Northwestern vs. Rutgers Prediction, Pick Against the Spread, and Latest Odds
The Northwestern Wildcats are in New Jersey, taking on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights this afternoon. Which team has the edge? Matt McCuen breaks down his Northwestern vs. Rutgers prediction, pick against the spread, and the latest odds ahead of the game.
Matt McCuen - September 3, 2023, 9:11 AM EDT
7 minNorthwestern vs. Rutgers Prediction, Pick Against the Spread, and Latest Odds
The Northwestern Wildcats and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights will clash from Piscataway, New Jersey, on Sunday afternoon as the two teams begin their 2023 seasons.
Northwestern vs. Rutgers Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: September 3, 2023
- Time: 12:00 pm ET
- Where to Watch: CBS
Northwestern vs. Rutgers Prediction
Northwestern is coming off of a horrific season, representing a record of 1-11 in 2022. Last year was the program's worst season since 1989 when they went winless.
As if the season was not bad enough, off-the-field issues quickly became the bigger concern for the program. An investigation was launched, accusing the football program of hazing players. The University fired long-time head coach Pat Fitzgerald amid the investigation.
David Braun will be the man in charge of the program and will be coaching his first game as a head coach on Sunday afternoon. Braun has won two Championships in the subdivision as the defensive coordinator for North Dakota State. Braun was fired as the team's defensive coordinator and was forced into the head coaching role after Fitzgerald was fired.
Northwestern was one of the worst offenses in college football in 2022, ranking 128th in college football in points per game (13.8 PPG). Veteran signal caller Ben Bryant is expected to be the starter for the Wildcats. Bryant brings loads of experience into play as he was most recently the starting quarterback at Cincinnati.
The strength of this Wildcats offense will be their rushing game. Northwestern has an above-average offensive line while possessing multiple running backs that will produce at a high level. Cam Porter and Anthony Tyus III will do most of the work in the backfield.
Overall, this is an experienced defense that's strength will be the secondary. The Wildcats return a pair of their safeties in Jeremiah Lewis and Coco Azema. The most significant question mark for Northwestern will be their pass rush. One defensive lineman to watch is Aidan Hubbard, who impressed the team in the summer.
Rutgers will attempt to piece together their first winning season since 2014. Rutgers ended the 2022 season with a record of 4-8.
Head Coach Greg Schiano will begin his fourth year at the helm for the Scarlet Knights, and this feels like an important season for Schiano, who has yet to have a winning season at Rutgers.
Gavin Wismatt will be the starting quarterback for the Scarlet Knights to begin the season. Wismatt impressed in the summer to earn the starting position. Wimsatt started the last five games in 2022, throwing for 757 yards and five touchdowns.
Rutgers lost the majority of their playmakers and will have tons of offensive production to replace. The Scarlet Knights are not deep at the wide receiver position and will need multiple players to step up and produce at a high level.
The star of this offense should be Samuel Brown. Brown, who is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is undoubtedly the team's most talented weapon and, if used correctly, will be tough to match up with.
The strength of the team is their defense. This is an experienced defensive unit led by linebackers Deion Jennings and Tyreem Powell. Rutgers remains experienced in the secondary, most notably cornerback Max Melton.
Northwestern vs. Rutgers Pick
Ben Bryant is the better quarterback in this matchup. Bryant brings loads of experience into play, which is significant in Week 1.
Overall, there is not a significant talent gap between these two teams. Truth be told, these are two bad teams, but Rutgers is not a touchdown better than the Wildcats.
Northwestern returns experience on defense, and in a new system, they will perform much better than they did a season ago. Rutgers lacks playmakers on offense, making it difficult to move the ball consistently.
Pick: Northwestern +7 -120 is currently the best odds. Click here to see which sportsbook has the best odds
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