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Wk 4 · 2026

Northwestern Wildcats at Indiana Hoosiers — Fri, Sep 25

Fri, Sep 25 · Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, IN), Bloomington, IN · Fox FINAL

Weather

No forecast yet. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
Big Ten · 4-1
23
at
8:00pET
IU -20.5 · total 49.5 DraftKings opened -23.5 · 3 toward NU
Ratings differential IU by 11.9
Big Ten · 6-0
29

What is at stake

A Big Ten game — it counts in the standings that decide that league's championship game. Run the race. Indiana is ranked #7 (AP Top 25 · 2026-10-04).

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Northwestern: +13.7#20
Efficiency margin
Indiana: +23.2#6
Northwestern: 37.8
Offense (pts/100)
Indiana: 41.7
Northwestern: 15.1
Defense (pts/100)
Indiana: 9.6
Northwestern: 61.8
Pace (plays/g)
Indiana: 59.2
Northwestern: 7.08
Yards / play
Indiana: 7.82
Northwestern: 5.29
Yards / play allowed
Indiana: 4.25
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

Northwestern: 35.4
Points / game
Indiana: 40.2
Northwestern: 16.2
Points allowed
Indiana: 11.8
Northwestern: 437
Yards / game
Indiana: 463
Northwestern: 381
Yards allowed
Indiana: 262
Northwestern: 233
Pass yds allowed
Indiana: 187
Northwestern: 147
Rush yds allowed
Indiana: 75
Northwestern: 0.40
Turnovers / game
Indiana: 0.17
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

Northwestern form

W 45-14vs BALLW 34-13vs PSUL 23-29at IUW 41-7vs COLOW 34-18vs SDST
2026 season

Indiana form

W 20-17at NEBW 47-15at RUTGW 29-23vs NUW 38-0vs WKUW 55-0vs HOW
2026 season

Northwestern this season

Straight up4-1 · 80% (5 games)
Against the spread4-1 · 80% (5 games)
Over / under5-0 · 100% (5 games)

Indiana this season

Straight up6-0 · 100% (6 games)
Against the spread1-5 · 17% (6 games)
Over / under3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 3

OpponentNorthwesternIndiana
Rutgers
Big Ten
vs Wk 8 · scheduled previewat W 47-15 preview
Ohio State
Big Ten
at Wk 11 · scheduled previewvs Wk 7 · scheduled preview
Minnesota
Big Ten
at Wk 12 · scheduled previewvs Wk 9 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, Northwestern leads 6–4 · Indiana has won the last 3
10 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 0.3 points toward Indiana
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20262026-09-25Northwestern 23 — 29 Indianaat IUIndiana
20242024-10-05Indiana 41 — 24 Northwesternat NUIndiana
20192019-11-02Northwestern 3 — 34 Indianaat IUIndiana
20162016-10-22Indiana 14 — 24 Northwesternat NUNorthwestern
20122012-09-29Indiana 29 — 44 Northwesternat NUNorthwestern
20112011-10-29Northwestern 59 — 38 Indianaat IUNorthwestern
20102010-10-30Northwestern 20 — 17 Indianaat IUNorthwestern
20092009-10-24Indiana 28 — 29 Northwesternat NUNorthwestern
20082008-10-25Northwestern 19 — 21 Indianaat IUIndiana
20072007-11-10Indiana 28 — 31 Northwesternat NUNorthwestern

Northwestern leaders 2026 regular season

PassingAidan Chiles QB #063/89, 900 YDS, 6 TD
RushingCaleb Komolafe RB #552 CAR, 290 YDS, 2 TD
Joseph Himon II RB #620 CAR, 277 YDS, 3 TD
Gavin Sawchuk RB #2733 CAR, 170 YDS
ReceivingGriffin Wilde WR #1716 REC, 281 YDS, 2 TD
Luke Dehnicke TE #8411 REC, 208 YDS
Alex Honig TE #867 REC, 97 YDS, 1 TD
Drew Wagner WR #1912 REC, 97 YDS
Defense
TacklesRobert Fitzgerald DB #642
Kobie McKinzie LB #232
Braydon Brus LB #3330
SacksBraydon Brus LB #333
Kobie McKinzie LB #21
Jamaal Johnson DL #241
InterceptionsOre Adeyi DB #71
Robert Fitzgerald DB #61
Braydon Brus LB #331

Indiana leaders 2026 regular season

PassingJosh Hoover QB #1076/107, 1101 YDS, 15 TD
Grant Wilson QB #24/5, 74 YDS, 2 TD
RushingTurbo Richard RB #163 CAR, 587 YDS, 5 TD
Lee Beebe Jr. RB #2989 CAR, 520 YDS, 4 TD
Jayreon Campbell RB #228 CAR, 50 YDS
ReceivingCharlie Becker WR #8027 REC, 477 YDS, 8 TD
Nick Marsh WR #1123 REC, 341 YDS, 4 TD
Shazz Preston WR #79 REC, 123 YDS, 1 TD
Davion Chandler WR #48 REC, 96 YDS, 4 TD
Defense
TacklesIsaiah Jones LB #4637
Rolijah Hardy LB #533
Preston Zachman DB #628
SacksTobi Osunsanmi DL #124
Stephen Daley DL #93
Mario Landino DL #972
InterceptionsIsaiah Jones LB #461
Quan Sanks DB #131
Rolijah Hardy LB #51
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.