Michigan State vs. Northwestern Prediction and Odds for College Football Week 1

Michigan State and Northwestern will face off in a Big Ten matchup on Friday night at 9 p.m. EST at Ryan Field. 

Last season, the Spartans dealt Northwestern it’s only regular season loss when the Wildcats were sitting at No. 8 in the College Football Playoff rankings. Northwestern is coming off one of it’s best seasons in the past decade, as it finished 7-2 and defeated Auburn in the Citrus Bowl. 

After a 3-9 campaign in 2019, the Wildcats seemed to have turned things around, but they will face a very familiar opponent in the Spartans. Friday’s matchup will be the 60th meeting all time between the two schools.

Here’s how the odds look at WynnBET: 

Michigan State vs. Northwestern State College Football Odds Week 1

Spread:

Michigan State +3.0: -105

Northwestern -3.0: -115

Moneyline:

Michigan State: +135

Northwestern: -160

Over/Under: 46.0 (Over: -110/Under: -110)

Northwestern vs. Michigan State Betting Trends

• Michigan State has won six of the last seven matchups at Northwestern.
• Michigan State has won the last two matchups (31-10 at Ryan Field in 2019 and 29-20 at Spartan Stadium last season).
• Northwestern was the best team in the NCAA against the spread last season (7-1-1). 
• The Spartans were just 2-5 against the spread in 2020.
• Northwestern hit the over in just two of its nine games last season.
• Michigan State was 5-2 on overs last season by an average of 4.4 points. 

Michigan State vs. Northwestern Prediction 

The Wildcats had a great season under Pat Fitzgerald in 2020, but they are due for some major regression in the 2021 campaign, as they have the fewest number of starters returning from last year’s team in the Big Ten.

Despite being three-point favorites at home, I’m not going to back Northwestern even though it was a bettors’ dream last season covering the spread 87.5 percent of the time. The lack of continuity from last year’s roster is concerning, and I’d rather take a wait-and-see approach before betting on the Wildcats this season. 

That means I’ll be taking the Spartans straight up at +135 odds to win their third straight game in this series. Michigan State dealt Northwestern it's only regular season loss in 2020, and I think the Spartans continue their success at Ryan Field to open the season 1-0.

Will the Spartans pull off the Week 1 upset? Get in on the action by making your pick now on the WynnBET app.