Northwestern vs. Maryland Pick
Which Big Ten team will get back on track this Saturday when Maryland hosts Northwestern at 3:30PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Northwestern is favored on the road, as the Wildcats are getting odds of -4 points against Maryland. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 51 points. This is the first Big Ten meeting between these two. Saturday’s game takes place from Maryland Stadium in College Park, Maryland. The game will air live on ESPN2.
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Northwestern is coming off back-to-back losses to Wisconsin and Penn State to fall to 2-3 on the season and 0-2 in the Big Ten. The Wildcats are also 2-3 against the spread. Northwestern is averaging just 25.6 points and 377.2 yards per game. Clayton Thorson has thrown for 1,203 yards and seven touchdowns with seven interceptions. Justin Jackson is the leading rusher with 339 yards and four touchdowns. Defensively, Northwestern is giving up 26.4 points and 383.6 yards per game.
Maryland is coming off a 62-14 loss at Ohio State last week to fall to 3-2 on the season. The Terps are 1-1 in the Big Ten and 3-2 against the spread. They have covered the spread in all three wins. Maryland is putting up 33.8 points per game despite averaging just 339 yards per contest. The run game has been the strength, as Ty Johnson has run for 468 yards and four scores while Lorenzo Harrison III had 209 yards. Max Bortenschlager is the starting QB due to a pair of injuries to their other quarterbacks. He has 306 yards and three touchdowns this season. Even he is questionable for this game due to a head injury. D.J. Moore is the leading receiver with 32 catches for 414 yards and five touchdowns. The Terps are allowing 36.4 points and 420.6 yards per game on defense.
Bet on Northwestern vs. Maryland
Maryland is banged up, especially at quarterback. The Terps are going to have trouble moving the ball against Northwestern with a third-string, or possibly fourth-string QB starting. Northwestern isn’t a great offense either, but the Wildcats have a defense that can keep them competitive in most games. Northwestern is 11-4 against the spread in their last 15 road games and 5-2 ATS in their last seven games after a loss.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTION: NORTHWESTERN -4