Ohio State’s (8-1) is beating opponents by an average scoring margin of 28 points (#2 in FBS), while ranking in the Top 10 on each side of the ball in success rate, EPA/play and points per scoring opportunity. The only statistical weakness is that OSU allows a completion percentage of 61.8%, which ranks 78th nationally. The Buckeyes face the third-fewest deep passing offense in the country, with only 8.2% of passes defensed occurring more than 20 yards down the field. Ohio State emerged from a challenging three-game midseason stretch at 2-1 against @Oregon (32-31 L), Nebraska (21-17 W) and @Penn State (20-13). They end the season with two crucial home games against Indiana (9–0) and Michigan (5–4), which have major implications for the CFP Playoff.

Northwestern (4-5) has taken advantage through its first eight games, going just 2-5 against Power Four opponents while compiling a modest 3-6 ATS record. Their lone Big Ten win came in a 37-10 blowout win over @Maryland, but the Wildcats posted an atrocious 0% win expectancy in each of their other four B10 games before beating 1-8 Purdue 26-20 last weekend defeated. An inefficient offense is the team’s biggest weakness, ranking 127th in EPA/play and 128th in points per scoring opportunity. Defensively, HC David Braun has a solid unit, ranking 29th in SP+, in addition to 10th in yards per successful rush allowed and 11th in 20+ yards completion percentage (11.8%).

NBC Sports has the latest information and analysis you need, including how to tune in for kickoff, odds from BetMGM, player news and updates, and of course our predictions and best bets for the game from our staff of experts.

Listen to the B1G Talk podcast with Todd Blackledge and Noah Eagle for the most compelling storylines in all of college football, featuring the biggest teams on the rise and the latest rankings!

Game details and how to watch Ohio State @ Northwestern

· Date: Saturday November 16, 2024
· Time: 12:00 PM EST
· Location: Wrigley Field
· City: Chicago, Illinois
· TV/streaming: BTN

Do you want the other games on the College Football Schedule this week? We’ve got you covered here on NBC Sports with all the matchup, location, game time and TV/streaming information so you don’t miss any of the action!

Ohio State @ Northwestern betting odds courtesy of BetMGM

The latest odds from Friday morning:

• Moneyline: Ohio State (-9,000), Northwestern (+2,500)
• Spread: Ohio State (-28.5)
• Top/Bottom: 44.5 points

While Ohio State opened as a -30.5 favorite, that spread proved to be a bit too high for the crowd’s tastes, with the line dropping to -28.5 across the board. Few books dare post moneyline action due to the lopsided nature of the contest, with the best prices being -8,000 for OSU and +4,000 for Northwestern. The game total stands at the same 44.5 it started with, with a few stray 43.5s as well.

NBC Sportsbook Best Bet

NBC Sports Betting Analyst Eric Froton (@CFFroton) thinks:
“Ohio State shutout a terrible 45-0 Purdue team (1-8) in the last game, but let Michigan State, Marshall and Akron get into the end zone against them. Northwestern is a four-win team that recorded 37 wins against Maryland, 14 against Iowa and 24 against Indiana. I think the Wildcats will reach their very reasonable team total of 6.5 points.”

Listen to the Bet the Edge podcast as hosts, Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick provide listeners with sharp, actionable insight, market analysis and statistics to help bettors gain more information before placing their bets.

Quarterback matchup for Ohio State @ Northwestern

• State of Ohio: Hard to argue with fifth-year QB Will Howard’s decision to transfer from Kansas State to Ohio State, as he currently leads the nation’s eighth-ranked SP+ offense for a Top 5 national title program. He is completing a whopping 74% of his throws and is working with another elite group of OSU pass catchers, headlined by the following Julio Jones: Jeremiah Smith. The Buckeyes’ passing game ranks 2nd in success rate and 6th in EPA/dropback, despite only 9.6% of passes being thrown more than 20 yards downfield (125th). Howard’s 84th percentile PFF grade is the highest of his five-year career, with the previous high being 72.7%.

• Northwestern: QB Jack Lausch leads a listless passing attack that ranks 120th in passing success rate and 124th in passing explosiveness with a 53.6% completion rate. He has a 5-4 ratio and has done a commendable job avoiding sacks with a pressure-to-sack percentage of 15.0%, which is key as the Wildcats’ offensive line allows a disturbing 34% pressure rate (94th ). Lausch has a respectable PFF grade of 68%, which comes with the second-lowest completion percentage among P4 signal callers. Lausch has his best performance of the season, completing 66% of his 35 passes for 250 yards and a 1-0 ratio against Purdue.

Betting trends and recent statistics

• Ohio State’s offense has thrown for 20 or more yards on 12.6% of 261 attempts this season — T-27th-best among FBS offenses. Northwestern’s defense allowed 20+ yards on just 7.0% of attempts this season – T-12th best among FBS defenses.
• Generational freshman WR Jeremiah Smith has six Red Zone touchdown receptions this season, second-most among Power Four skill players. TreVeyon Henderson runs for 10+ yards on 27% of his carries (21/78), the highest mark in FBS.
• Northwestern RB Cam Porter has averaged 4.5 yards from scrimmage per touch this season, which ranks 103rd out of 114 qualifying Power Conference Running Backs.
• QB Jack Lausch has converted 16% of his third-down situations this season, which is the second-lowest percentage among P4 quarterbacks. (Brock Glenn = #1 at 15%)

BetMGM College Football Insights: National Championship

Highest ticket%

• State of Ohio 14.0%
• Texas 11.5%
• Georgia 10.6%

Highest Handle%

• State of Ohio 17.7%
• Georgia 16.3%
• Texas 11.4%

College Football talk takes over Bet the Edge every Thursday all season long. BET THE EDGE is your source for all things sports betting. Get all the insights from Vaughn Dalzell, Eric Froton and Brad Thomas on Thursdays at 6:00 PM ET here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Follow our experts on socials to stay up to date with the latest staff content:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
• Eric Froton (@CFFroton)