1891 Northwestern Purple football team

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The 1891 Northwestern Purple football team was an American football team that represented Northwestern University during the 1891 college football season. The team compiled a 2–2–3 record and was outscored by its opponents by a combined total of 72 to 42. Only five of the seven games were intercollegiate games, and Northwestern's record in those games were 0–2–3 as follows:

(1) a scoreless tie with Lake Forest College on October 17, 1891, in Chicago;

(2) a scoreless tie with Wisconsin on October 31, 1891, at Milwaukee;

(3) a 12–12 tie with Beloit College on November 14, 1891, in Beloit;

(4) a 20–0 loss to Lake Forest on November 21, 1891, in Lake Forest; and

(5) a 40–0 loss in a rematch with Wisconsin on Thanksgiving Day in Milwaukee.

Northwestern's two victories came against Evanston High School (8–0) and the Chicago YMCA (22–0).