Northwestern's defense has been stingy and Rutgers is trying to build on a bounce-back win as these two meet at Ryan Field.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights sit at 2-4 and enter on a one-game winning streak. Northwestern Wildcats are 5-1 and have won three straight.
Game details
| When | Saturday, October 24, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET |
| Where | Ryan Field |
| TV | Peacock |
| Line | Northwestern Wildcats -16 | O/U 58.5 (market view) |
| Rutgers Scarlet Knights record | 2-4 |
| Northwestern Wildcats record | 5-1 |
The matchup
Rutgers Scarlet Knights snapped back with a 37-30 win over the Maryland Terrapins last time out, a result that came after a rough 15-47 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers. Before that stretch, Rutgers blew out the Howard Bison 58-7, but also dropped games to the USC Trojans and the Boston College Eagles. It's a group that has shown it can score in bunches, but has also been prone to letdowns.
Northwestern Wildcats have been the more consistent team, winning three in a row including a 24-21 road win over the Michigan State Spartans and a 45-14 home win over the Ball State Cardinals. Their only blemish in that recent stretch is a 23-29 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers. On the season, Northwestern has outscored opponents 201-102, while Rutgers sits at 187-191.
Key matchups
With no individual key players or starters listed for either side, this one comes down to team strength on strength. Northwestern's defense has allowed just 102 points across its six games, a number that should make life difficult for a Rutgers offense that has shown flashes of explosiveness but also inconsistency.
Rutgers will need its offense, which has topped 35 points three times this season, to keep pace against a Northwestern team that has outscored its opponents by a wide margin over the course of the year.
The pick
The market has Northwestern Wildcats as a 16.0-point favorite with a total of 58.5, and the market score points to a 37-21 Northwestern win.
Given Northwestern's three-game win streak and its 201-102 scoring margin on the season, the Wildcats look like the sturdier team heading into this one. Rutgers has shown it can put points on the board, but matching Northwestern's defensive number will be the tougher task.
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Rutgers Scarlet Knights | Wk7 W 37-30 vs Maryland Terrapins, Wk5 L 15-47 vs Indiana Hoosiers, Wk4 W 58-7 vs Howard Bison |
| Northwestern Wildcats | Wk7 W 24-21 vs Michigan State Spartans, Wk6 W 45-14 vs Ball State Cardinals, Wk5 W 34-13 vs Penn State Nittany Lions |
Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.