It’s going to get overlooked.

Everything that Northwestern did this season will be overshadowed by the talk of the College Football Playoff and bowl selections on Sunday afternoon. The Wildcats might even get picked apart by the media, claiming that Ohio State’s B1G Championship Game win on Saturday came against an 8-4 team.

Make no mistake, though, Northwestern’s accomplishment this fall was monumental. The Wildcats finished the year with an 8-1 record in B1G play and claimed their first division title. And through three-and-a-half quarters on Saturday night, they had a chance to win a conference crown.

Northwestern couldn’t make enough plays. Ohio State’s talent and depth prevailed, resulting in a 45-24 victory for the Buckeyes.

After the game, Pat Fitzgerald commended his seniors for elevating the program to new heights.

“They created a new standard for our program,” Fitzgerald said. “To see them emotional in the locker room after the game — you’re a mentor first. It breaks my heart.”

Now, Northwestern will sit and wait to hear its bowl destination. And there’s a new goal on the table for the Wildcats. The program has never won three straight bowl games, something Fitzgerald would like to change.

Moving forward, though, Northwestern is looking at the 2018 season and hopes to return to Indianapolis with some regularity. Simply playing in the B1G Championship Game isn’t enough for Fitzgerald and the program.

“I’d like it to be the new normal,” Fitzgerald said of playing for a conference championship. “I think we proved we weren’t just happy to be here.”