Northwestern football does not name permanent team captains for the season, instead they name a deserving cadre each week and announce the picks to their fan base.

The Wildcats today released their captains for Saturday’s Michigan State game in East Lansing. The B1G Cats are kicking off with the Spartans at 3:30 ET Saturday on ESPN. 

Senior offensive lineman Nik Urban, graduate transfer quarterback Payton Ramsey, senior defensive back JR Pace, senior linebacker Paddy Fisher, and senior wide receiver Ramaud Chiaokhiao-Bowman will be the captains this weekend.

At 5-0, the Wildcats are the stunning favorite to win the West Division following a 3-9 season the year before. Much of that success—beyond the stout team defense—is due to the graduate transfer Ramsey running the offense.

He has not been spectacular, but steady, for a team not known for being able to score points. Ramsey has thrown for eight touchdowns over four games, and nearly 1,000 total yards, good for around 185 yards a game. 

The 2020 football season, like the year itself, has been full of surprises.