2023 Northwestern Wildcats Future Odds
Northwestern Looks to Rebound From Hazing Allegations This Year
After earning just one win last season, Northwestern was already on a downward trend. But things randomly got worse a couple of months ago.
Former head coach, Pat Fitzgerald, was canned after it was released that the program had a major hazing issue that stemmed from Fitzgerald’s coaching style.
David Braun has taken over as the interim head coach and will likely have the job for the entire season. But it’s a new era for Northwestern. The Wildcats employed Fitzgerald for 17 years and will now have to start from scratch after a terrible season last year.
The Wildcats have been inconsistent for the last four years if we’re being honest. David Braun won a lot with North Dakota State. But Northwestern’s NCAAF schedules will be much more complex than NDSU’s. Will he take Northwestern to higher heights in Year 1 as head coach of the Wildcats?
Take a look at the Northwestern Wildcats future odds for the 2023 season.
Northwestern Wildcats At A Glance
| Odds to Win | Opening Odds | Current Odds |
| National Championship | +100000 | +100000 |
| Conference | +30000 | +30000 |
| Regular Season Win Total | 3 (o-110, u-110) | 4.5 (o-110, u-110) |
| To Make Playoffs (if applicable) | N/A | N/A |
The Wildcats Need More Offense
The Northwestern Wildcats couldn’t score ten points in six last ten games. However, the offense will have Ben Bryant at quarterback. He’s a transfer from Cincinnati with great potential at the Big Ten level.
Bryant added 2,732 yards passing from the Bearcats last season and threw 21 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. He also completed over 61% of passes. However, he’s not a mobile threat and will strictly be a pocket passer for the Wildcats this season.
Northwestern also won’t have their top three pass-catchers from last year. But with the additions of AJ Henning from Michigan and Cam Johnson from Arizona State, Bryant has legitimate wide receivers that can make plays.
Meanwhile, the offensive line won’t have Peter Skoronski any longer. He’s in the NFL. But Caleb Tierman should be the anchor of the offensive line this year. Still, the offensive line will likely be a weakness for the Wildcats next season.
Evan Hull has also left the team for the NFL. Hull was a dominant running back that Northwestern could rely on heavily. Cam Porter will start at running back. He’s a junior who added 87 carries for 286 yards last year. That’s only 3.3 yards per carry, so it’s nothing special. But he could develop into a solid running back in the Big Ten for Northwestern this year.
Can Northwestern Stop The Run?
The run defense for Northwestern was miserable last year. They were the Big Ten’s worst run defense and couldn’t consistently get off the field on third downs.
The Wildcats no longer have Adetomiwa Adebawore, who is in the NFL. That’ll hurt the pass rush, which already struggled to get pressure on the quarterback last year.
On the defensive line, the Wildcats have Najee Story and Sean McLaughlin. Those two should anchor the defense and be vocal points for the squad.
They’ll also return Bryce Gallagher and Xander Mueller. Those two linebackers were some of the team’s most consistent tacklers. Therefore, the linebacker depth looks like Northwestern’s best position.
Meanwhile, the secondary is likely the Wildcats’ weakest portion on defense. AJ Hampton left for Tulane, and Cameron Mitchell plays professionally with the Cleveland Browns. They’ll have Jeremiah Lewis at safety, who came from Duke, but overall the secondary has a lot of question marks.
National Championship Odds: No Chance For Northwestern
The NCAAF odds have the Northwestern Wildcats at +100000 to win the National Championship.
They’re in the Big Ten, which will always help a team’s chances. But it’s more likely that Northwestern will finish last in the Big Ten than first. If that happens, the Northwestern Wildcats won’t even get a chance to play in a bowl game.
Don’t click submit on any Northwestern Wildcats future odds for a National Championship.
Conference Odds: Will Northwestern Even Win A Game?
The Wildcats are at +30000 to win the Big Ten this season. They’ve also got the lowest probability out of any team in the Big Ten West.
Northwestern should defeat UTEP and Howard in their non-conference schedule. However, it’s hard to find Northwestern one win in conference play.
This might be an embarrassing year for the Wildcats. Northwestern fans might not want to look at the NCAAF standings this season.
Regular Season Wins: Northwestern’s Tough Big Ten Slate
The Wildcats have a challenging Big Ten schedule this year.
Northwestern will begin the season against Rutgers, on the road, as a nearly touchdown underdog. If Northwestern is a massive underdog against Rutgers, it’s more than likely that they’ll be underdogs in every single Big Ten matchup.
On the non-conference slate, as suggested already, the Wildcats should earn wins against UTEP and Howard. However, a road game against Duke won’t be easy for Northwestern.
I’ve got the Wildcats losing to Rutgers, Duke, Penn State, Wisconsin, and Illinois on the road. Northwestern will face Minnesota, Penn State, Iowa, and Purdue at home. None of those games look like wins, either.
Therefore, with two wins on the season, and a goose egg against Big Ten competition, the Wildcats should end up going Under their win total of three wins this year. It looks like oddsmakers’ predictions for the Northwestern Wildcats future odds align with my predictions.
For NCAAF betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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