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Both Iowa and Northwestern can make program history this postseason
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Northwestern is going for history, the Big Ten program seeking a fourth-straight bowl win. The same can be said for Iowa, who are seeking a fourth-straight bowl win which would mark a program record.
If No. 14 Northwestern (6-2) beats Auburn on Jan. 1 in the Citrus Bowl, the four straight bowl game wins would be a program-best.
Currently, Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald is 4-5 in bowl games. The program, as a whole, is 5-10 in bowl games.
The 'Cats have won 3️⃣ straight bowl games 🏆🏆🏆
A win in the 2021 @CitrusBowl would tie for the longest active bowl win streak in @B1Gfootball.#GoCats | @coachfitz51 pic.twitter.com/icdWqoqOSw
— Northwestern Football (@NUFBFamily) December 27, 2020
It would take some doing for Northwestern to finish the season at an all-time high in the polls, however, even if they were to beat Auburn. In 1936 and again in 1948, Northwestern finished No. 7 in the nation, the highest ever finish in program history.
It is doubtful that they can ascend that high in the polls.
Coincidentally, Northwestern won just a single bowl game prior to Fitzgerald taking over the program in 2006. That 1948 team won the Rose Bowl, beating Cal 20-14.
For Iowa, the upcoming Music City Bowl on Dec. 30 against Missouri is the final chapter for a season that started at 0-2. But six straight wins put the Hawkeyes at No. 15 in the nation and trending in the right direction.
And while it isn’t a New Year’s Six bowl, it would still be a solid end to the season for Iowa to close out with a win over an SEC program, especially after their rough start to the year.
Minnesota holds the longest active bowl winning streak in the Big Ten with four straight bowl wins. The Golden Gophers opted out of a bowl game this year.