Purdue vs. Northwestern Pick
Can Northwestern keep the momentum going when it plays host to Purdue on Saturday at 7PM ET? Here’s our pick for this game.
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Northwestern is favored at home, as the Wildcats are getting odds of -4.5 points against Purdue. The over/under total has been set at 48.5 points. Northwestern has won three straight meetings with Purdue and the two have hit the under in three of their last five meetings. The public is currently putting 60 percent of the wagers on Northwestern at home. Saturday’s game takes place from Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois and will air live on ESPN2.
Northwestern is coming off a 31-24 OT win at Nebraska last week for its third straight OT victory. The Wildcats are now 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Ten. Northwestern is 4-3-2 with the over this year as well. The Wildcats are holding opponents to 24.2 points and 383 yards per contest this season on defense. Offensively, Northwestern is putting up 28 points and 407 yards per game. Justin Jackson has run for 798 yards and eight touchdowns to lead the offense while Clayton Thorson has 2,287 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Purdue is coming off a 29-10 win over Illinois at home last week. The Boilermakers are now 4-5 on the season and 2-4 in the Big Ten. They have hit the under in four straight and are 7-2 with the under this season. The Boilermakers are holding opponents to 18.9 points and 367.3 yards per game. When it comes to offense, Purdue is putting up 24.7 points and 388.9 yards per contest. With QB David Blough out for the rest of the season, Purdue has Elijah Sindelar leading the way. He has thrown for 939 yards and seven touchdowns with five interceptions. D.J. Know has caught 64 passes for 387 yards and a score while Jackson Anthrop has 35 catches for 345 yards and five touchdowns.
Bet on Purdue vs. Northwestern
Northwestern has been in a dog fight over a number of weeks and now faces another tough test in a Purdue team that has a pretty good defense. However, the night-game aspect should help Northwestern grab another cover. The Wildcats have covered in four straight conference games and five straight against a losing team. Purdue is also 4-9 ATS in their last 13 games on grass.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREDICTION: NORTHWESTERN -4.5