Overview

• The Big Ten announced that Northwestern's January games against USC and UCLA would be forfeited and not rescheduled, per conference rules.
• Northwestern cited safety concerns over ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles as the reason for not traveling for the scheduled matchups.
• USC and UCLA, ranked No. 4 and No. 2 respectively, received wins for the unplayed games, boosting their standings in the conference.
• The forfeits drop Northwestern to 2-15 in the Big Ten, jeopardizing their chances of qualifying for the conference tournament.
• Northwestern's athletic director defended the team's decision as prioritizing student-athlete safety, despite accepting the conference's ruling.