Northwestern Wildcats at Penn State Nittany Lions: Odds, Spread, and Total
It is not a happy time in Happy Valley. Penn State is coming off one of the Big Ten’s biggest upset losses in history, falling to the previously winless UCLA…
It is not a happy time in Happy Valley. Penn State is coming off one of the Big Ten's biggest upset losses in history, falling to the previously winless UCLA Bruins 42-37 at the Rose Bowl. PSU can't blame Week 1 jitters like the Michigan Wolverines of 2007, or a snow storm like the Ohio State Buckeyes of 1950. The blame has fallen on head coach James Franklin, whose seat is hotter than Penn State's 3-2 record.
Penn State tries to begin salving the wound against visiting Northwestern at 3:30 p.m. EST this Saturday.
If the Nittany Lions are in crisis mode this week, you wouldn't know it from the Vegas odds on Penn State versus Northwestern. The Wildcats are three-TD underdogs for a tilt with an O/U (48.5) betting total.
Spread
- Wildcats +21.5 (-108)
- Nittany Lions -21.5 (-100)
Money line
- Wildcats +1040
- Nittany Lions -1212
Total
- Over 48.5 (-102)
- Under 48.5 (-114)
Note: The above data was collected on Oct. 10, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Northwestern Wildcats at Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Trends
- Penn State carries a three-game winning streak in the series.
- The Penn State Nittany Lions are 1-4 against the spread in 2025.
- Northwest has three losses and one OT win in its last four road games.
Northwestern Wildcats at Penn State Nittany Lions Injury Reports
Northwestern Wildcats
- Running back Cam Porter is out with a lower body injury.
- Defensive lineman Dylan Roberts is out with an undisclosed injury.
- Wide receiver Braden Blueitt is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
- Wide receiver Tate Crane is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
Penn State Nittany Lions
- Wide receiver Kaden Saunders is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
- Quarterback Jaxon Smolik is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
- Wide receiver Peter Gonzalez is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
- Quarterback Bekkem Kritza is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
- Wide receiver Josiah Brown is questionable with an undisclosed injury.
Northwestern Wildcats at Penn State Nittany Lions Predictions and Picks
Franklin's mastery isn't the only facet of Penn State's effort getting called into question. Kevin McGuire of USA Today's Nittany Lions Wire writes that the team's OL is a disappointment, the wide receivers are inconsistent, and quarterback Drew Allar has done “damage to his draft profile” with errors under pressure.
Penn State's defense may be a bigger problem, a unit with enough talent to shut out opponents like UCLA that was nonetheless soft and passive for four quarters against the 1-4 Bruins. Northwestern's dangerous offense doused Louisiana-Monroe's hot start with 515 yards in last weekend's 42-7 win to get to 3-2.
The Nittany Lions will rally behind their coaching staff for now, and likely produce a get-well victory by some solid margin. But it's not probable to be a 22-point margin, making Northwestern the pick ATS.
