Photo via CBS Sports

Penn State vs. Northwestern odds, picks, predictions, start time: Betting preview for college football Week 5

Week 5 of college football features a Friday night Big Ten clash as Northwestern prepares to host Penn State. The Wildcats enter the contest holding a two-to-one record, while the Nittany Lions sit at three and one following a recent upset defeat against Wisconsin.

Kickoff is slated for eight in the evening eastern time at Ryan Field. Penn State historically holds the upper hand in the series with sixteen victories across twenty-two prior meetings, though Northwestern captured the most recent encounter in 2025 by a slim twenty-two to twenty-one margin.

Bookmakers currently list the visiting Nittany Lions as two and a half point favorites, with an over and under point total set at forty-five and a half.

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