No. 13 Penn State Football faces its most daunting task of the 2022 college football season, hosting No. 2 Ohio State inside Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon, in a clash that carries monumental Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff implications.
The Nittany Lions are riding the momentum of a 45-17 dismantling of the Minnesota Golden Gophers, but will James Franklin’s team be able to carry that momentum into a showdown with the Buckeyes, one of the most talented teams in the nation?
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Here’s a look at everything you need to know for Saturday’s Penn State Football vs. Ohio State showdown
Penn State Injury Report:
Smith Vilbert DE Ques – Undisclosed
Nick Dawkins OL Ques – Arm
Keyvone Lee RB Ques – Undisclosed
Landon Tengwall OL Ques – Undisclosed
Jerry Cross TE Ques – Undisclosed
Zuriah Fisher DE Out Indefinitely – Knee
Ohio State Injury Report:
Kamryn Babb WR Ques – Knee
Tyler Friday DE Ques – Undisclosed
Teradja Mitchell LB Ques – Undisclosed
Palaie Gaoteote IV LB Ques – Undisclosed
Kourt Williams S Out Indefinitely – Undisclosed
Mitchell Melton LB Ques – Undisclosed
Joe Royer TE Ques – Undisclosed
Jantzen Dunn S Ques – Undisclosed
Evan Pryor RB Out for Season – Knee
Jordan Hancock CB Ques – Leg
Omari Abor DE Ques – Undisclosed
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Point Spread:
Penn State Football (+15.5) vs. Ohio State
Penn State enters Saturday’s matchup as a 15.5-point underdog. Penn State is 4-3 ATS, while Ohio State is 4-2-1 this season.
Penn State Football Moneyline: +450
Placing a $100 bet on Penn State Football to knock off Ohio State, straight up on the moneyline, would pay $450. Ohio State leads the all-time series 22-14. The Buckeyes have won the last 5 matchups dating back to 2017. Penn State has only won this matchup one time since James Franklin was hired in 2014.
Penn State Football vs. Ohio State over/under: 61
The total has gone over in 5 out of 7 games this season for both Penn State and Ohio State. The total has gone under in 5 of Penn State’s last 7 games against Ohio State.
Picks for the Week:
The Nittany Lions rebounded nicely against the Gophers this past week to get the season back on track and improve to 6-1.
This week’s game against the Buckeyes will be the most talented team that Penn State will face all season.
Penn State Football is playing in the friendly confines of Beaver Stadium, and does tend to play up to competition.
This game will come down to how efficient the offense is under Sean Clifford as the expectation is that the explosive Ohio State offense is going to put up a lot of points. The Nittany Lion secondary is the strength of the defense, but they will have their hands full with what is most likely the most talented wide receiver room in the country.
Another factor to look at is how the home environment is being a noon kickoff and not the typical night game whiteout.
Take Ohio State minus the points this week as they will most likely pull away late. The under could also be a play as this game could be low scoring in the first half keeping the total down.
Prediction: Penn State 17 Ohio State 38
Big Ten Pick of the Week:
Illinois (-8) @ Nebraska 3:30pm/ABC
The Illini have quickly taken control of the Big Ten West race thanks in part to upset wins and the inconsistencies of other teams.
Nebraska can score, but will be facing one of the toughest defenses of the Big Ten this weekend. Illinois has already taken out traditional Big Ten west powers Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota and with a win will put themselves a step closer to Indianapolis.
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