The Northwestern Wildcats (+20.5) are traveling east to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at HighPoint.com Stadium. This Big 10 game kicks off at 12:00 p.m. ET and BTN is in line to broadcast the action.
Northwestern Wildcats at Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Preview
Northwestern is significantly favored here and is currently giving up 20.5 points to Rutgers. If the Scarlet Knights seize control early it’ll create a reasonable betting opportunity in-game. Vegas has set the over/under (O/U) at 49 points.
The game’s total has yet to change after it was initially set at 49. Having said that, the opening line was 21.5 so has recently moved down to 20.5.
The Wildcats have gained 2.6 units so far and are 3-3 against the spread (ATS). The team has posted an O/U record of 4-2. The underwhelming Scarlet Knights have lost 3.1 units this season. They’re 2-5 ATS and have an O/U record of 3-4.
The Wildcats are 3-3 straight up (SU), including 3-1 SU against Big 10 opponents. The Scarlet Knights are 1-6 SU overall and 0-4 SU in conference play.
These two conference foes did not get a chance to face one another in 2017.
Northwestern enters this matchup on a zero-game losing skid while Rutgers has won each of its last zero. The Wildcats got their second W in as many tries after a 34-31 win over Nebraska last week where Clayton Thorson completed 41-of-64 passes for 455 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Solomon Vault (just 16 rushing yards on 12 attempts) led the running attack while Flynn Nagel (12 receptions, 220 yards, two TDs) and Bennett Skowronek (six catches, 73 yards) shared the receiving duties in the win.
One game ago, Maryland got the victory against this Rutgers crew by a score of 34-7. The Scarlet Knights defense allowed the Terrapins to eat up the clock by running for 290 yards on 40 rush attempts, along with one rushing TD. Ty Johnson had a productive showing in the win for Maryland, recording 132 rushing yards and a score on nine attempts. For Rutgers, Artur Sitkowski completed two-of-16 passes for eight yards and four interceptions. Isaih Pacheco (107 rushing yards on 22 attempts, one TD) mounted the running game as Blackshear (one receptions, 4 yards) and Eddie Lewis (one catch, four yards) led the receiving attack in the loss.
Northwestern’s run the ball on 39.0 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Rutgers has an overall rush percentage of 52.0 percent. The Wildcats have run for 70 yards per game (including 59 per game versus Big Ten opponents) and have 10 touchdowns on the ground this year. The Scarlet Knights are putting up 134 rush yards per game (114 in conference) and have eight total rushing TDs.
The Wildcats offense has tallied 321 yards per game in the air overall (309 per game against conference opposition) and has nine passing TDs so far. The Scarlet Knights have put up 147 pass yards per outing (133.3 against Big 10 competition) and have three total pass scores.
On the defensive side of the ball, Northwestern has allowed 149 rush yards and 255 pass yards per game. The Rutgers D has allowed 188.3 yards per game to opposing passers and 237.7 yards per game to opposing runners. The Wildcats are giving up an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 6.25 to opposing QBs, while the Scarlet Knights have allowed a 6.82 ANY/A.
Passing-wise, Thorson has amassed 1,382 yards on the year, and has completed 128-of-207 attempts with six passing scores and five interceptions. Thorson has a 5.41 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 6.52 over the last two games.
Artur Sitkowski has connected on 59-of-131 passes for 491 yards, two TDs and 12 INTs for Rutgers. His ANY/A stands at a minuscule -0.39 for the year and -0.52 across his past two games.
RELATED: Week 8 College Football Betting Odds and Predictions
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Notes
Team Betting Notes
Each team defense has produced nine sacks this year.
Rutgers has lost four fumbles in 2018 while Northwestern has let one get away.
The Wildcats offense has recorded four pass plays of 40 or more yards, while the Scarlet Knights have accounted for zero such plays.
Both defenses have allowed five pass plays of 40+ yards. The Northwestern defense has given up seven pass plays of 30+ yards while Rutgers has given up six such plays.
The Northwestern offense has created three rushing plays of 20+ yards, while Rutgers has created five such runs.
The Wildcats defense has allowed 10 rushing plays of 20 yards or more, while the Scarlet Knights have given up 21 such runs.
As a team, Northwestern has rushed for 0.9 yards per attempt over its last three games and 0.9 over its last two.
Rutgers has averaged 4.0 yards per carry over its last three outings and 3.9 over its last two.
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