#7 Penn State vs. #3 Ohio State Prediction, Picks & Odds: Sat, 10/21
This week is the true start of the College Football 2023 Regular Season for Nittany Lions fans, as they’ve had October 21 on their calendars as soon as the schedule was released. Undefeated #7 Penn State will travel to Columbus, Ohio for a matchup against the perfect #3 Ohio State Buckeyes. Both teams have their eyes set on a Big Ten Championship berth, and the result of Saturday’s game could determine whether either program qualifies for the College Football Playoff at the end of the season.
I’ve covered the Nittany Lions nearly every game this season, and I bounced back from my losing pick against Northwestern to nail my best bet for PSU vs. UMass. Now, I’m 4-1 after cashing my picks in the West Virginia, Illinois and Iowa games. So, you’re going to want to keep reading to learn more about my #7 Penn State vs. #3 Ohio State prediction, which you can use to unlock a $200+ new-user promotion from DraftKings Sportsbook.
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#7 PENN STATE VS. #3 OHIO STATE PREDICTION: Nittany Lions Money Line (+150 at DraftKings Sportsbook)
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#7 Penn State vs. #3 Ohio State Prediction for Saturday's Big Ten Matchup, 10/21
Saturday’s game between #7 Penn State and #3 Ohio State is the biggest matchup this week, and I highly doubt you’ll find any CFB fan who would argue against that statement. This matchup has enormous implications for the College Football Playoff at the end of the season, and a win for either team would mark their most impressive victory to date. Without further ado, let’s dive into what both teams do well and where they could exploit each other’s weaknesses this Saturday in a noon kickoff on FOX.
Ohio State is a team that runs through its passing game, as WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (604 rec. yards and five TDs), TE Cade Stover (359 rec. yards and three TDs) and WR Emeka Egbuka (303 rec. yards and three TDs) are all capable of wreaking havoc on opposing secondaries. The Buckeyes average 308.0 passing yards per game (15th in the country), but they only record 135.0 rushing yards per contest (92nd in the country). One thing worth monitoring leading up to Saturday is the status of starting RB TreVeyon Henderson, as he missed his second straight game this past weekend against Purdue.
For Penn State, it’s all about their defense and rushing attack, but we won’t take anything away from Sophomore QB Drew Allar. The Medina, Ohio native has 1,254 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions through six games, and James Franklin has done a great job of making the game plan simple for his young quarterback. Allar has completed 65.2% of his passes this season, and the dynamic RB duo of Kaytron Allen (375 yards and three TDs) and Nicholas Singleton (362 yards and six TDs) lead a PSU rushing attack averaging 203.3 yards per contest (15th in the country).
The picture is clear - the Buckeyes will look to move the ball in the air against the Nittany Lions, who will try their best to turn Saturday’s contest into a Big Ten battle in the trenches. Penn State is giving up just 72.5 rushing yards (second in the country) and 121.2 passing yards per contest (first in the country), while Ohio State is allowing 109.2 rushing yards (22nd in the country) and 154.3 passing yards per game (fourth in the country). Both defenses have been elite, so points will come at a premium this Saturday, which should favor the visitors.
#7 Penn State vs. #3 Ohio State Best Bets & Expert Picks
Entering the season, I likely would have sided with the Buckeyes in this one, as their offense was supposed to be one of, if not the best, in the country. However, that hasn’t fully come to fruition, as they’ve gone stagnant for stretches in their games against Maryland, Notre Dame and even Indiana to start the year.
QB Kyle McCord isn’t exactly a one-for-one replacement for former OSU QB CJ Stroud, and we think he’ll struggle against a Penn State secondary that has allowed more than 165 yards just once this season. This game feels like it could be very similar to the Buckeyes’ 17-14 victory at Notre Dame earlier this year. However, TreVeyon Henderson averaged 7.4 yards per carry in that contest, and McCord escaped without throwing any interceptions against the Fighting Irish.
If Henderson rushes for 100+ and McCord doesn’t make any mistakes, OSU should secure a close victory on Saturday. However, the Penn State secondary has forced 13 turnovers (T-14th in the country) and only allowed 100+ yards to West Virginia in the season opener. Additionally, it's highly unlikely Henderson will be playing at 100%, and even WR Emeka Egbuka's status is up in the air, as coach Ryan Day is 'hopeful' they'll get both players back on Saturday.
James Franklin knows how much this game means to his program, and we anticipate the Nittany Lions will come ready to play, so our main #7 Penn State vs. #3 Ohio State prediction is for the visitors to pull off the upset. He should use a similar game plan that the Fighting Irish used to nearly take down OSU last month, but we expect the Nittany Lions to line up with a full 11 defenders when the game matters most.
Back Penn State ML (+155 at DraftKings) when they take on Ohio State this Saturday, as I love the Nittany Lions’ chances of picking up their first win in Columbus since 2011.
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#7 Penn State vs. #3 Ohio State Odds & Betting Lines via DraftKings Sportsbook for Saturday, October 21st, 2023
Whether you want to fade or follow my #7 Penn State vs. #3 Ohio State prediction, make sure you become a new member at DraftKings Sportsbook because they offer extremely competitive odds. Here are the latest lines for Saturday’s game between Penn State and Ohio State:
- Point Spread: Penn State +4 (-110) vs. Ohio State -4 (-110)
- Money Line: Penn State (+155) vs. Ohio State (-180)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 46.5 (-110) vs. Under 46.5 (-110)
A $100 wager on Penn State ML (+155 at DraftKings) profits $155 if they pull off the upset, while a $185 bet on Ohio State ML (-185 at DraftKings) returns $100 of winnings if they remain undefeated. Remember, if you risk just $5 on either of these selections, DraftKings will automatically reward you with $200 in bonus bets + a Same Game Parlay No Sweat token every day this month.
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