Indiana vs. Northwestern: Big Ten Football Betting Preview and Odds
The undefeated Hoosiers host the Wildcats in a Big Ten conference matchup at Memorial Stadium.
Quick Look
- Indiana and Northwestern face off in a Big Ten football game this Friday at 8 p.m.
- ET in Bloomington.
- Indiana enters 3-0 following a win over Western Kentucky, while Northwestern is 2-0 after defeating Colorado.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Indiana is the defending national champion and is currently 3-0. Northwestern enters the game 2-0 after a dominant win against Colorado.
Indiana and Northwestern begin Big Ten play against one another on Friday night, with the Hoosiers looking to defend their conference and national championship this season. Indiana is coming off a 38-0 win over Western Kentucky last week to improve to 3-0, while Northwestern is coming off a 41-7 win over Colorado to improve to 2-0. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.
We'll look at the latest Indiana vs. Northwestern odds and Northwestern vs. Indiana spread at FanDuel Sportsbook before breaking down this Big Ten matchup. We'll also share our best bets using the SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. It is on a 22-19 run on top-rated CFB money-line picks on betting sites so far this season, and it has been upgraded for the 2026 season to better factor in the transfer portal. Anybody following its picks on college football betting sites could have seen strong returns.
Northwestern vs. Indiana betting odds
Northwestern vs. Indiana money line: Indiana -2100, Northwestern +1000 Northwestern vs. Indiana over/under: 49.5 (Over -110, Under -110) Northwestern vs. Indiana spread: Indiana -20.5
Northwestern vs. Indiana betting preview
Indiana is coming off the high of its magical 16-0 national championship season. However, the Hoosiers weren't just a one-year turnaround, as Indiana went 11-2 the season before in the first year under head coach Curt Cignetti. Indiana didn't open with a particularly challenging non-conference schedule, but the Hoosiers performed as expected. Indiana enters Friday with the No. 8 scoring offense (45 points per game) and No. 7 scoring defense (eight points per game allowed) in the nation. However, Indiana failed to cover the spread in any of those contests. Josh Hoover, previously a standout quarterback at TCU, has completed 72.5% of his passes with 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions in limited time due to the lopsided scores this season.
Meanwhile, Northwestern also enters undefeated and is coming off its own dominant win. The Wildcats defeated Deion Sanders' Colorado team 41-7 last week, and they are 2-0 against the spread this season. Northwestern is 13th in scoring offense (41 ppg) and third in scoring defense (seven ppg allowed) this season, and it is coming off its second winning season in the last three years.
Northwestern vs. Indiana picks, prediction
Northwestern +20.5 vs. Indiana
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Northwestern +20.5 vs. Indiana
Speculative · Within hours
Open Questions
- Will Indiana cover the 20.5-point spread?
- Can Northwestern maintain its defensive performance against Indiana?
