Minnesota vs Northwestern Prediction 11/22/2025 Today’s College Football Picks

The Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Northwestern Wildcats meet Saturday in college football action from Wrigley Field. Here’s a Minnesota vs Northwestern prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Minnesota vs Northwestern pick. We will examine the recent form and player performances for both teams, as well as the recent betting trends and streaks pertaining to this matchup. As we conclude, we will tie it all together with a summary that produces a sensible pick for a favorable betting outcome in this game.

Minnesota Golden Gophers Betting Preview

The Gophers went 3-1 over their first four games with a lone loss to Cal among wins versus Buffalo, Northwestern State and Rutgers. After another loss to Ohio State, Minnesota went 3-1 in the next four with a loss to Iowa and wins over Purdue, Nebraska and Michigan State otherwise. In the 23-20 win over the Spartans, the Gophers needed overtime but they got the job done. Minnesota managed 301 total yards with 4.9 yards per play and 18 first downs. The defense gave up 6.8 yards per play with 467 total yards and 5-of-15 on third-down tries.

Last Friday in their latest outing versus Oregon, Minnesota was down 28-6 by the end of the first half. The Gophers gave up points in every quarter along the way, limping to a 42-13 blowout road loss. QB Drake Lindsey was 19-of-32 for 138 yards and a TD while leading rusher Darius Taylor had 10 carries for 57 yards. Taylor also led the receivers in the losing effort, notching four catches for 40 yards for the Golden Gophers.

Northwestern Wildcats Betting Preview

Over on the Wildcats’ side, they lost to Tulane and Oregon in their first three outings (with a win over Western Illinois) then hit a win streak over UCLA, LA-Monroe, Purdue and Penn State. Northwestern lost to Nebraska and USC in the next pair, though. In the 38-17 road loss to the Trojans on November 7, the Wildcats gave up points in every quarter. Northwestern’s offense managed a paltry 280 yards with 5.1 yards per play, 13 first downs, 4-of-12 on third-down tries and a pair of lost fumbles. The defense gave up 24 first downs on the other side as well.

Matched up against Michigan last weekend, Northwestern hit a 13-3 run in the final quarter but couldn’t quite close the gap in a 24-22 loss. QB Preston Stone finished with 184 yards on 13-of-27 passing and Caleb Komolafe had 31 yards and a score on 12 carries as the leading rusher. Tops in receiving was Hunter Welcing with 81 yards from four catches.

Minnesota Golden Gophers @ Northwestern Wildcats Betting Trends: Week 13

Northwestern Wildcats Player Prop Facts

• Heading into Week 13, Mac Uihlein ranks T9th amongst FBS players for interceptions (4) this season.

Minnesota Golden Gophers Player Prop Facts

• Heading into Week 13, Anthony Smith ranks 1st in the Big Ten Conference for sacks (9.5) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• Northwestern ranks 23rd among FBS teams for points allowed per game this season (19.6).
• Northwestern ranks 23rd among FBS teams for red zone percentage this season (91.4).
• Minnesota ranks T125th among FBS teams for 4th down conversion percentage this season (36.4).
• Minnesota ranks 120th among FBS teams for H2 points per game this season (9.2).

Minnesota vs Northwestern Prediction

I’ll stick with Northwestern, but this should be a pretty good game. The Wildcats nearly came back against Michigan this past weekend but fell just short. Northwestern’s offense struggled with 245 yards, 11 first downs and a rough 2-of-12 success rate on third-down conversions. Meanwhile the defense gave up 496 total yards and 25 first downs but the five takeaways kept Northwestern in the game. The Wildcats are having trouble scoring these days. They’ve been below 23 points in five straight, losing three of those. Needless to say, Northwestern will want to keep the score low this weekend.

As for Minnesota, they managed just 200 yards, 3.5 yards per play and 13 first downs while getting demolished by Oregon in their latest outing. The Gophers have been below 24 points in three straight themselves, so this will be a very interesting matchup. Provided Northwestern’s defense shows up (and the offense can get a little bit of a cushion) I like the Wildcats a little better. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it go the other way, however. It’ll be a fun watch.

Andrew Jett's Pick: Northwestern Wildcats -4.5