:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47578737/usa-today-8880612.0.jpg)
Northwestern came in at No. 21 in the inaugural College Football Playoff Rankings for this season. The top four teams in these rankings at the end of the season earn a spot in the College Football Playoff.
At 6-2 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten, Northwestern's wins over Stanford (ranked No. 11) and Duke paid major dividends, according to the selection committee.
As for the rest of the Big Ten, Michigan came in at No. 17, Iowa was at No. 9 and Michigan State slotted in at No. 7. Ohio State was listed as the No. 3 team in the country.
Here are the complete rankings, courtesy of SB Nation:
| Playoff committee ranking | S&P+ranking | Best win, per S&P+ | Worst loss, per S&P+ | If the season ended today | |
| 1 | Clemson (8-0) | 1 | Notre Dame | Orange Bowl vs. Alabama | |
| 2 | LSU (7-0) | 6 | Florida | Cotton Bowl vs. Ohio State | |
| 3 | Ohio State (8-0) | 4 | Penn State | Cotton Bowl vs. LSU | |
| 4 | Alabama (7-1) | 2 | Wisconsin | Ole Miss | Orange Bowl vs. Clemson |
| 5 | Notre Dame (7-1) | 9 | USC | at Clemson | Fiesta or Peach |
| 6 | Baylor (7-0) | 5 | West Virginia | Sugar Bowl | |
| 7 | Michigan State (8-0) | 23 | at Michigan | New Year's bowl, potentially Rose* | |
| 8 | TCU (8-0) | 7 | West Virginia | New Year's bowl | |
| 9 | Iowa (8-0) | 16 | at Wisconsin | New Year's bowl, potentially Rose* | |
| 10 | Florida (7-1) | 10 | Ole Miss | at LSU | Sugar Bowl |
| 11 | Stanford (7-1) | 17 | at USC | at Northwestern | Rose Bowl |
| 12 | Utah (7-1) | 24 | Michigan | at USC | |
| 13 | Memphis (8-0) | 34 | Ole Miss | Fiesta or Peach** | |
| 14 | Oklahoma State (8-0) | 35 | at West Virginia | ||
| 15 | Oklahoma (7-1) | 8 | West Virginia | Texas | |
| 16 | Florida State (7-1) | 14 | Louisville | at Georgia Tech | |
| 17 | Michigan (6-2) | 3 | BYU | at Utah | |
| 18 | Ole Miss (7-2) | 12 | at Alabama | at Memphis | |
| 19 | Texas A&M (6-2) | 37 | Mississippi State | at Ole Miss | |
| 20 | Mississippi State (6-2) | 21 | Louisiana Tech | at Texas A&M | |
| 21 | Northwestern (6-2) | 49 | Stanford | Iowa | |
| 22 | Temple (7-1) | 39 | Penn State | Notre Dame | |
| 23 | UCLA (6-2) | 19 | BYU | Arizona State | |
| 24 | Toledo (7-0) | 20 | Arkansas | ||
| 25 | Houston (8-0) | 31 | at Louisville |