowa		5	–	3		8	–	5
Nebraska		5	–	3		9	–	4
Minnesota		4	–	4		8	–	5
Michigan		3	–	5		7	–	6
Northwestern		1	–	7		5	–	7
Leaders Division
No. 12 Ohio State x%		8	–	0		12	–	2
No. 22 Wisconsin		6	–	2		9	–	4
Penn State*		4	–	4		7	–	5
Indiana		3	–	5		5	–	7
Illinois		1	–	7		4	–	8
Purdue		0	–	8		1	–	11
Championship: Michigan State 34, Ohio State 24
$ – BCS representative as conference champion % – BCS at-large representative x – Division champion/co-champions Penn State ineligible for conference championship game and post-season bowl games due to NCAA sanctions Rankings from AP Poll

The 2013 Northwestern Wildcats football team represented Northwestern University during the 2013 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Pat Fitzgerald, in his eighth season at Northwestern, was the team's head coach. The Wildcats home games were played at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. They were members of the Legends Division of the Big Ten Conference.

The Wildcats won their first bowl game since the 1949 Rose Bowl against California by defeating Mississippi State in the Gator Bowl 34–20.

For the first time since November 11, 1995, ESPN's College GameDay was broadcast from Evanston prior to the game.