Northwestern is hosting Purdue for a Week 8 matchup on Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. ET in Evanston, Illinois.
The Wildcats are listed as 3-point home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 45.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction, and best bet for this Big Ten conference matchup between Purdue and Northwestern.
Purdue vs. Northwestern prediction, preview
Purdue Preview
The Purdue Boilermakers are hoping to get their first Big Ten win since 2023 this week. After a disastrous 2024 season, Purdue is playing much better in 2025 under first-year head coach Barry Odom. Purdue played a tough run of opponents, USC, Notre Dame and Illinois. The Boilermakers showed some real offensive prowess over that stretch, but couldn’t get stops against those very good offenses. Last week against Minnesota, the Boilermakers led going into the fourth quarter but couldn’t hang on to win. This is the most winnable game left on their schedule, and they should put forward a massive effort to get a conference win on the board in 2025.
Northwestern Preview
Northwestern is coming off one of its best wins in recent history by beating Penn State. While the Nittany Lions did seem like a completely broken team after their loss to UCLA, Northwestern had to play great football to get that win. Quarterback Preston Stone is experienced and is capable of being a solid player for Northwestern. However, the passing offense has not been up to par most of the season. They will need to move it through the air efficiently to get this win over Purdue. If David Braun wants to prove that he is building this program back in the right direction, he needs to win games like this against Purdue.
Purdue vs. Northwestern pick, best bet
My best bet for this game is Purdue +3. The Boilermakers are desperate for a conference win, and this is one of their only real chances to get one this season. Purdue is playing well, particularly on offense, but is costing itself at the most inopportune times. This is an ideal matchup for them against Northwestern. Purdue wants to run the ball over and over again on offense. They rank 16th in the country in offensive EPA/rush and should dominate the game against a Northwestern defense that ranks 121st in defensive EPA/rush. On the other side of the ball, the way to attack Purdue is through the air. However, Northwestern ranks 104th in offensive EPA/pass. The Wildcats also want to run the football, but Purdue ranks 40th in the country in defensive EPA/rush. In a game where both teams want to run the football all day, the better rush offense and rush defense should win the game, and both belong to Purdue.
