At 12:00 ET , the Boilermakers and Wildcats square off at Ryan Field in a week 12 NCAAF matchup. TV coverage belongs to BTN with the game being played on Saturday, November 18th. This matchup between two Big Ten rivals has the Boilermakers as the 2.5 point road favorites. Do they have what it takes to pick up a road win and cover?

PURDUE BOILERMAKERS VS NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Northwestern Wildcats +2.5

This game will be played at Ryan Field at 12:00 ET on Saturday, November 18th.

WHY BET THE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS:

  • We have this one finishing with a projected score of 25-23 in favor of Purdue.
  • Even though we have Purdue winning straight-up, we like Northwestern at +2.5.
  • The over/under is currently sitting at 46.5 points, and we like the over with a projected 48 points.

Will the Boilermakers Defense Show Up in Evanston?

This season, the Purdue Boilermakers are currently 3-7. So far this season, they have played four road games and six at home.

So far, Purdue has been favored one time and the underdog in six games. This has led to an ATS record of 4-6 and an average scoring differential of -7.4.

So far this season, the average over/under line for Purdue’s games has been 49.1 points. The Boilermakers have an over/under record of 6-4 heading into this week’s game.

Purdue comes into the game with an offense averaging 23.7, which places them at 76th in the NCAA rankings. Their passing game has them ranked 82nd nationally, with an average of 211.9 passing yards. In the rushing department, they’re 73rd in the nation, with 361 rushing attempts per game for the season.

On defense, the Boilermakers defense has 28 sacks and are 1st in QB hurries. So far, teams are scoring 31.1 points per game against them (125th). In terms of pass defense, they’re ranked 130th in the NCAA, allowing 244.2 passing yards per game. Moreover, Purdue’s run defense is allowing 146.5 rushing yards per contest.

Are the Wildcats Ready for a Home Win?

The Northwestern Wildcats take on the Purdue with a 5-5 record, including 1-3 on the road and 2-2 at home.

So far, Northwestern has been favored one time and the underdog in seven games. This has led to an ATS record of 5-3 and an average scoring differential of -2.3.

In 10 games played, the average over/under line for Northwestern’s games has been set at 41.8 points. These contests have seen an average combined score of 43.3 points, resulting in an OU record of 4-4.

On the ground, the Wildcats are 55th in college football at 348 attempts per game. This has led to an average of 104.8 (113th). So far, they have turned to the passing game 29.2 and have a per game average of 193.7. Overall, they are 89th in points (20.5 PPG).

Coming into this week’s game, the Northwestern defense is 82nd in points allowed at 22.8 points per game. So far, team’s have averaged 181.7 passing yards per game vs. the unit (32nd). On the ground, they are giving up 151.4 rushing yards, putting them 92nd in college football.