Northwestern Wildcats and Ohio State Buckeyes are set for a Big Ten matchup on Saturday afternoon at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, OH.
Northwestern enters with an overall record of 6-3, which includes a 3-3 mark in Big Ten play. On the other side, Ohio State is 6-3 with a 4-2 record against Big Ten competition.
The Wildcats are unranked while the Buckeyes sit at No. 20 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings that were released earlier this week.
With kickoff slated for noon ET on FOX, it’s time to break down the odds and go over the best bets to make for this Big Ten clash.
Northwestern vs. Ohio State betting picks and predictions
Northwestern +13.5 (-105)
The Ohio State Buckeyes are in unfamiliar territory. Ryan Day’s team already has three losses on the season, which is a rare situation in Columbus. All three of Ohio State’s losses have been crushing in their own right, and last week’s 41-28 loss to Oregon could be considered rock bottom for Day’s tenure with the Buckeyes.
Ohio State is a vastly different team without Julian Sayin in the mix. Sayin suffered a shoulder injury against Indiana, and backup Luke Fahey has struggled mightily since taking over.
Fahey’s overall numbers don’t look all that bad, but they are a bit inflated since OSU has played from behind in both of his starts. Jeremiah Smith was visibly frustrated last week against Oregon, and it’s tough to trust this Buckeye offense right now. Laying 13.5 points with Ohio State right now seems like a tough task against anyone.
Northwestern is also coming off back-to-back losses, but the Wildcats have made some solid strides so far this season. Chip Kelly has brought a creative approach to Northwestern’s offense attack, and he is matched up against his former employer in this one.
That makes for an interesting dynamic that seems to favor the Wildcats. Even with Aiden Chiles sidelined with an upper body injury, Kelly should have a solid offensive game plan in place against an Ohio State defense that was torn apart last week by Dylan Raiola and the Ducks.
But at the end of the day, laying 13.5 points with Ohio State right now is not ideal. Grab the 13.5 points with Northwestern.
Under 44.5 (-115)
Both of these offenses enter this matchup with serious question marks. Both the Wildcats and Buckeyes are operating with backup quarterbacks, which alters their offensive outlook significantly.
Fahey has not looked comfortable, and hasn’t gotten much help from the offensive line in front of him over the last few weeks. Ohio State’s running game has also been woeful, as they averaged a measly 2.5 yards per rush last week against Oregon.
On the other side, Northwestern managed to score just 10 points against Iowa with backup Nicco Marchiol leading the way at QB.
He averaged just 5.7 yards per attempt and threw for 181 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Ohio State’s defense has been gashed at times this season, but with so much uncertainty surrounding what Marchiol can do, especially on the road in a hostile environment, it would be a bit surprising to see the Wildcats light up the scoreboard.
With a total of 44.5, the under is the play in this Big Ten matchup.
Read more college football picks and predictions on site.
Northwestern vs. Ohio State odds
Northwestern | +450 |
Ohio State | -600 |
Spread | Northwestern +13.5 |
Total | O/U 44.5 |
Northwestern vs. Ohio State player props
Anytime touchdown
Bo Jackson (OSU Buckeyes) | -275 |
Jeremiah Smith (OSU Buckeyes) | -245 |
Isaiah West (OSU Buckeyes) | +140 |
Luke Fahey (OSU Buckeyes) | +140 |
Griffin Wilde (NW Wildcats) | +190 |
Devin McCuin (OSU Buckeyes) | +200 |
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
