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NCAAF · November 14, 2026

Northwestern Wildcats vs Ohio State Buckeyes Preview & Odds — November 14, 2026

Northwestern Wildcats

5-3

Quarterback Nicco Marchiol

Ohio State Buckeyes

6-3

Quarterback Luke Fahey

Saturday, November 14 · 12:00 PM ET

NUOffense2026 regular season to dateOSU

9th+0.260

EPA/play

+0.15936th

19th51.4%

Success %

49.5%31st

34th30.6

PPG

35.714th

NUDefenseOSU

62nd+0.048

EPA/play allowed

+0.01951st

59th46.2%

Success % allowed

41.5%12th

25th19.5

Opp PPG

18.320th

NURecent formOSU

Wvs Ball State 45-14W@ Michigan State 24-21Wvs Rutgers 42-14L@ Oregon 26-34Lvs Iowa 10-24

Resultsoldest to newest

W@ Iowa 31-14Wvs Maryland 45-16W@ Indiana 19-15L@ USC 18-30Lvs Oregon 28-41

6-3

Record

6-3

5-4

ATS

5-4

5-3-1

Over–under

5-4

NUHome and roadseason to dateOSU

5-1

Home record

4-1

1-2

Road record

2-2

4-2

Home ATS

2-3

1-2

Road ATS

3-1

3-2-1

Home O/U

5-0

2-1

Road O/U

0-4

NULast 10 gamesOSU

Game by game

6-3

Last 9

6-3

+105

Net points

+156

Top third of the leagueMiddle thirdBottom thirdBar = league rank (full = 1st)

Rest & travelrest and travel

NURest & travelOSU

7 days

Days of rest

7 days

281 mi452 km · straight-line from home arena (estimate)

Travel to the game

Home

+1 hclock change vs home

Time-zone change

Home

Venue

Ohio Stadium

About these numbers

2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.

Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.

Margin of each of the last 9 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.

Distance is a straight-line estimate from each team's home arena, not the team's actual itinerary; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game this season (7 = a normal week); preseason games do not count. Schedule facts only: no fatigue adjustment is applied.

Matchup preview

Northwestern (5-3) visits Ohio State (6-3) on Saturday, November 14 at 12:00 PM ET.

Northwestern has the 9th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 62nd-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Ohio State has the 36th-ranked offense and the 51st-ranked defense. When Northwestern has the ball, a 9th-ranked offense (+0.260 EPA per play) meets a 51st-ranked defense (+0.019 allowed); when Ohio State has it, a 36th-ranked offense (+0.159) meets a 62nd-ranked defense (+0.048 allowed).

By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Northwestern offense is at 51.4% (19th) and the Ohio State offense at 49.5% (31st). Northwestern scores 30.6 points per game (34th) and allows 19.5 (25th); Ohio State scores 35.7 (14th) and allows 18.3 (20th).

Northwestern is 6-3 and 5-4 against the spread; its last game was a 24-10 loss to Iowa. Ohio State is 6-3 and 5-4 against the spread; its last game was a 41-28 loss to Oregon.

Ohio State is a 13.5-point favorite at home against Northwestern. The spread opened at Ohio State -9.5. The total is 44.5, down from 47.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the moneyline (Northwestern +410, Ohio State -560) prices Northwestern at 19% and Ohio State at 81%.

Built from public team and player data; ranks are league-wide and update daily until kickoff.

Market

Odds and line movement

Spreadmoved 4

OpenOhio State -9.5 (-120)
Northwestern +9.5 (-102)

NowOhio State -13.5 (-115)
Northwestern +13.5 (-105)

Totaldown 3

Open47.5 (o -107 / u -112)

Now44.5 (o -105 / u -115)

Moneyline

OpenNorthwestern +287 25%
Ohio State -367 75%

NowNorthwestern +410 19%
Ohio State -560 81%

Consensus of US sportsbooks. The Now column updates from our odds board. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.

Best available prices on Nov 12

Northwestern +13.5+103ProphetX
Ohio State -13.5-110Bally Bet
Over 44.5+100Novig
Under 44.5-106Novig
Northwestern+471Novig
Ohio State-506Novig

Members

G&W Line

G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics

Projected score

Spread

Total

Win %

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Matchup

Players to watch

Northwestern

QB · Nicco Marchiol

Attempts30
Completion %73.3%
Passing yards168
Yards per attempt5.6
TD–INT1–0

Leading rusher (RB) · Caleb Komolafe

Rushing yards64350th
Season line111 carries, 643 yds, 5 TD

Leading receiver (WR) · Griffin Wilde

Receiving yards81317th
Season line49 catches, 813 yds, 5 TD

Leading tackler (LB) · Braydon Brus

Tackles7443rd

Ohio State

QB · Luke Fahey

Attempts95
Completion %66.3%
Passing yards800
Yards per attempt8.4
TD–INT5–3

Leading rusher (RB) · Bo Jackson

Rushing yards68540th
Season line139 carries, 685 yds, 6 TD

Leading receiver (WR) · Jeremiah Smith

Receiving yards1,2002nd
Season line69 catches, 1200 yds, 14 TD

Leading tackler (S) · Earl Little Jr.

Tackles53232nd

Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 264 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured November 11, 5:34 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.

Success by situation

Situation	Northwestern	Ohio State
Early-down success rateNorthwestern offense vs Ohio State defense	47.7%12th	35.5%5th
Early-down success rateOhio State offense vs Northwestern defense	42.5%58th	47.0%20th
3rd-down conversion rateNorthwestern offense vs Ohio State defense	43.3%42nd	42.1%79th
3rd-down conversion rateOhio State offense vs Northwestern defense	43.8%98th	47.1%25th
Explosive play rateNorthwestern offense vs Ohio State defense	8.0%29th	4.8%9th
Explosive play rateOhio State offense vs Northwestern defense	7.3%85th	7.8%33rd
Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks	46.8%100th-highest	50.5%70th-highest

On 3rd down Northwestern converts 43.3% (42nd) against a Ohio State defense allowing 42.1% (79th).

On 3rd down Ohio State converts 47.1% (25th) against a Northwestern defense allowing 43.8% (98th).

2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.

Coaching staff

Staff	Northwestern	Ohio State
Head coach	David Braun	Ryan Day
Tenureat this school	4th season	8th season
Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below	25–22	88–15
Career recordas an FBS head coach	25–22	88–15
Offensive coordinator	Chip Kelly	Keenan Bailey / Arthur Smith
Defensive coordinator	Tim McGarigle	Matt Patricia / Tim Walton

Staff list as of November 10, 6:50 a.m. ET.

Head-to-head

The teams have met 2 times since 2021: Northwestern won 0 and Ohio State 2.

Date	Score	Line	Total
Nov 16, 2024 neutral	Ohio State 31, Northwestern 7 Ohio State won
Nov 5, 2022	Ohio State 21, Northwestern 7 Ohio State won

Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.

Result

After the final: score vs the closing line, Drive X-Ray and the graded official play, if there was one, appear here on this same page.

Teams