No. 4 Ohio State (6-3-1, 3-1) at No. 3 Penn State (7-0, 4-0)
| Time | Money Line/Spread | Over/Under |
|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. ET | Ohio State (-150/-3.5, +100), Penn State (+125/+3.5, -122) | 47.5 (over -105/under -115) |
All eyes on the first Saturday in November will be on State College, Pa., as No. 4 Ohio State (6-1, 3-1) visits No. 3 Penn State (7-0, 4-0) in a top-five showdown at high noon on FOX.
Entering their 40th all-time meeting, Ohio State has won seven straight games against Penn State and owns a 25-14 all-time series record. This will be their first top-five matchup since 1996 when Ohio State defeated Penn State, 38-7. Notably, 17 of the previous 39 meetings were decided by one possession.
Last season, Penn State lost a close 20-12 game in Columbus as then-sophomore quarterback Drew Allar threw for 191 yards and one TD.
These are the top two defenses in the Big Ten Conference, with Ohio State ranked No. 1 (254.4 yards against per game) and Penn State No. 2 (267.6 yards).
Ohio State quarterback and Downingtown, Pa.-native Will Howard returns to his home state with a bit of extra motivation. This season, Howard has completed 134-of-181 passes for 1,795 yards, with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions, boasting a QB rating of 183.9.
- Player Prop: Howard over 1.5 TDs thrown (+106). Howard has thrown two or more TDs in six of seven games this season, including his last five. (Under 1.5 TDs is -140.) We really like this line available at most US betting apps.
Penn State’s Allar is expected to start after an injury in their 28-13 comeback win at Wisconsin. Allar has completed 117-of-164 passes (71.3%) for 1,640 yards, with 12 TDs and four interceptions.
- Player Prop: Allar over 1.5 TDs thrown (+154). While he’s only hit this mark once in his last three games, I expect him to throw for two scores today.
Anytime TD Scorer – pizza and beer money picks:
- Tyler Warren (PSU) (+105)
- Nicholas Singleton (PSU) (+115)
- Kaytron Allen (PSU) (+120)
- Quinshon Judkins (OSU) (+120)
- Emeka Egbuka (OSU) (+140)
- TreVeyon Henderson (OSU) (+145)
Eye Test
As we turn back the clocks on Saturday night, one of these teams will take a step closer to securing a spot in the 12-team playoff.
Although Allar is expected to play, Penn State’s backup quarterback Beau Pribula could handle the role if needed. Meanwhile, Howard will look to redeem himself for his previous late-game slide in the loss to Oregon.
With strong run games, elite defenses, and a packed crowd of over 110,000, this matchup will come down to the wire.
PICK: PSU (money line, spread). While it’s a close call, the home-field advantage gives Penn State the edge. However, if Ohio State pulls off a win, it wouldn’t be surprising.
