Northwestern Upsets and Scares 1980-2019

Total upset score over 40 years is 2220. Average per year is 55.5

Total Upset Score	Result	Upset Value	Away Bonus	Blowout Bonus
228	On Sep 23, 2000, unranked Northwestern defeated 7th ranked Wisconsin by 3 points away.	190	38	0
216	On Oct 7, 1995, 25th ranked Northwestern defeated 7th ranked Michigan by 6 points away.	180	36	0
216	On Nov 7, 2009, unranked Northwestern defeated 8th ranked Iowa by 7 points away.	180	36	0
204	On Sep 2, 1995, unranked Northwestern defeated 9th ranked Notre Dame by 2 points away.	170	34	0
204	On Nov 5, 2011, unranked Northwestern defeated 9th ranked Nebraska by 3 points away.	170	34	0
190	On Oct 2, 2004, unranked Northwestern defeated 7th ranked Ohio State by 6 points at home.	190	0	0
160	On Oct 5, 1996, 22nd ranked Northwestern defeated 6th ranked Michigan by 1 points at home.	160	0	0
140	On Oct 18, 1997, unranked Northwestern defeated 12th ranked Michigan State by 2 points at home.	140	0	0
132	On Nov 15, 2014, unranked Northwestern defeated 15th ranked Notre Dame by 3 points away.	110	22	0
130	On Nov 13, 2010, unranked Northwestern defeated 13th ranked Iowa by 4 points at home.	130	0	0
120	On Nov 1, 1997, unranked Northwestern narrowly lost to 2nd ranked Penn State by 3 points at home.	120	0	0
120	On Oct 8, 2005, unranked Northwestern defeated 14th ranked Wisconsin by 3 points at home.	120	0	0
100	On Oct 28, 2017, unranked Northwestern defeated 16th ranked Michigan State by 8 points at home.	100	0	0
60	On Sep 29, 2018, unranked Northwestern narrowly lost to 14th ranked Michigan by 3 points at home.	60	0	0

For this table an upset is a win over an opponent ranked 10 or more slots better. Unranked teams are considered ranked 26th. The upset score is 10 points multiplied by the difference in ranking, thus a 21st ranked team beating a 1st ranked team is a better upset (200 points) than a 21st ranked team beating an 11th ranked team (100 points). Winning away grants a 20% bonus. Winning by 21 points or more is a blowout and grants a 40% bonus. A scare is a tie or a loss within 3 points of a better ranked team. Scares are worth 50% of upsets, and can get an away bonus. Leave a comment if you would like to see another school, other years, or different criteria for determining an upset or scare.