Northwestern vs. Ohio St. Prediction
Will No. 6 Ohio State get itself into a defensive battle with Northwestern when they meet today at 3:30PM ET, or will the points pile up quickly?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, Ohio State is the clear favorite in this game, as the Buckeyes are getting odds of -27 points against the Wildcats. The over/under total for the contest is listed at 51.5 points. Ohio State has won five straight meetings with Northwestern and the two have hit the over in their last four encounters.
Bet on Northwestern vs. Ohio State
Ohio State suffered a 24-21 loss at Penn State last week to fall to 6-1 on the season and 3-1 in the Big Ten. The Buckeyes are now 4-3 with the under after hitting it in three of their last four games. Ohio State is putting up 45.3 points and 501.7 yards per game this season, but the offensive numbers have dropped over the last three weeks. After scoring at least 45 points in their first four games, they have scored 38-30-21 over the last three games. J.T. Barrett has thrown for 1,452 yards and 17 touchdowns while running for 460 yards and six scores this season. Mike Weber has run for 683 yards to lead the ground game, but he’s been held to 71 yards or less in his last three games. Defensively, the Buckeyes are giving up 14.4 points and 279.7 yards per game. They are also allowing just 158.7 passing yards per contest.
Northwestern comes into this game with some momentum, as the Wildcats have won three straight following a 24-14 win over Indiana. Northwestern is now 4-3 on the season, 3-1 in the Big Ten and 5-2 with the under. Northwestern is putting up 25.9 points and 378.6 yards per game on offense while the defense is giving up 21.9 points and 414.1 yards per game. Justin Jackson has been the main offensive weapon for the Cats, as he has 792 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He has put up 353 yards and three touchdowns over this three-game win streak. Clayton Thorson has thrown for 1,686 yards and 14 touchdowns while Austin Carr has 50 catches for 720 yards and nine touchdowns.
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There is potential for Ohio State to come out today on fire after last week’s loss, but the declining numbers on offense indicate that perhaps the Buckeyes aren’t as potent as we once thought they were. Northwestern is also a tough team, proven by their three-game win streak. Pat Fitzgerald has his team playing at a high level and expect them to match Ohio State’s physicality in this game and keep it somewhat low scoring.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 9 PREDICTION: NORTHWESTERN/OHIO STATE UNDER 51.5