Purdue Boilermakers vs. Northwestern Wildcats Picks and Prediction for Saturday, October 18th, 2025
Use Code WWWC The Purdue Boilermakers (2-4, 2-3-1 ATS, 2-4 O/U) take on the Northwestern Wildcats (4-2, 4-2 ATS, 1-5 O/U) in a Big Ten showdown on Saturday evening, and we have the prediction. The Boilermakers were hit with a road loss by Minnesota in their previous action. Last week, the Wildcats earned an upset road win against Penn State. Northwestern earned an overtime win against Purdue last season.
Can Northwestern extend its winning streak with a dominating win on Saturday? Check out the Purdue vs. Northwestern prediction. Do you need a boost in your handicapping? Try our NCAAF Picks!
Purdue Seeks First Big Ten Win
The Purdue Boilermakers are seeking their first Big Ten win of the season and have lost 12 straight in Big 10 play. Purdue enjoyed a promising start to the year, winning the first two games, although they took advantage of easy opposition. They have not won a game since. It’s been a daunting schedule, marked by losses against ranked Notre Dame and Illinois in their conference opener. Next, the Boilermakers were competitive in a 27-20 road loss against Minnesota last week in a clash that had them as seven-point dogs. The Boilermakers have covered the spread in two games this season, and have yet to cover on the road.
Ryan Browne is posting big numbers but is making mistakes. The sophomore quarterback has surpassed 300 passing yards on three occasions, including 305 yards in the defeat against USC. Browne has delivered 1541 passing yards and a 7:7 TD to INT ratio on the season.
Get Free $30 Credit for Premium Picks + Exclusive Discounts
Subscribe Now
The running game is subpar. Devin Mockobee has reached 50 yards in all but two games. The senior running back has 402 passing yards on the season. The receiving core has depth. Michael Jackson III is targeted heavily. The senior guard has brought in 354 yards. Nitro Tuggle had 66 yards in the defeat against Notre Dame and has brought in 282 yards. Arhmad Branch has 204 yards. The Purdue offense was not the issue against Minnesota, racking up 456 total yards. They are averaging 409 yards per game.
The Boilermakers' defense is below average. The group was strong last week, keeping Minnesota to just 262 yards, and is yielding an average of 375 total yards per game on the year. Charles Correa has been a beast, making 45 tackles on the season. The pass defense is being exposed, ranking 106th, while the rush defense is 51st.
Purdue is averaging 26.5 points on the season, ranking them 80th. The Boilermakers are conceding an average of 29.3 points, pegging them 105th.
Northwestern Posts Stunning Road Win
The Northwestern Wildcats are eying their third conference win of the season. Northwestern is in a groove, winning three games in a row, led by the defense. Their only conference loss was against Oregon last month, in which the Wildcats covered. They beat UCLA in late September and posted a stunning 22-21 road win against Penn State last week. Northwestern was marked as huge 21-point dogs in that one. The Wildcats have covered the spread in four of their past five games.
Preston Stone doesn’t attempt a ton of passes on an offense that prefers to run. The senior QB has reached 200 passing yards in just two games this season. Stone has posted 1081 passing yards and a 10:6 TD to INT ratio. The rushing offense is hard to contain. Caleb Komolafe has surpassed 60 rushing yards in five consecutive games. The sophomore running back has recorded 416 rushing yards on the season. Joseph Himon III has 273 rushing yards.
The receiving group has just one player with more than 200 yards in Griffin Wilde. The junior running back has reached 90 yards on three occasions. He has managed 469 receiving yards on the season. The Northwestern offense issued 292 total yards against Penn State. They are netting an average of 365 yards per game.
The Wildcats' defense is proving to be one of the best in the Big 10. They kept Penn State to only 274 yards in the win last week. The only team that was able to have success against this defense was Oregon. The defense is conceding an average of only 305 yards per game. Braiden Buss has made 24 tackles and 2.5 sacks. The pass defense is stingy, ranking 17th. The rush defense is not as effective, coming in at 71st.
Northwestern is scoring an average of 23.3 points on this year, ranking them 99th. The Wildcats are keeping opponents to only 17.7 points, good for 24th in the country.
Purdue vs. Northwestern Pick
Spread Pick for Purdue vs. Northwestern
- Northwestern Wildcats -3 (5 units)
The Purdue Boilermakers have only recorded two wins, and they haven't won a conference game since 2023. Their two wins came against a MAC opponent, and the other was against an FCS team. They lost by 26 points to Notre Dame and 16 points against Illinois. The Northwestern Wildcats are on a dominating run, winning three straight games, including an upset road win against Penn State last week.
Furthermore, Purdue relies on its potent passing offense, which is ranked 33rd in the country. This is good news for the Wildcats, who have a stingy pass defense that is conceding an average of only 160 passing yards per game, good for 17th. The Wildcats' defense has been key in the wins. They have conceded 23 or fewer points in five of six games. Also, Northwestern has a potent running game that is ranked 46th. They should have success on the ground against a Boilermakers' rush defense that is mediocre, standing 51st.
Over/Under Pick for Purdue vs. Northwestern
- Over 47 ( 5 units)
I expect this one to go over, considering this lower total. Purdue doesn’t have a dominating offense but is consistently scoring, posting 20 or more points in five of six games on the season, including 30 points against Notre Dame. They have scored a total of 50 points in two road games. Purdue opts for the pass more than the run, and it can result in quick scoring drives.
In addition, the Boilermakers' defense is being exposed in conference play, which is why this over will convert. They have squandered an average of 42 points in three conference games, including 56 points in the defeat against Notre Dame. I expect more production than usual in the air by Northwestern against a pass defense that is ranked 105th. Northwestern scored 42 points in its previous home game.
New to our expert picks? Here’s your chance to get started for free. Use FREE100 at checkout and we’ll give you $100 in free site credit on your first purchase. [LOCK IN MY FREE WINNERS]
Betting on College Football?
- Bet with other College Football fans at the best sportsbooks
- Sign up today and get started with the latest college football sportsbook promos
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
