Ohio State has lost two straight games and surrendered 38 unanswered points at home on Saturday — and oddsmakers still like the Buckeyes by double digits next weekend. Ohio State opened as a 10.5-point favorite over Northwestern for Saturday’s game at Ohio Stadium, with an over/under of 47.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook as reported by Land-Grant Holy Land.
The line follows Saturday’s 41-28 loss to Oregon, which dropped Ohio State to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in Big Ten play. Land-Grant Holy Land reported the Buckeyes have lost consecutive regular-season games for the first time since 2011, after also falling 30-18 to USC on Halloween, and that their College Football Playoff hopes are essentially gone.
Northwestern arrives with the same 6-3 record, at 3-3 in conference play under head coach David Braun, Land-Grant Holy Land reported. The Wildcats had won four straight before dropping consecutive contests to Oregon and Iowa, and their season includes a convincing 34-13 victory over Penn State and a 42-14 win against Rutgers.
One familiar face adds intrigue to the matchup: Chip Kelly is coming back to Columbus. The offensive coordinator who helped guide Ohio State to the 2024 national championship is now running Northwestern’s offense, having joined Braun’s staff following a brief stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, Land-Grant Holy Land reported.
History strongly favors the home team. Ohio State owns a 66-14-1 all-time record against Northwestern and has won the past 11 meetings, including 35 of the teams’ previous 36 matchups dating back to 1971 and a 31-7 victory at Wrigley Field in 2024, Land-Grant Holy Land reported. Eleven Warriors, also citing FanDuel and DraftKings, reported Ohio State is 5-4 against the spread this season and has not covered in three of its last four games.
Northwestern was without starting quarterback Aidan Chiles against Iowa because of an upper-body injury, Eleven Warriors reported, and his status will be one of the week’s key questions. What happens next: Ohio State hosts Northwestern on Saturday, November 14, at noon ET at Ohio Stadium, televised on FOX as the Big Noon Kickoff, according to Ohio State’s athletics department.
Photo: Staff Sgt. Michael Carden, U.S. Army National Guard, public domain