RJ Young
FOX Sports National College Football Analyst
This isn’t your average college football ranking.
My Ultimate 136 is a set of rankings that is fluid, but it’s my job to look ahead and make a claim for all FBS teams based on what I know and why I know it. Here are the three pressing questions I started by asking when putting together this list:
- Who do I think is good?
- Why do I think they’re good?
- What are the chances they will finish above or below my expectations?
Here’s a take a look at the place Northwestern lands in my Final 136.
Northwestern rating: 55
Final 12 months’s rating: 75
Prime participant: QB Preston Stone: Threw for 3,197 yards in 2023 at SMU, fourth-most within the ACC and twenty sixth in FBS; appeared in seven video games with 4 begins for SMU final season.
[Northwestern’s 2025 schedule]
RJ’s take: Former South Dakota State offensive coordinator Zach Lujan will accomplice with former SMU QB Preston Stone and look to enhance an offense that was among the many worst within the Large Ten final 12 months. Stone might be throwing the ball to former South Dakota State WR Griffin Wilde this 12 months, however can they produce factors for a group that opens the season with two of their first three video games in opposition to Tulane and Oregon?
[Check out RJ Young’s Ultimate 136 College Football Rankings here]
Northwestern Win Complete Odds: Over 3.5 (-192) Below 3.5 (+154)
Have a difficulty with my rankings? Suppose your alma mater is simply too low, or your faculty’s rival is simply too excessive? Get at me on X, @RJ_Young, and I am going to choose my favourite tweets and reply to them in a future article.
RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities. Comply with him at @RJ_Young.
beneficial

Get more from the College Football Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more