The Northwestern Wildcats ' consistency has been rewarded. AP Poll Top 25 rankings are out after Week 8, and the Wildcats move up to No. 20.

The ranking after the weekend is interesting: SMU, Boise State, and Northwestern are tied at No. 20. It's rare to see that in the poll, but it's real. However, that's not going to last a long time. One of these teams will move up or move down, and the Wildcats will do everything they can to continue to climb up the ladder.

If it weren't for the loss against the Indiana Hoosiers, this team would have been somewhere between No. 10 and No. 15. There's still hope for the Wildcats to reach as high as No. 15 in the ranking if they can secure critical wins against Oregon and Iowa, which will be compelling matchups in the next two weeks.

Oregon is struggling. Their season is in shambles. The Wildcats can definitely win that game. At the same time, the game against the Ducks can be a trap game for them. We have seen a few trap games in the last two weeks in College Football. Iowa recently lost to the Minnesota Golden Gophers. As good as the Hackeyes are, the Wildcats are just as good. The Wildcats' offense and especially defense have improved.

The Wildcats can have an 8-1 record before their big matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes on Nov. 14. It will be mandatory for Northwestern to beat Oregon and Iowa before they face a Big Ten opponent in the Buckeyes. The Buckeyes also have one loss, against the Texas Longhorns in Week 2. The Buckeyes are currently sitting at No. 2 in the rankings. 

Wildcats quarterback Aidan Chiles is playing on a different level in his senior year. At the pace he's going, he could cement himself as a top-five quarterback entering the 2027 NFL Draft. Chiles is torturing his opponents with his arms and legs. Chiles is the first Northwestern quarterback this century to throw for three touchdowns and rush for two against a Big Ten opponent. That's a remarkable accomplishment.

Chip Kelly has made a big difference in this program. He's one of the top offensive coordinators of the season. Northwestern is getting the respect they deserve, and Kelly is one of the reasons why. His ability to read and study the game, set the right formation, and have a good system in place where everyone buys into it is a recipe for success. 

It's a fun time to be a Northwestern fan. Now, they must take care of business against the Ducks. It's their third matchup in history, but they will be playing at Oregon for the first time. The first two games were at Evanston, Illinois. 

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