Remembering Wrigley Field's football history ahead of Iowa-Northwestern game Saturday
The Iowa Hawkeyes will become the latest program to join the long list of teams to play a football game at Wrigley Field, the iconic baseball home of the Chicago Cubs.
Iowa takes on Northwestern on Saturday (2:30 p.m., Peacock) at Wrigley Field in Week 10 of the college football season, looking to bounce back after a tough offensive showing in 12-10 loss to Minnesota in Week 8.
Iowa's most recent appearance in Chicago took place during the 2012 season, when it beat Northern Illinois at Soldier Field in an 18-17 game. Now, the Hawkeyes (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) will try to cling to its lead in the Big Ten West standings.
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While Wrigley Field is a baseball venue, it has played host to hundreds of football games since it opened in 1914. Here's what you need to know about the history of those games:
Chicago Bears home games (1921-1970)
The NFL's Chicago Bears called Wrigley Field home from 1921 to 1970 before making the move to Soldier Field, where they still play today.
The Bears' 50 seasons at Wrigley Field was the NFL record for one team at one venue until 2006, when Lambeau Field equaled this milestone by hosting the Green Bay Packers for their 50th season, then surpassing Chicago in 2007. Soldier Field also achieved this feat in 2021, when the Bears played there for a 50th season.
Arizona Cardinals (1931-1938)
Coupled with the Chicago Bears, the Chicago Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals) also called Wrigley Field home from 1931 to 1938. Born on the South Side of Chicago, the \Cardinals also played their home games at Normal Park, Comiskey Park, and Soldier Field.
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NFL Championships
Five NFL championship games were played at Wrigley Field: 1933, 1937, 1941, 1943, and 1963.
These games were not yet called the "Super Bowl," as the first Super Bowl was held on January 15, 1967, after the NFL-AFL merger.
Northwestern vs. Illinois (2010)
In a game loaded with rule changes, the Fighting Illini defeated the Wildcats 48-27 in the first football game at Wrigley Field since 1970, and the first collegiate football game there since 1938 (DePaul played its regular games at Wrigley Field).
The game was the first of five Northwestern football games played at Wrigley Field, as Northwestern and the Cubs announced a multiyear agreement in 2013 for several Wildcats athletic events at Wrigley.
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Offensive plays were exclusively directed toward the West end zone near the third-base dugout, while the East end zone in right field was situated just a foot away from a well-padded brick wall. Consequently, whenever possession changed, the ball had to be repositioned. The east end zone in right field witnessed its sole touchdown, scored by Northwestern by Brian Peters on a 59-yard interception return.
The unique factors of the game had no effect on the Illinois offense, as Mikel Leshoure ran for a school-record 330 yards, anchoring the Fighting Illini to an unorthodox win at Wrigley Field.
Northwestern vs. Purdue (2021)
In 2021, Northwestern and Purdue were able to utilize both end zones due to the repositioning of the field and renovations at the ballpark, but the Wildcats still could not come away with their first win at Wrigley Field, taking a 32-14 loss to the Boilermakers.
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Purdue quarterback Aidan O'Connell threw for 423 yards and three touchdowns, as the pass-heavy Boilermarker offense rushed for just 50 yards but dominated the Wildcats defense.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Iowa vs Northwestern at Wrigley Field: History of football games at venue
