Ohio State vs. Penn State Prediction
Number two Ohio State travels to University Park, PA to face #13 Penn State at 12:00 PM ET on Saturday. Can the Nittany Lions cover the spread as 15.5-point home underdogs?
Ohio State is 7-0 on the year, and their best wins came against Notre Dame and Wisconsin. The Buckeyes are looking to remain undefeated on Saturday. The Buckeyes are 4-2-1 ATS on the season.
Penn State is 6-1 on the year with their best wins coming against Purdue and Auburn. Their only loss came against Michigan two weeks ago. The Nittany Lions are 4-3 ATS on the year.
Game Matchup and Betting Odds
135 Ohio State Buckeyes -15.5 at 136 Penn State Nittany Lions +15.5; O/U 61
12:00 PM ET Saturday, October 29th, 2022
Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
Ohio State vs. Penn State Public Betting Information
The public is favoring the Buckeyes in this game. Our CFB Public Betting Page shows that 65% of public bets are on Ohio State -15.5. Do note that those numbers are subject to change and could be different once game time rolls around.
Ohio State Game Notes
Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud is one of the best players in the nation. He is the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman Trophy and his numbers provide him with a compelling case. Stroud is first in the country in touchdown passes (28), passer rating (203.9), and QBR (92.6). He is second in the nation with 10.6 yards per passing attempt, and he’s completing 70% of his passes on the year. Stroud threw for 305 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions in the Buckeyes’ 33-24 home win over Penn State last year. He may need to have a big game for Ohio State to cover this large spread this weekend.
On defense, Ohio State is led by senior linebacker Tommy Eichenberg. Against Iowa last week Eichenberg posted 7 tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown. The 6’2” 239-pound Cleveland product is leading Ohio State in total tackles with 57. He’s also recorded 2.5 sacks and 2 passes defended on the year. He could be a big factor on Saturday.
Penn State Game Notes
Like many teams, Penn State will likely go as far as their quarterback takes them. Senior signal caller Sean Clifford is coming off of a big game against Minnesota last weekend. Clifford threw for 295 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception while completing 74.2% of his passes. The Nittany Lions trounced the Golden Gophers by a score of 45-17. This will be Clifford’s 4th game against Ohio State, and though he hasn’t beaten the Buckeyes yet, his numbers have improved every year. In last year’s clash against Ohio State Clifford was good, racking up 361 passing yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception in a 33-24 Penn State loss in Columbus. He has a chance to have a career-defining game at home against the Buckeyes this weekend.
The Nittany Lions’ secondary will have to be on point to cover this game. Junior cornerback Joey Porter Jr. leads the team with 8 passes defended on the year, and he should have his work cut out for him against Ohio State’s top-flight receiving corps on Saturday. Another defender who could make a big impact is safety Ji’Ayir Brown who leads the team in total tackles (41) and interceptions (3).
Ohio State vs. Penn State Betting Trends
Penn State is 17-5-1 ATS in their last 23 games after scoring over 40 points in their previous game.
The underdog is 5-1 ATS in the last 6 meetings between Ohio State and Penn State.
Ohio State is 1-5 ATS in their last 6 games against Penn State.
Penn State is 36-16-1 ATS in their last 53 games following an outright win.
Ohio State vs. Penn State Betting Prediction
Seven out of the last eight games between Ohio State and Penn State have been decided by 13 points or less. As good as Ohio State’s offense is, I think Penn State’s secondary is good enough to keep the game competitive. The Nittany Lions are only allowing 6 yards per opponent pass attempt, which is the 9th best mark in the nation. I think Penn State hangs in there so I’ll take the home team and the points.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 9 PREDICTION: PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS +15.5
