The Nittany Lions will play the Wildcats on Friday, October 2nd, 2026. The matchup takes place at Ryan Field. Watch this exciting Week 5 matchup at 8:10 pm EDT. Check local listings for coverage on Fox.
Learn more about College Football betting with our handy tutorial and guide. We explain spread, total and money line bets.
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Table of Contents
- Matchup Stats
- Best Odds
- Interactive Odds Example
- Prop Bets
- Recent Meetings
- Team Standings
- Futures Odds
- Team Pages
- Team Schedules & Results
- Other Games Today
Key Matchup Stats
We're now well into the 2026 college football season. Week 5 action features a matchup between Penn State and Northwestern taking place at Ryan Field. The following are some key season stats to help you size up this game.
- SportsBetting3.com Power Rankings - Penn State has a 96.67 conference power ranking for the 2026 season. The conference power ranking for Northwestern is 94.00.
- Away Penn State - Heading into Week 5, Penn State currently has a 1-0 record as an away team for the 2026 regular season. This ranks them 2nd in the Big Ten Conference for away team wins. Watch this stat carefully as the season progresses.
- Home Northwestern - Northwestern has a 2-0 record as a home team. Looking ahead to this 2026 Week 5 matchup, they rank 3rd in the Big Ten Conference for home team wins. Like the Penn State away record and ranking, you should continually keep tabs on this stat.
- Points Scored - For the 2026 season, Penn State ranks 7th (147) in the Big Ten Conference, with Northwestern currently ranking 17th (98) for points scored in the Big Ten Conference.
- Points Against - Also in 2026, Penn State stands 16th (46) in the Big Ten Conference for points scored by opponents in 2026. Northwestern sits at 13th (54) in the Big Ten Conference for points against in the 2026 season so far.
- Team Records - Penn State has a 3-1 overall record for the 2026 regular season, with Northwestern currently 2-1 for the 2026 NCAAF regular season.
Best Nittany Lions at Wildcats Odds
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College Football Odds Example
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Penn State at Northwestern Prop Bets
Important Note: Some states expressly forbid individual college athlete prop bets. The following wagers may not be available depending on your particular state laws.
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Penn State
Northwestern
10/02/26 8:10pm EDT | Pending |
Recent Meetings Since 2022
| Week | Game | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Week 5 | Penn State vs Northwestern Friday, October 2nd, 2026 | NU 34, PSU 13 Ryan Field | Northwestern by 21 |
| 2025 Week 7 | Northwestern vs Penn State Saturday, October 11th, 2025 | NU 22, PSU 21 Beaver Stadium | Northwestern by 1 |
| 2023 Week 5 | Penn State vs Northwestern Saturday, September 30th, 2023 | PSU 41, NU 13 Ryan Field | Penn State by 28 |
| 2022 Week 5 | Northwestern vs Penn State Saturday, October 1st, 2022 | PSU 17, NU 7 Beaver Stadium | Penn State by 10 |
Team Standings
| Team | Conf | Conf% | W | L | PF | PA | Home | Away | Strk |
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| Northwestern | 3-3 | 9.000 | 6 | 3 | 279 | 174 | 5-1 | 1-2 | L2 |
| Penn State | 0-2 | 0.000 | 3 | 2 | 160 | 80 | 2-1 | 1-1 | L2 |
Penn State & Northwestern Futures Odds
Latest NCAA Championship odds, if available, for each team. Review odds for other teams and learn the best College Football bets.
Penn State Championship OddsNo NCAA College Football Championship TM Penn State YR: futures available
Northwestern Championship OddsNo NCAA College Football Championship TM Northwestern YR: futures available
Penn State & Northwestern Team Pages
Review each team's season schedule and results, season win total odds, futures odds, betting bonuses and other valuable information on our exclusive team betting odds pages. Team betting odds and stats update throughout the season:
Team Schedules & Results
| Week | Matchup | Date & Result |
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| Week 1 | Marshall vs Penn State | PSU 45, MRSH 0 Saturday, September 5th, 2026 |
| Week 2 | Penn State vs Temple | PSU 27, TEM 9 Saturday, September 12th, 2026 |
| Week 3 | Buffalo vs Penn State | PSU 55, BUFF 13 Saturday, September 19th, 2026 |
| Week 4 | Wisconsin vs Penn State | WIS 24, PSU 20 Saturday, September 26th, 2026 |
| Week 5 | Penn State vs Northwestern | NU 34, PSU 13 Friday, October 2nd, 2026 |
| Week 6 | USC vs Penn State | USC 31, PSU 23 Saturday, October 10th, 2026 |
| Week 7 | Penn State vs Michigan | MICH 21, PSU 18 Saturday, October 17th, 2026 |
| Week 9 | Purdue vs Penn State | PSU 31, PUR 17 Saturday, October 31st, 2026 |
| Week 10 | Penn State vs Washington | PSU 28, WASH 25 Saturday, November 7th, 2026 |
| Week 11 | Minnesota vs Penn State | Saturday, November 14th, 2026 7:00 pm EST |
| Week 12 | Rutgers vs Penn State | Saturday, November 21st, 2026 12:00 am EST |
| Week 13 | Penn State vs Maryland | Saturday, November 28th, 2026 12:00 am EST |
| Week | Matchup | Date & Result |
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| Week 1 | South Dakota State vs Northwestern | NU 34, SDST 18 Saturday, September 5th, 2026 |
| Week 3 | Colorado vs Northwestern | NU 41, COLO 7 Saturday, September 19th, 2026 |
| Week 4 | Northwestern vs Indiana | IU 29, NU 23 Friday, September 25th, 2026 |
| Week 5 | Penn State vs Northwestern | NU 34, PSU 13 Friday, October 2nd, 2026 |
| Week 6 | Ball State vs Northwestern | NU 45, BALL 14 Saturday, October 10th, 2026 |
| Week 7 | Northwestern vs Michigan State | NU 24, MSU 21 Saturday, October 17th, 2026 |
| Week 8 | Rutgers vs Northwestern | NU 42, RUTG 14 Saturday, October 24th, 2026 |
| Week 9 | Northwestern vs Oregon | ORE 34, NU 26 Saturday, October 31st, 2026 |
| Week 10 | Iowa vs Northwestern | IOWA 24, NU 10 Saturday, November 7th, 2026 |
| Week 11 | Northwestern vs Ohio State | Saturday, November 14th, 2026 12:00 pm EST |
| Week 12 | Northwestern vs Minnesota | Saturday, November 21st, 2026 12:00 am EST |
| Week 13 | Illinois vs Northwestern | Saturday, November 28th, 2026 12:00 am EST |
How to Bet on the Game
Time needed: 4 minutes.
How to Bet on the Penn State vs Northwestern College Football Game
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Open a new sports betting account before game time.
Review our list of sports betting sites. Open a new account before the game starts on Friday, October 2nd, 2026 at 8:10 pm EDT, making sure to enter all your personal details correctly. Don't forget to add your bonus code.
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Visit the sportsbook’s cashier, banking, or deposit page.
Navigate to the sportsbook's deposit page. Use your Visa card or MasterCard, or deposit with a bank transfer, or other methods like Paypal.
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Tap to the sportsbook's College Football page, look for the Penn State vs Northwestern Game.
Navigate to the sportsbook's College Football page. Next, look for live or upcoming matchups. Select the Penn State vs Northwestern Game.
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Choose your bet and place a wager.
Choose your bet and then use the funds you deposited to place a wager. The sportsbook will pay your winnings or deduct a losing wager from your account balance after the game.