Purdue vs Northwestern Prediction: Are The Wildcats Actually Good?

Originally posted on College Football News
By Pete Fiutak | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 12:10 AM ET

No, no one saw Northwestern beating Penn State in State College.

It was a season-changer, a program-definer for the Nittany Lions, and lost in all of it is that Northwestern is on a three-game winning streak.

It’s not going to be easy after this with road games at Nebraska and USC, and it’ll still take an upset somewhere to get to six wins, but take out Purdue, and there’s a real shot to be a fun sleeper over the second half of the year.

Purdue is playing well, but the results aren’t there. Barry Odom is in rebuild mode with the program, and while it’s on a four-game losing streak, it’s making everyone work a bit.

Purdue Boilermakers vs Northwestern Wildcats Preview

How To Watch Purdue vs Northwestern

Saturday, October 18, 2025
Game Time: 3:00 PM ET
TV: Big Ten Network
Location: Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium, Evanston, IL

Predicting Every Remaining Game
ACC | Big Ten | Big 12 | SEC
Group of Five Teams, Pac-12, ND
@PeteFiutak

Why Purdue Will Win

Purdue has a running game now?

The defense will get there - it might not be until next season, but it’s a Barry Odom-coached team, so it’s going to work.

The passing game will never be the Joe Tiller Basketball On Grass thing, but it hit the 300-yard mark in four straight games. And against Minnesota, the Boilermakers found something, stuck with it, and rumbled for 253 yards.

The Northwestern run defense hasn’t been bad since getting cranked up by Tulane in the opener, but the team is 0-2 when allowing more than 4.5 yards per carry.

Purdue has averaged over six yards per dash over the last two games against two decent Illinois and Minnesota defenses.

Why Northwestern Will Win

Northwestern stopped turning the ball over, and good things happened.

The margin for error with the Wildcats is razor-thin - they can’t afford any mistakes. They’re third in the nation in fewest penalties and penalty yards - getting hit with just four flags per game - and they’ve only turned it over once in the last three games.

When they don’t turn the ball over multiple times, they’re 4-0. Purdue has forced a grand total of two takeaways all year.

Whose Defense Will Hold Up?

The last time Northwestern won four games in a row was the start of the bizarre 2020 season. That team went on to play for the Big Ten Championship.

The fourth win was against … Purdue.

At home, the defense will hold up, the offense will play it close to the vest and avoid mistakes, and it’ll be yet another low-scoring, close game at the most beautiful setting in college football.

Purdue vs Northwestern Prediction, Betting Lines

Northwestern 24, Purdue 20
Line: Northwestern -3.5, o/u: 47.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Must See Rating: 3
- Bowl Projections
- CFP Top 12 Projections
- Cavalcade: The Hot Team, Nebraska & CFP?

Consensus Line from BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, and FanDuel. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

- CFN Rankings

This article first appeared on College Football News and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: