A pair of undefeated Big Ten teams meet in Bloomington, Indiana, as the defending national champion and current No. 5 Indiana Hoosiers (3-0, 0-0 Big Ten) host the Northwestern Wildcats (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten) for a Friday night college football showdown.
Northwestern opened its season with a 34-18 win over South Dakota State and then had an early Week 2 bye before a dominant 41-7 victory against Colorado in Week 3 last Saturday. Much has been said about Colorado’s play and actions in that matchup, but the bottom line is that the Wildcats featured a well-balanced offense, totaling 423 yards, while the defense forced four turnovers in the win. Running back Joseph Himon II notably caught three touchdown passes.
There was some skepticism surrounding Curt Cignetti’s Indiana squad with so much key talent from last year’s championship team leaving for the NFL, but the Hoosiers seem to have quieted that noise with their 3-0 start as they get ready to play their first Big Ten game of the season. Indiana is averaging roughly 48.3 points per game this season and is coming off back-to-back dominant shutout victories against Howard and Western Kentucky.
Transfer quarterback Josh Hoover threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns in the win against Western Kentucky last Saturday, while wide receiver Charlie Becker led the team with 127 receiving yards and running back Turbo Richard led the team with 149 rushing yards, averaging 9.9 yards per carry.
The Hoosiers held Western Kentucky to just 186 total yards of offense and forced an interception. Perhaps more importantly, Indiana played a clean game with no turnovers of its own in the 38-0 win.
For our Northwestern vs. Indiana predictions, picks, and odds ahead of Friday night’s game, continue reading below.
Northwestern vs. Indiana Odds
Indiana is listed as a significant home favorite at Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook as it looks to remain perfect and improve to 4-0 on the season:
Northwestern vs. Indiana Predictions
The defending champions are back in action with their first Big Ten matchup of the season against an undefeated Northwestern team. Head over to Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook for some Friday night football betting action and make wagers on the game like our Northwestern vs. Indiana prediction below:
Indiana vs. Northwestern Best Bet: Northwestern +20.5 (-105)
This might sound crazy given that Indiana is averaging nearly 50 points per game and outscoring its opponents 145-16 this season, but Northwestern has had early success of its own and is coming off a 34-point victory last week. The Wildcats’ offense has been impressive through their first two games, featuring a balanced attack and, more importantly, taking care of the football for the most part, while the defense has already forced five turnovers this season.
Northwestern didn’t play Indiana in 2025, but it posted a respectable 4-5 record in Big Ten play, with its largest conference defeat being a 21-point loss to USC. The Wildcats also lost by 20 to Oregon, but their other three Big Ten losses last year were all by seven points or fewer, including a two-point loss to Michigan. Northwestern also picked up wins against UCLA, Penn State, Purdue, and Minnesota.
It’s a different team with different players at certain positions, but there’s a lot to like about this Northwestern team. While it’s a long shot that the Wildcats will go into Bloomington and upset Indiana, it’s not out of this world to believe they can keep the score within 20 points.
- Indiana vs. Northwestern Spread Pick for Sept. 25: Northwestern +20.5 (-105)
Northwestern vs. Indiana Game Info
- š Where: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
- š Date: Friday, Sept. 25
- ā° Kickoff: 8:00 PM ET
- šŗš» TV/Streaming: FOX
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Referenced odds are subject to change.
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