Duke vs. Northwestern football history: H2H, records, and more ahead of Week 2 matchup

Duke started life after Mike Elko with a brilliant win against Elon in Week 1. Elko's leadership elevated the Blue Devils in the college football landscape over the past two seasons. The goal is to continue the momentum under new coach Manny Diaz.

Northwestern had a brilliant first season under David Braun in 2023, a feat that permanently landed him the coaching job. The Wildcats have started the 2024 season with an impressive win over Miami (OH) in Week 1, and hope to keep that up in Week 2.

Ahead of the Week 2 college football showdown, here's a look at the history between Duke and Northwestern and the notable records in the series.

Duke vs. Northwestern head-to-head

Duke and Northwestern have come up against one another 23 times in college football history. The first encounter between the two schools was in September 1985 in Durham, North Carolina, and the series has been played at irregular intervals ever since.

The game’s site has alternated over the years between the two schools' home stadiums in Durham, North Carolina, and Evanston, Illinois.

The Blue Devils currently lead the series with a 13-10 record, holding a five-game winning streak against the Wildcats. Diaz and his team will hope to extend the streak when they travel to Evanston for the non-conference matchup this weekend, something Braun will be determined to end.

Notable records in the Duke vs. Northwestern series

The largest win margin in the series was in September 2001 when Northwestern defeated Duke 44-7 in Durham, North Carolina.

The smallest win margin in the series was in September 1990 when Duke defeated Northwestern 27-24 in Durham, North Carolina, and in September 1999 when the Wildcats won 15-12 against Duke in Durham.

The longest winning streak in the series is six wins held by Duke. The wins spanned from 1985 to 1990.

Duke holds the current winning streak in the series with five wins. These wins spanned from 2017 to 2023.

Where to watch Duke vs. Northwestern

The game between Duke and Northwestern at the Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium will be aired live on Fox Sports. Fans can also catch up with the action by streaming live on FuboTV.

Radio broadcasts of the game will also be available on SiriusXM for fans willing to catch up with audio broadcasts of the game.