Kent St. vs. Penn St. Pick
Will Penn State find enough offense to cover a low total when the Nittany Lions host Kent State today at 3:30PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Penn State is favored at home on Saturday, as the Nittany Lions are getting odds of -21.5 points against Kent State. The over/under total for the contest has been set at 45 points. These two last met in 2013 with Penn State picking up a 34-0 win. Kent State has been held to a combined 10 points in their last three meetings with Penn State.
Bet on Kent State vs. Penn State
Penn State is looking for a little something more this season after going 7-6 in 2015. The Nittany Lions really struggled up front, as they failed to protect their quarterback and establish much of a run game. Trace McSorley is expected to take over at QB and lead this offense, which also returns Saquon Barkley in the backfield and Chris Godwin at receiver. If McSorley is given time, he is likely to succeed, at least against an opponent like Kent State.
Kent State comes into this game having one of the worst offenses in the country in 2015. The Flashes could only muster 271 yards and 13.1 points per game last season. George Bollas is expected to be the starting QB, but he had just two touchdown passes with six interceptions last season. When Kent State was a formidable team in recent year, they were behind a strong running game. Bollas is actually their leading returning rusher from last season at just 275 yards.
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The total is low, but it’s easy to see why. Kent State may struggle to get 200 yards of offense in this one. Penn State will certainly find some points, but the Nittany Lions aren’t a juggernaut on offense either. Both teams hit the under 8 times in 2015 because of their faulty offenses. Today should be no different. Look for Penn State to try and ride Barkley to some long, consistent possessions. They will win comfortably in a low-scoring game.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 PICK: KENT STATE/PENN STATE UNDER 45