The 1940 Northwestern Wildcats team represented Northwestern University during the 1940 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth year under head coach Pappy Waldorf, the Wildcats compiled a 6–2 record (4–2 against Big Ten Conference opponents), finished in third place in the Big Ten Conference, and were ranked #8 in the final AP Poll. Their only losses came against #1 Minnesota and #3 Michigan.