The Penn State Nittany Lions (9-1, 6-1) will take on the undefeated Ohio State Buckeyes (10-0, 7-0) this weekend in one of the biggest games of the season in determining the potential Big Ten champion. The winner will have the inside track at the East Division championship, while the loser could be left on the outside looking in when it comes to the conference title game.
Kickoff is set for Saturday at noon ET at Ohio Stadium.
We analyze the Penn State-Ohio State odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Penn State at Ohio State: Three things you need to know
1. Ohio State’s offense gets a lot of credit, but the defense has been phenomenal this season. The Buckeyes have allowed more than 14 points only twice this season — 21 points in the season-opening 45-21 win over Florida Atlantic, and last week’s 56-21 win over Rutgers.
2. Ohio State DE Chase Young is expected to play Saturday following a suspension handed down by the NCAA. He has 13.5 sacks in eight games and is among the favorites to go No. 1 overall in April’s draft.
3. Ohio State has won eight of its last 10 games against Penn State, averaging 33 points per game to the Nittany Lions’ 20. Penn State’s last win was in 2016, a 24-21 victory.
Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!
Penn State at Ohio State: Odds, betting lines and picks
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Ohio State 35, Penn State 24
Moneyline (ML)
Winners of 10 straight and eight of their last 10 against Penn State, the Buckeyes are most likely going to win this game. Ohio State has won 18 in a row at home, too, further bolstering their claim as the favorite in this one.
But as heavily favored as Ohio State is in this one, it’s not worth putting anything on the moneyline. The line for the Buckeyes sits at -1000, meaning you would only profit one-tenth of what you bet.
New to sports betting? A $10 wager on Ohio State to win returns a profit of $1.
Against the Spread (ATS)
The Buckeyes are 18.5-point favorites over the Nittany Lions, which is the largest spread between these two teams since Ohio State was a 20-point favorite in 2010. That’s a lot of points to give up in a rivalry game, even with Ohio State being 8-1 ATS in its last nine games this season.
Penn State has covered the spread in four of its last five games against the Buckeyes. Take PENN STATE (-110) to cover once again on Saturday, given the huge margin.
Over/Under (O/U)
The O/U is 57.5 points (-110 on both sides), a relatively reasonable number considering the Buckeyes average 51.5 points per game. The total has gone over in three of the last four games for both teams, and it will again on Saturday.
Bet the OVER (-110) in this one. The over is 4-0 in the Buckeyes’ last four games in November, and 13-5 in Penn State’s last 18 November games, too.
Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.
Follow @camdasilva and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1623]