Well, that last one wasn’t fun.

After falling 24-20 to Wisconsin, Penn State football heads to Evanston, Illinois, to take on the Northwestern Wildcats in a Friday night matchup at 8 p.m.

The Wildcats are 2-1 following a close 29-23 loss to the Indiana Hoosiers Saturday night.

The Nittany Lions are favored in Friday’s conference matchup, though not nearly as much as they have been.

Penn State’s moneyline is set at -142, and the spread is -2.5 at -118 odds, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Fifty-seven percent of bettors have taken the Wildcats’ moneyline, though the spread, which was an even 50-50 split among bettors earlier this week, has swung to Penn State’s favor with 68% of bettors taking the Nittany Lions.

The over/under is set at 45.5.

Entering Saturday’s game against the Hoosiers, Northwestern had only allowed one touchdown, but a handful of untimely penalties gave Indiana second chances, and it capitalized three times.

Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles kept his squad in the game, however, throwing for 293 yards and two touchdowns.

Through four games, Penn State has allowed only 505 yards through the air and 453 on the ground.

On the other side of the ball, the Nittany Lions will face a vulnerable Northwestern secondary without Koby Howard. The Wildcats have blown out Colorado and South Dakota State, although they allowed South Dakota State’s Chase Mason to toss for 285 yards.

Additionally, the Wildcats have been outrun in three games, allowing 598 yards on the ground compared to their 438. The Nittany Lions are still looking to establish a run-game identity.

Overall, Penn State holds a 16-6 record against Northwestern, including last season’s Penn State loss that highlighted an improbable collapse.

Penn State and Northwestern last met in Evanston in 2023, when Penn State won 41-13.

The Nittany Lions’ national championship odds have dropped to +12000 from last week’s odds at +5500. They sit among the likes of Big Ten opponents Iowa (+10000) and Michigan (+18000)