No. 5 Indiana Favored by 21 Points Over Northwestern in Big Ten Opener

No. 5 Indiana hosts unbeaten Northwestern on Friday in the teams’ Big Ten opener, with the reigning national champion Hoosiers seeking to show their dominant 3-0 start can carry into conference play. Indiana has outscored its first three opponents 145-16 and recorded back-to-back shutouts, while Northwestern is 2-0 after beating Colorado 41-7. The Wildcats’ offense, led by quarterback Aidan Chiles, has shown more balance and explosiveness: Chiles threw for three touchdowns and ran for two against Colorado, and has accounted for seven touchdowns through two games. Indiana’s defense will be a major test for Northwestern, and the Hoosiers are favored by 21 points.