Hoosier Wire

Gameday picture · Week 4 · Big Ten

NW at IU

Fri, Sep 25, 8:00 PM ET · FOX · Memorial Stadium

Desk line: Indiana −17.5, total 51.5. First Big Ten snap. Hoover should be the best player on the field. Friday 8 p.m. ET FOX.

Spread

IU -17.5

Desk line

Total

51.5

Win

86%

Northwestern

desk projection

Hoosiers

Desk implied 35–17 · IU −900 / NW +600

Kick weather

68°F

Cool Friday night · first Big Ten · lo 50°F

Bloomington · Memorial Stadium

25% precip

Window

FOX

Friday 8 p.m. ET FOX. First Big Ten snap of the title defense.

Braun's first trip into a title-defense Friday night.

Unit matchups

Quarterback

IU 9 · 6 NW

Hoover vs a Braun script that wants to slow it down. IU has the creator.

Offensive line

IU 8 · 6 NW

Friday night Big Ten. Don't let a new Wildcat front wreck the first drive.

Receivers

IU 8 · 6 NW

Marsh vs a rebuilt Northwestern secondary.

Front seven

IU 8 · 6 NW

Make them one-dimensional. Sit on the pass and let Obiazor hunt.

Secondary

IU 8 · 6 NW

Northwestern will try to be complementary. Take away the chunk.

Special teams

IU 7 · 6 NW

Field position in a 17-point favorite on a Friday.

Availability

Trevor Gibbs TE
Targeted back after the opener. Schott/Barker/Thiry have the two-deep either way.
probable
Josh Hoover QB
Full go. TCU transfer, first IU start. The season walks through him.
available
Turbo Richard RB
Full go. BC transfer, the featured back and KR.
available
Nick Marsh WR
Full go. Michigan State transfer is the X.
available
Carter Smith OT
Full go. Left tackle and the public voice of the line.
available

What the tape says

Run it on first down. Braun's first Big Ten road Friday cannot play from ahead.
Marsh volume. This is a game to feed the best skill player.
Don't beat yourself. Seventeen-point home favorite is a turnover game.
Obiazor vs a new offensive line — get home before the adjustment.

History

First Big Ten Saturday of the title defense — actually a Friday night FOX window.
David Braun's Northwestern wants to slow championship rooms down.
Memorial Stadium under the lights is the loudest the place gets before Ohio State.

Roster advantage · vs Northwestern

IU holds the two-deep

Starter-vs-starter grades for David Braun's Northwestern.

Net grade

+17

8 IU · 0 even · 0 NW

IU edge

Josh Hoover

IU 9

NW starter

6 NW

Hoover is the better athlete. Don't overthink it.

IU edge

Turbo Richard

IU 8

NW committee

6 NW

If IU runs it, Braun's first road Big Ten script gets one-dimensional.

IU edge

Nick Marsh

IU 8

NW corners

6 NW

Marsh should win. Get him 8+ targets.

IU edge

Carter Smith

IU 8

NW front

6 NW

Four weeks in, this should look like a unit.

EDGE

IU edge

Chiddi Obiazor

IU 8

NW tackles

6 NW

A hunting night if he's healthy.

IU edge

Tyrique Tucker

IU 8

NW interior

6 NW

Stuff the run, then pin their ears back.

IU edge

Rolijah Hardy

IU 8

NW skill

6 NW

Standard Big Ten fits. Don't over-pursue.

IU edge

Amare Ferrell

IU 8

NW receivers

6 NW

Sit on it. Complementary offense.