William Weinbaum ESPN

Ed Tunnicliff, who scored the winning TD in N'western's 1949 Rose Bowl victory, died Tue. at 95, according to a university official. California led NU 14-13 late in the 4th when Tunnicliff took a direct snap on a trick play and ran 43 yards to make it 20-14. An INT on the NU 10 stopped a last-ditch Cal drive. In 2008 Tunnicliff told me he carried a defender the last 7 yards & thought: "I'm going to get to that goal line if I have to carry the whole stadium. He weighed 195; I weighed 155."

ESPN

3dAdam Rittenberg

Ranking college football's 25 best defenses over the next three seasons

While offense seems to be the focus of most winning teams as of late, defense isn't an afterthought. Which teams look in the best shape over the course of the next three seasons?

Top Headlines

Jerry Lai/USA TODAY Sports

5d

Northwestern officially promotes Polisky to AD

Northwestern promoted longtime deputy athletic director Mike Polisky to replace Jim Phillips as athletic director on Monday.

Cody Glenn/Icon Sportswire

5dAdam Rittenberg

Sources: Northwestern promoting Polisky to AD

Mike Polisky is being promoted to succeed Jim Phillips as Northwestern's athletic director, sources tell ESPN.

8d

NFL Live: Aaron Rodgers wants out of Green Bay & Draft Day

Live from Cleveland, we talk Aaron Rodgers breaking news on the day of the draft, We dissect potential landing spots for Aaron Rodgers as Adam Schefter breaks the news that he's disgruntled with Green Bay and talk draft

ESPN

9dTodd McShay

McShay predicts Round 1: His final mock draft of the first 32 picks -- including where the QBs go

Landing spots for QBs? Round 1 trades? Fits for the best receivers, corners and edge rushers? Todd McShay projects how the first 32 picks of the NFL draft will play out.

9d

NFL Live: We are in Cleveland to talk the biggest draft storylines a day out

We are in Cleveland just one day away from the draft and we preview Thursday's big event. Our crew also reacts to the trade between the Broncos and Panthers in which Denver acquired Teddy Bridgewater

15d

The NFL Live staff enters the draft room and talks through picks before making their selection

NFL Live

Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

17dTom Luginbill and Craig Haubert

Zach Wilson among top NFL draft prospects who started as an overlooked college football recruit

Zach Wilson isn't the only player who went from being a three-star recruit to a future first-round NFL draft pick.

ESPN

18dMel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay

Three-round NFL mock draft: Kiper and McShay play GM and alternate picks

Three rounds, 105 picks and what our NFL draft analysts would do if they were running each franchise.

11d

23d

NFL Live: Justin Fields hosts a private pro day. Our crew breaks down which teams were in attendance and what it means for the draft

Several NFL teams attended Justin Fields' 2nd pro day Wednesday. Who was there and who wasn't? With the Cleveland Browns adding Jadeveon Clowney, are they a dark-horse championship contender?

25d

Mel Kiper Jr. releases his mock draft 4.0 with more trade plot twists

The NFL Live crew is joined by Mel Kiper Jr. to break down his NFL Mock Draft 4.0. Some surprising moves are made in this edition of Mel's mock draft, will they come true? Will New England make another big move and move up for a QB?

ESPN

25dMel Kiper Jr.

Kiper's new two-round NFL mock draft: A top-five trade, plus a record-setting QB haul

Mel Kiper Jr. projects the top 64 picks of the NFL draft, finding the best team fits for prospects.

26d

Sam Darnold gets introduced to the Carolina media, but is he QB1?

On this edition of NFL Live the crew hears from Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule and Panthers new QB Sam Darnold as the panthers introduced Sam to Carolina. And who are the Cowboys going to take in the upcoming draft? Plus is Jadeveon Clowney heading to Cleveland to create a pass rushing nightmare for offenses? And Julien Edelman looks like he is set to retire.

28d

Rashawn Slater's NFL draft profile (1:08)

28d

29d

NFL Live: Our crew debates what the Cincinnati Bengals should do with the #5 pick

Our analysts disagree on what the Cincinnati Bengals should do with the 5th overall pick in the 2021 draft. We explore the QB fits for the 49ers in the draft and discuss Josh Allen's contract situation with the Buffalo Bills

AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

32dJeff Legwold

What we learned from NFL pro days: A coveted QB class, opt-out riddles and which prospects are rising

We scoured pro day results to find takeaways from the athletic testing numbers, quarterback throwing sessions and moments that wowed.

ESPN

32dTodd McShay

McShay's updated two-round NFL mock draft: How the Sam Darnold trade shakes up the board

The 2021 NFL draft is a month away, and Todd McShay projects Rounds 1 and 2. Where do the QBs land, and what happens now for the Jets, Panthers, others?

Matt Cashore/Pool Photo/AP Photo

52dChris Low

What a 64-team college football tournament would look like in 2021

With the NCAA tournament finally here, we take our yearly look at how a 64-team college football tournament would play out.

ESPN Illustration

64dTodd McShay

McShay's new NFL mock draft: Predicting Round 1, plus 32 team reporters weigh in

As we approach free agency, Todd McShay projects Round 1 of the 2021 NFL draft -- and our NFL Nation reporters explain how the picks fit each roster.

William Weinbaum ESPN

Trailblazing broadcaster Irv Cross, who died Sun. at 81, was in Ara Parseghian's first N'western recruiting class in 1957, played both ways and was NU's 1961 male athlete of the year in football & track. Cross said in his memoir: "Other schools were willing to cheat; one offered me $500 and a 1957 convertible Ford Fairlane. Parseghian said, ‘We can't offer you anything except a first-class education and an opportunity to play in the Big Ten.' I told him, ‘Coach, I'm on my way.'"

Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire

72dAdam Rittenberg

UM-NW game to honor Big Ten's 1st Black player

Michigan and Northwestern will begin playing for the George Jewett Trophy, a new rivalry trophy that honors the first Black player in Big Ten history, who competed for both teams in the 1890s.

AP Photo/John Raoux, File

75d

Northwestern LB Fisher wins Lott IMPACT Trophy

Northwestern LB Paddy Fisher won the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which goes to college football's defensive player who has made the biggest impact on his team.

EAST	CONF	OVR
Ohio State	5-0	7-1
Indiana	6-1	6-2
Penn State	4-5	4-5
Maryland	2-3	2-3
Rutgers	3-6	3-6
Michigan	2-4	2-4
Michigan State	2-5	2-5
WEST	CONF	OVR
Northwestern	6-1	7-2
Iowa	6-2	6-2
Wisconsin	3-3	4-3
Minnesota	3-4	3-4
Nebraska	3-5	3-5
Purdue	2-4	2-4
Illinois	2-6	2-6

NAME	POS	STATUS	GRADE
Jordan Mosley	WR	Signed	82
Najee Story	DE	Signed	82
Mac Uihlein	ILB	Signed	80
Brendan Sullivan	QB-PP	Signed	79
Caleb Tiernan	OT	Signed	78

YEAR	PLAYER	AWARD
2020	P. Fisher	Lott IMPACT Trophy
1996	P. Fitzgerald	Chuck Bednarik Award
1996	P. Fitzgerald	Bronko Nagurski Award
1995	P. Fitzgerald	Chuck Bednarik Award
1995	G. Barnett	John Mackey Award

2021 Schedule

Regular Season

William Weinbaum ESPN

Ranking college football's 25 best defenses over the next three seasons

Top Headlines

Northwestern officially promotes Polisky to AD

Sources: Northwestern promoting Polisky to AD

NFL Live: Aaron Rodgers wants out of Green Bay & Draft Day

McShay predicts Round 1: His final mock draft of the first 32 picks -- including where the QBs go

NFL Live: We are in Cleveland to talk the biggest draft storylines a day out

The NFL Live staff enters the draft room and talks through picks before making their selection

Zach Wilson among top NFL draft prospects who started as an overlooked college football recruit

Three-round NFL mock draft: Kiper and McShay play GM and alternate picks

NFL Live: Justin Fields hosts a private pro day. Our crew breaks down which teams were in attendance and what it means for the draft

Mel Kiper Jr. releases his mock draft 4.0 with more trade plot twists

Kiper's new two-round NFL mock draft: A top-five trade, plus a record-setting QB haul

Sam Darnold gets introduced to the Carolina media, but is he QB1?

NFL Live: Our crew debates what the Cincinnati Bengals should do with the #5 pick

What we learned from NFL pro days: A coveted QB class, opt-out riddles and which prospects are rising

McShay's updated two-round NFL mock draft: How the Sam Darnold trade shakes up the board

What a 64-team college football tournament would look like in 2021

McShay's new NFL mock draft: Predicting Round 1, plus 32 team reporters weigh in

William Weinbaum ESPN

UM-NW game to honor Big Ten's 1st Black player

Northwestern LB Fisher wins Lott IMPACT Trophy

Find Tickets
Vivid Seats

2020 Big Ten Standings

Team Stats

2021 Recruits

Awards