Northwestern Wildcats vs Ohio State Buckeyes Matchup

Check out our free Ohio State Buckeyes vs Northwestern Wildcats pick and preview for this CFB week 12 game in Chicago. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 12 CFB matchup.

Ohio State is the heavy favorite in this week 12 matchup against Northwestern, with the point spread sitting at -30.5 points. The game is set to kick off at 12:00 ET from Wrigley Field in Chicago, with BTN handling the broadcast. The over/under line is 44.5 points. The money line odds are -13911 for Ohio State and +2448 for Northwestern. The Buckeyes come in with an 8-1 record, while Northwestern is 4-5 on the season.

Buckeyes vs. Wildcats Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Ohio State Buckeyes at Northwestern Wildcats
Where: Chicago at Wrigley Field
Date: Saturday, November 16th
Betting Odds OHIOST -30.5, OHIOST -13911 | NW +2448 O/U 44.5

Buckeyes Preview:

Ohio State enters Week 12 against Northwestern with an 8-1 record, holding the 3rd spot in our power rankings. They have a 44.6% chance of winning the Big Ten and a 92.6% chance of making the playoff. The Buckeyes are undefeated at home (6-0) but are 2-1 on the road this season.

Ohio State has been favored in all nine games this season, with a +27.9 average scoring margin. Their ATS record stands at 5-4, going 3-3 at home and 2-1 on the road.

The over/under line for this week is 44.5 points. Ohio State’s games have averaged 49.2 points, with an average line of 51.8 points. They are 4-5 against the over/under this season, with an average margin of -2.6 points.

Buckeyes Offense Breakdown

Ohio State’s offense is ranked 4th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 12. They are 11th in points per game, scoring 38.6. Quarterback Will Howard has thrown for 2,237 yards and has a passer rating of 126. Ohio State is 3rd in the nation in completion percentage at 71.3%.

Howard has 22 touchdown passes and five interceptions this season. Leading receiver Jeremiah Smith has 765 yards and nine touchdowns. On the ground, Quinshon Judkins has rushed for 647 yards, averaging 6 yards per carry.

Buckeyes Team Defense

Ohio State's defense has been impressive this season, ranking second nationally by allowing just 10.7 points per game. They also rank ninth in the country, giving up only 155.6 passing yards per game, and 12th in rushing yards, allowing 100 yards per game on average.

In their recent game against Purdue, Ohio State's defense forced a shutout, allowing just 206 total yards. Purdue managed only 98 rushing yards on 38 attempts and 108 passing yards, with Ohio State's defense also grabbing an interception.

Wildcats Preview:

Ohio State has been favored in all nine games this season, with a +27.9 average scoring margin. Their ATS record stands at 5-4, going 3-3 at home and 2-1 on the road.

Wildcats Offense Breakdown

Northwestern’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 19.2 points per game, which ranks 88th in the nation. They are 118th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 12. Their third-down conversion rate is only 29.7%, and they rank 113th in passing yards per game, with 176 yards on average. Jack Lausch, their quarterback, has a passer rating of 71, with 1,120 passing yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions.

On the ground, Northwestern averages 113 rushing yards per game. Cam Porter leads the team with 387 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 4 yards per carry. A.J. Henning is the top receiver, with 426 yards and three touchdowns on 40 catches.

Wildcats Team Defense

Northwestern’s defense played a significant role in their 26-20 overtime win against Purdue, allowing just 20 points. They held Purdue to 206 total yards, including 98 rushing yards on 38 attempts and 108 passing yards, while also forcing an interception.

For the season, Northwestern ranks 21st nationally in rushing yards allowed, giving up just 109.6 yards per game. They are 33rd in the country in points allowed, surrendering 21.9 points per game, and opponents have averaged 241 passing yards per game against them.

Buckeyes vs Wildcats Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

Across their ten previous road games, Ohio State has an ATS mark of 4-4-2. Their straight up record in these matchups was 7-3 while averaging 29 points per game.
Northwestern has played well in their previous five home games, going 3-2 straight up. In this stretch, they averaged 25 points per game while allowing 27. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
Looking back on the team's last three games as the underdog, the Northwestern Wildcats have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-2.
Spanning across their last ten games as the betting favorite, the Ohio State Buckeyes have gone 5-5 vs the spread. Their overall record in these games was 8-2.