College Football Picks: Northwestern vs. Michigan State (Saturday)

No. 25 Northwestern visits Michigan State on Saturday, October 17, for a Week 7 Big Ten matchup at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Kickoff is scheduled for noon ET, with the Wildcats listed as 7-point road favorites and the over/under set at 49.5 points. Our Northwestern vs. Michigan State best picks and predictions examine the matchup, spread and total as the Spartans look to upset a ranked opponent at home.

Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>

College Football Week 7 Picks & Bets: Northwestern vs. Michigan State

Week 7 is shaping up to be among the biggest slates in the 2026 college football season on Saturday. Massive matchups can be found across the board, with 6 head-to-head games between current AP Top 25-ranked opponents. Here are our top college football picks for Northwestern vs. Michigan State.

Northwestern (25) vs. Michigan State

Northwestern has been on a tear in 2026, scoring 34+ points in every win. Indiana held the Wildcats to 23 points and just 1.2 YPC, but aside from that lone loss, Northwestern’s rushing attack has been dominant.

Michigan State may have an answer as a big home underdog. Former Northwestern head coach Pat Fitzgerald is now the Spartans’ head coach, and he deploys a similar run-centric scheme with an emphasis on physicality in defending the run.

Michigan State is only averaging 3.3 YPC on offense. It’s going to be tough to improve against Northwestern’s 22nd-ranked scoring defense. The Wildcats have not allowed more than 1 passing touchdown to any opposing quarterback this season, while only Indiana has scored 3+ touchdowns.

The point total has moved from 47.5 to 49.5, creating some value on Under 49.5 since we’re through key numbers 48 and 49.

Let’s fire up another point total under in the Big 10. Bet Under 49.5 on Northwestern vs. Michigan State.

Pick: Under 49.5 (-112)