Penn State vs. Northwestern prediction favors Penn State to win in college football Week 5 [2026]

Using innovative machine learning and statistical analysis, we have re-simulated the outcome of Penn State vs. Northwestern, forming part of our college football predictions coverage.

Our famous predictive model currently gives Penn State a 53.6% chance of beating Northwestern. Our predicted final score has Penn State winning 24-23. According to our model, Northwestern (+2.5) has a 53.5% chance of covering the spread, while the 45.5-point over/under has a 54.5% chance of going over.

Latest betting odds

We have researched the best college football odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

• Spread: Penn State -2.5 (-118) / Northwestern +2.5 (+100)
• Moneyline: Penn State -142, Northwestern +125
• Total: Over/Under 45.5 (-110/-108)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Model picks and best bet

After matching our predictions against the best available odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets in this matchup. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

• Spread: Northwestern +2.5 @ +100 via bet365
• Moneyline: Northwestern @ +125 via bet365
• Total: Over 45.5 @ -110 via bet365

According to our college football best bets, the top play to make on this game is Northwestern +2.5 at the spread.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the current available odds.

Game info & kickoff details

Friday's college football matchup between Northwestern and Penn State at Ryan Field is scheduled to commence at 8:00 PM ET.

• Who: Penn State vs. Northwestern
• Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
• Time: 8:00 PM ET/5:00PM PT
• Venue: Ryan Field

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Conclusion

We predict Penn State, with a 53.6% win probability, will likely beat Northwestern in Friday's college football matchup.

Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.

This article's predictions and probabilities are generated by Dimers' proprietary College Football prediction model. Our editorial team reviews the resulting content for accuracy and presentation before publication.