Penn State vs. Northwestern Prediction, Odds, Pick For College Football Week 5

Northwestern will host Penn State on Friday in week five college football match on FOX.

Penn State outscored Wisconsin 17-0 and held a 10-point lead late in the fourth quarter, putting the Nittany Lions minutes away from a 4-0 start under Matt Campbell. Instead, the Badgers scored 14 unanswered points to pull off a dramatic 24-20 victory.

It was a brutal home loss for Penn State. Quarterback Rocco Becht completed just 12 of 29 passes for 114 yards as the defense surrendered some big plays down the field.

Meanwhile, Northwestern gave defending national champion Indiana a scare on Friday night. The Wildcats cut the deficit to two points in the fourth quarter before the Hoosiers scored late to seal the victory.

Now, Northwestern prepares for a monumental moment: Friday’s game will mark its first game at $875 million Ryan Field.

Can the Wildcats celebrate their stadium debut with a win, or will Penn State avoid a second straight loss?

Let’s take a look at the odds Northwestern vs. Penn State on FanDuel Sportsbook as of Oct. 2.

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Money line

• Penn State: -137 (bet $10 to win $10.56 total)
• Northwest: +114 ($10 bet to win $21.40 total)

SPREAD

• Penn State -2.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Northwest +2.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

Over/Under

• Over 45.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)
• Under 45.5: -110 (bet $10 to win $19.09 total)

From FOX Sports Research:

Penn State boasts one of the nation’s top defenses, allowing 11.5 points per game (eighth in FBS, third in Big Ten), 239.5 total yards per game (ninth in FBS, fourth in Big Ten) and 126.3 passing yards per game (fourth in FBS). Meanwhile, Northwestern held Colorado to seven points and contained Indiana’s explosive offense last week.

This has the makings of a classic, low-scoring Big Ten matchup. Take it down.

How to watch Northwestern vs. Penn State

• Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
• Time: 8 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX
• Transmission: Watch 3 days for free on FOX One, FOXSports.comThe FOX Sports app
• Location: Ryan Field, Evanston, IL