The offseason is now in the rearview mirror and all eyes are set on the start of a brand new college football season. After a brief appetizer of Big Ten football in Week 0, Penn State and Wisconsin are set to collide in Madison for a highly-anticipated and challenging opener for both sides. But it would seem Penn State is at the decisive disadvantage in the opener.
According to the Week 1 line put out by Tipico, Penn State is a 5.5-point underdog on the road against Wisconsin.
It is understandable why Penn State would be an underdog in the first game of the season. The Nittany Lions are coming off a rare 4-5 season in 2020 that has justifiably led to some good questions about what to expect out of Penn State in 2021.
Wisconsin is also facing some similar questions after a step back in 2020, although not quite to the extent Penn State is facing coming into the new season. The Badgers are at home, which naturally provides a bit of an advantage for Wisconsin. Having fans back in the stands to cheer on a team favored by many to win the Big Ten West Division presents one of the toughest season-opening challenges James Franklin has faced as a head coach.
Line: Wisconsin -5.5
Total: 50.5
Money line: Penn State +190, Wisconsin -240
Tipico is also expecting a relatively low-scoring result between Penn State and Wisconsin. The total for the game is set at 50.5, which can be justified by the idea both teams figure to have solid defenses this season and fair questions at the quarterback position to start the season.
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