Northwestern routs Ball State 45-14 at Homecoming, heads to Michigan State

Northwestern won its Homecoming game against Ball State 45-14 on Saturday at New Ryan Field. The No. 25 Wildcats are now 4-1 going into a Big Ten road game at Michigan State.

On3's Wildcat Report reviewed the game in its weekly 3-2-1 column by Michael Fitzpatrick. The column covers three things the staff learned, two questions it is still asking and one prediction after what the outlet called a blowout. Most of that analysis is behind the outlet's subscriber paywall. What can be confirmed from the public portion is the scoreline and some details from the first half. Wide receiver Griffin Wilde caught a touchdown pass before halftime, and tight end Alex Honig celebrated it with him.

Wildcat Report's coverage was not all praise. A separate takeaways piece from the same staff, by Matthew Shelton, ran under a headline saying the Wildcats have plenty to work on beyond the box score. That fits a common view of games like this one: a 31-point win over a Mid-American Conference opponent shows depth and execution, but it doesn't prove much against conference teams. With most of the season still ahead, Northwestern's coaches will likely care more about cleaning up the details than about the final margin.

The Wildcats don't have long to make those fixes. They visit Michigan State on Saturday, October 17, at noon Eastern, with the game streaming on Peacock. The Spartans are 2-4 and have struggled to stay competitive. Northwestern now has a chance to back up its national ranking with a road win in conference play.

The market expects that result. Northwestern is favored at -300 on Novig, one of the venues pricing the game, and BetMGM has the same number as the best sportsbook price on the Wildcats. The spread has Michigan State getting 7.5 points, and the total is 48.5. Full prices are on the game odds page.

The stakes for Northwestern are straightforward. A win in East Lansing would move the Wildcats to 5-1 and help them keep their spot in the Top 25 heading into the second half of the season. A loss to a Michigan State team with a losing record would undo much of the momentum from the Homecoming rout. It would also put more weight on the concerns Wildcat Report raised after the win.