PREDICTION: Northwestern Aims to Keep Momentum With New Head Coach
The high school football season is fast approaching, and there’s no better time to start predicting regular-season records for teams across the county.
Last week, we spotlighted Western’s 2025 campaign. This week, we head to the northwest corner of Howard County, where Northwestern begins a new era under first-year head coach Shane Turnipseed.
With a talented senior class having moved on, the Tigers enter the season facing plenty of uncertainty. Among the key questions: Can Northwestern win a postseason game in consecutive years for the first time since 2012 and 2013?
Follow along as we break down the Tigers’ 2025 schedule and predict their regular-season record.
Northwestern High School
Head coach: Shane Turnipseed (first year at Northwestern; 0-0 overall)
Northwestern’s 2024 season was a memorable one. The Tigers won nine games for the first time since 2011 and earned their first sectional victory since 2013—milestones that generated momentum for a program that had struggled in recent years.
Shane Turnipseed now takes over as head coach following Caleb Small’s departure for the Kokomo job. Turnipseed, formerly the offensive coordinator at Lafayette Jefferson, found success leading explosive offenses—a background that could prove valuable as he enters his first season as a high school head coach.
He inherits a young, hungry roster looking to build on last year’s success and prove that 2024 wasn’t a one-year flash.
Northwestern 2025 Football Schedule (Predicted Results)
Aug. 22 — vs. Manchester
Winner: Northwestern
Aug. 29 — vs. Eastern (Greentown)
Winner: Eastern (Greentown)
Sept. 5 — at Southwood
Winner: Northwestern
Sept. 12 — at Peru
Winner: Peru
Sept. 19 — at Whitko
Winner: Northwestern
Sept. 26 — vs. Maconaquah
Winner: Maconaquah
Oct. 3 — at Wabash
Winner: Northwestern
Oct. 10 — vs. Rochester
Winner: Rochester
Oct. 17 — at Northfield
Winner: Northwestern
Predicted 2025 Record: 5-4
Northwestern enters 2025 with new leadership, youthful energy, and the challenge of building on one of the program’s best seasons in more than a decade. If the Tigers can stay healthy and adjust quickly to new roles, they’ll have a real shot at keeping the momentum going.
Next week, we’ll shift our focus to Eastern as we continue predicting regular-season records for each county team ahead of what could be a memorable high school football season.
