How to Watch Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs. Northwestern Wildcats on Peacock (Oct. 24)

This week's Big Ten football action brings us a Peacock-exclusive showdown between Rutgers and Northwestern!

By Matthew Jackson Oct 24, 2026, 7:03 AM ET

Northwestern Wildcats running back Joseph Himon II carries the ball and stiff-arms Michigan State Spartans safety Devin Vaught during a football game.

Northwestern Wildcats running back Joseph Himon II (6) uses a stiff arm against Michigan State Spartans safety Devin Vaught (2) on a rush attempt during a college football game between the Michigan State Spartans and Northwestern Wildcats on October 17, 2026 at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, MI.

Photo: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

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Key Takeaways

No. 24 Northwestern hosts Rutgers on Saturday at Noon ET at Ryan Field in Chicago, with the game streaming exclusively on Peacock.
Northwestern enters the matchup undefeated at home with only one loss this season, while Rutgers looks to build momentum after earning its first conference win against Maryland.
Key players include Rutgers wide receiver KJ Duff, who has nine touchdown catches and nearly 750 receiving yards, and Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles, who has thrown nine touchdowns without an interception.

It might seem hard to believe, but we're already past the halfway point of the 2026 college football season. Teams have just a month left to prove themselves in conference play, to earn a shot at a major bowl game or even a trip to the College Football Playoff.

This week, 24th-ranked Northwestern, one of the season's great Cinderella stories so far, faces their latest challenge in Big Ten play. They'll host the Rutgers Scarlet Knights with a chance to keep climbing the Big Ten standings on the line, and you can catch it all exclusively on Peacock.

How do I watch Rutgers vs. Northwestern?

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Northwestern Wildcats take the field Saturday, October 24 at 12 p.m. ET, and you can watch exclusively on Peacock.

Aidan Chiles of the Northwestern Wildcats holds a football and looks downfield during a game against the Ball State Cardinals.

Aidan Chiles, #0 of the Northwestern Wildcats, during the game against the Ball State Cardinals at Ryan Field on October 10, 2026 in Evanston, Illinois.

Photo: Zoe Davis/Getty Images

Rutgers vs. Northwestern kickoff time

Rutgers and Northwestern are set to kick off at Noon ET on Saturday, October 24, live from Ryan Field in Chicago, Illinois.

Rutgers vs. Northwestern preview

Northwestern is undefeated at home this season, and they've only lost one game overall, to last year's national champions, the Indiana Hoosiers. The Wildcats made it to a bowl game last season on a 7-6 record; at 5-1 this season, they're well on the way to besting that win total. A loss to Rutgers could easily derail bigger bowl dreams. Last week, the Wildcats only barely outlasted Michigan State, winning 24-21, so it's time to lock in for an assertive, definitive win.

Rutgers only has two wins so far this season, but don't count them out. They notched their first Big Ten conference win over Maryland last week, and earlier this season, their offense managed to put up 35 points in a loss to current No. 16, USC, proving that they can really kick things into gear if they're having a good day. Beating Northwestern wouldn't be the biggest upset of the week, but for Rutgers, it would be an enormous confidence booster, and regardless of what their record says, they do have a shot.

Rutgers vs. Northwestern players to watch

Rutgers may not be the flashiest offensive team in the Big Ten, but they do have some stars, and when those stars shine, they get dangerous. The Scarlet Knights have 10 passing touchdowns so far this season, and wide receiver KJ Duff has caught nine of them. He's got nearly 750 receiving yards across six games, which puts him in the Top 10 in the nation, and if he has a big game on Saturday, Northwestern will have a hard time keeping up.

For Northwestern, it's all about Aidan Chiles, at least in terms of keeping the team consistent and even-keeled. The senior quarterback has thrown for nine touchdowns on the season so far, and while that's not the biggest number in college football, it comes with zero interceptions in six games, and that's while facing some of the best defenses in the country. He's the steady rhythm that keeps the whole team marching, and if he can hold it together, the Wildcats should be able to keep marching to another Big Ten win.

Who's on the broadcast team for Rutgers vs. Northwestern?

Paul Burmeister will call the action for NBC Sports, with analysis from Yogi Roth, sideline reporting from Caroline Pineda, and rules analysis from Reggie Smith.

Catch Big Ten and Notre Dame football all season long on NBC and Peacock!