Northwestern Opens as Underdogs Against Penn State

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Northwestern is once again entering the week as an underdog, but this time the gap is much smaller.

The Wildcats opened the week as 5.5-point underdogs against Penn State, but that line has already moved to 2.5 points, according to current betting lines. Northwestern is still the underdog despite playing competitive football through the first three games of the season and nearly pulling off an upset against No. 5 Indiana last Friday. 

The line movement is interesting considering where both teams are coming from. Northwestern is coming off a 29-23 loss to Indiana in which it put together a strong second-half performance and scored 16 points in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats showed they could compete with one of the better teams in the country and had a chance late in the game.

Penn State, meanwhile, is coming off its first loss of the season. The Nittany Lions jumped out to a 17-0 lead against Wisconsin but eventually fell 24-20 at home in their Big Ten opener. Penn State managed just 248 yards of total offense and was outscored 17-3 in the second half. 

Now, Penn State will have to turn around quickly and figure out how to bounce back against a Northwestern team that has already shown it can make things difficult for talented opponents.

That makes Friday’s matchup even more interesting.

This will be the first football game played at the new Ryan Field, giving Northwestern an opportunity to begin a new era in front of what is expected to be a packed crowd. The game will also be nationally televised on FOX, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 2. 

For Northwestern, this is about more than just another game on the schedule. The Wildcats have already shown improvement under head coach David Braun and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, and a strong performance against Penn State would give them another opportunity to show that last week’s performance against Indiana was not a fluke.

For Penn State, it is about responding after a disappointing loss and getting back on track in Big Ten play. That combination should make for an intriguing Friday night at Ryan Field.

Northwestern may still be the underdog, but the movement from 5.5 points to 2.5 shows that this matchup is being viewed much differently than it was when the week began. With the new Ryan Field opening, a national television audience watching on FOX and both teams looking to make a statement, this could become one of the defining games of the season for both programs.

For Northwestern, it is a chance to begin the new era at Ryan Field on a strong note.

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