The Northwestern Wildcats will play two regular-season Big Ten Conference football games at Wrigley Field in 2024, the school announced on Wednesday.
Due to a complete demolition and reconstruction of its on-campus stadium in Evanston, Ill., Ryan Field, the Wildcats will play most of their home games at a temporary on-campus stadium for the next two seasons.
However, two of Northwestern’s home games this season have been designated for Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill., which is the home of the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. The stadium has a listed seating capacity of 41,649.
Northwestern will host the Ohio State Buckeyes at Wrigley Field on Saturday, Nov. 16. Two weeks later, Northwestern will return to Wrigley Field to close out the regular-season against the rival Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Northwestern opens the 2024 season with three consecutive games at home in Evanston. The Wildcats will host the Miami RedHawks on Aug. 31, Duke Blue Devils on Sept. 7, and Eastern Illinois Panthers on Sept. 14.
The Wildcats then travel to take on the Washington Huskies on Sept. 21 before their first open date on Sept. 28. Next, Northwestern welcomes the Indiana Hoosiers to Evanston on Oct. 5 before a road trip to face the Maryland Terrapins on Oct. 12.
Wisconsin will pay a visit to Northwestern’s temporary stadium on Oct. 19 before the Wildcats hit the road for back-to-back trips to face Iowa and Purdue on Oct. 26 and Nov. 2, respectively.
Northwestern’s second open date is slated for Nov. 9, a week before it hosts Ohio State at Wrigley Field. The Wildcats then visit Michigan on Nov. 23 before wrapping up their schedule back at Wrigley against Illinois.
Below is Northwestern’s complete schedule for the 2024 season, plus a link to their schedule page which will be updated with kickoff times and TV as they are announced:
2024 Northwestern Football Schedule
- 08/31 – Miami (Ohio)
- 09/07 – Duke
- 09/14 – Eastern Illinois
- 09/21 – at Washington*
- 09/28 – OFF
- 10/05 – Indiana*
- 10/12 – at Maryland*
- 10/19 – Wisconsin*
- 10/26 – at Iowa*
- 11/02 – at Purdue*
- 11/09 – OFF
- 11/16 – Ohio State* (Wrigley Field)
- 11/23 – at Michigan*
- 11/30 – Illinois* (Wrigley Field)
* Big Ten contest.
Northwestern finished the 2023 season 8-5 overall with a 14-7 victory over Utah in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl.
They know about My Address I falsified My renewal put down 1060 West Addison.
My favorite scene in Blues Brothers.
1060 West Addison?
(Lights a cigarette)
That’s Wrigley Field.
Got to hit the sack hey you sleaze My Bed.
Just having fun Mark.
Paraphrasing Ernie Banks: “a great place to play two.”
Why can’t Northwestern just play at Soldier Field while the stadium is being rebuilt? Are they worried that the field will be too torn up? Heinz Field, or whatever it is called, is able to host both the Steelers and Pitt.
In their Soldier Field contract, the Bears heavily restrict when Soldier Field can be used by anyone else during the NFL season.
But the 10/19 Wisconsin@NU game will likely be at Soldier Field. The Bears have a bye that weekend and don’t play at home the 2 weekends after.
Also, note that the Chicago Fire already share Soldier Field with the Bears.
And because of that, nevermind, the Wisconsin@NU game can’t take place at Soldier Field.
My question is how long does it take to convert Wrigley Field from baseball to football? Why I’m asking is the Cubs have weekends in September when they are on the road, also if they make the playoffs and make it a long run, how long will it take? Just asking. Also when Northwestern does play those two games, will you be able to go in both directions,like a normal game where teams change from one end to the other in each quarter or not? I remember a game where everything was all one direction.
Not sure about how long it takes to convert but they have removed the Cubs’ home dugout for recent games to make more space so I’m sure they want to limit games at Wrigley to baseball offseason only. Don’t worry about the Cubs still playing even if they won the World Series that has always been wrapped up by the first week of November. After that debacle of a game where they had to go one way the field has been configured to allow for two way football in the recent Wrigley games so it should be as normal a football game as you can get in a baseball stadium.
To Richard Dan wish came true for Michigan Wolverines being on regular TV first three out of four games.
Fresno State 8/31 7:30PM NBC
Texas 9/7 FOX Big Noon Saturday
USC 9/21 3:30PM CBS
FS1 or BTN is my educated guess for Arkansas State 114% flexible on Kickoff Time.
BTN will televise Arkansas State at Noon 9/14