#24 Iowa vs. #7 Penn State Prediction, CFB Picks & Odds: Saturday, 9/23

The Penn State Nittany Lions face their first true test of the season Saturday night, as #24 Iowa State comes to Happy Valley for the famous Whiteout Game. PSU has been firing on all cylinders, and I’ve been high on this team from the get-go. I nailed my West Virginia vs. Penn State prediction and followed that up with another successful best bet in the Penn State vs. Illinois matchup. If you tailed those two picks, you're in luck, because I made another Iowa vs. Penn State prediction for Saturday.

Additionally, you can learn how to use my pick to activate a $200 sign-up bonus courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook. Make sure you claim this offer before Saturday night using any of the links or widgets in this article to get started.

IOWA VS. PENN STATE PREDICTION: Nittany Lions -13.5 (-136 at FanDuel)

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Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Prediction: CFB This Week

The Iowa Hawkeyes begin Big Ten play with a trip to Happy Valley in this year's Whiteout Game for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Although #24 Iowa is 3-0 and coming off a 41-point victory against Western Michigan, I expect them to struggle under the lights. The Hawkeyes are yet to be tested this season, as the only legit defense they've gone up against is Iowa State. Now, they'll face Manny Diaz's unit, which is giving up just 11.67 PPG (13th in the nation) and 267.4 YPG (16th in the nation).

Additionally, this Iowa offense hasn't exactly been firing on all cylinders, as they scored just 24 and 20 points against Utah State and Iowa State. On the other hand, Penn State has 30+ points in all three wins, including 38-15 and 63-7 home victories against West Virginia and Delaware. To make matters worse for the Hawkeyes, nearly 40% of their offense production will be missing on Saturday night.

Leading receiver TE Luke Lachey, RB Kalen Johnson and RB Jaziun Patterson will miss Saturday's contest, so the running duties will fall on Leshon Williams. Johnson and Patterson make up 51% of Iowa's carries through three weeks, and this is the one area the Hawkeyes could expose Penn State, as the Nittany Lions allow 96.7 rushing YPG (33rd in the country).

If Iowa wants any chance in this game, QB Cade McNamara will have to have a big game. However, while Penn State struggles to stop the run at times, they can absolutely get after the quarterback. Additionally, McCamara led a fourth-quarter comeback in Happy Valley when he was with Michigan back in 2021. However, that was before Diaz got to town, and we think he will scheme a game plan to completely shut down the former Wolverines QB.

For Penn State, we anticipate another strong game from Sophomore QB Drew Allar. He's recorded 737 passing yards and four touchdowns, completed 67% of his throws through three games and has yet to throw an interception. That streak may be difficult to keep against a stingy Iowa defense, and we anticipate lots of man coverage from the Hawkeyes.

However, it will be interesting to see how often Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker brings pressure on the young playcaller because Allar leads the country in Pro Football Focus' passing grade when under pressure. If he does, Allar has enough poise to make plays, and the Nittany Lions RB room featuring Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton can wear down this Hawkeyes team over four quarters.

Iowa vs. Penn State Picks & CFB Best Bets for Saturday Including Penn State -13.5 

Overall, Iowa's defense is fantastic, but they haven't faced an offense like Penn State and still lost a lot of key players from last year's elite unit. Jack Campbell and Lukas Van Ness were both first-round picks, and 50% of Iowa's defense is new this season. Combine a hostile environment with multiple defensive leaders no longer on the Hawkeyes, and it could be a long night for Iowa fans.

Therefore, we'll be backing Penn State -13.5 (-136 at FanDuel) as our main Iowa vs. Penn State prediction. The Iowa team total is currently hovering around 12.5, and we'd be surprised if they scored 2+ touchdowns. Back the Nittany Lions to win by at least two scores, as they aim to grab a win in front of a raunchy crowd. While the spread is -14 or -14.5 at most sportsbooks, it’s worth buying it down to -13.5, as teams can often win by a 14-point margin.

Additionally, if you want to bet on any player props, Nicholas Singleton to score a touchdown (-120 at FanDuel) offers tremendous value. The Sophomore RB has five scores through three games and has found the back of the end zone in every one of PSU’s contests. We expect the Nittany Lions to utilize their ground game for all four quarters, and Singleton should score as a result.

How to Use Penn State -13.5 as Your ‘Bet $5, Get $200’ Qualifying Wager at FanDuel Sportsbook

Whether you want to fade or follow our Iowa vs. Penn State prediction is totally up to you. But, we nailed our West Virginia vs. Penn State pick and our Penn State vs. Illinois best bet, so you may want to side with us on Saturday.

Here’s how you can use our picks to claim a $200 welcome bonus from FanDuel Sportsbook:

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• Risk $5+

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Latest Iowa vs. Penn State Betting Lines, Odds & Spread for 9/23 via FanDuel

Check out the latest odds at FanDuel Sportsbook that we used to make our Iowa vs. Penn State prediction:

• Point Spread: Iowa +13.5 (+106) vs. Penn State -15 (-136)
• Money Line: Iowa (+490) vs. Penn State (-710)
• Game Total (Over/Under): Over 40.5 (-105) vs. Under 40.5 (-115)

A $136 wager on Penn State -13.5 (-136 at FanDuel) profits $10 if they win by 14+, while a $100 wager on Iowa +13.5 (+106 at FanDuel) returns $106 of winnings if they pull off the upset or lose by 13 points or less. The game total (over/under) is 40.5; a $105 bet on Over 40.5 profits $100 if there are 41+ points, while a $115 bet on Under 40.5 returns $100 of winnings if there are 40 points or fewer.

Remember, you can bet on any of these markets or our other Iowa vs. Penn State prediction featuring Nicholas Singleton after you create a NEW account at FanDuel Sportsbook before Saturday night. If you do that and risk $5+, you’ll earn a $200 welcome bonus.

Penn State Football Injury Report Entering CFB Week 4

There isn’t any major injury news involving Penn State heading into their Week 4 game against Iowa. CB Daequan Hardy, DT Coziah Izzard and DE Amin Vanover missed the Nittany Lions first two games but returned last week against Illinois, so PSU should be ready to roll against Iowa.

The bigger injury news involves the Hawkeyes, as they’ll go up against Penn State without their leading receiver and two of their top three running backs. So, the Nittany Lions are getting a beat-up Hawkeyes in Happy Valley Saturday night and should capitalize by winning by 2+ touchdowns.

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