Ohio State (4-0) at Penn State (4-0)
When: Saturday, September 29th 2018
Where: Beaver Stadium,
State College, Pennsylvania
Time: 7:30 ET | TV: ABC
Opening Odds: Ohio State -4.5/72.5
The two highest scoring teams in the country will meet in a huge contest this Saturday night, as the Penn State Nittany Lions host the Ohio State Buckeyes in their annual ‘white-out’ game at Beaver Stadium. The winner of this contest has won the Big Ten Championship the last two seasons and both games came down to the wire. Two years ago in State College, the Lions used a blocked field goal late in the game to upset the Buckeyes and had them on the ropes in Columbus in 2017 before a big Ohio State rally ended in a 39-38 thriller. The Buckeyes are off to a 4-0 start, including a 49-6 win over Tulane last week in head coach Urban Meyer’s return from suspension and are ranked second in FBS, averaging 54.5 points a game, right behind Penn State’s 55.5. The Nittany Lions, who are also 4-0, needed overtime in Week 1 to survive a scare from Appalachian State, then needed a big second half to pull away from upset-minded Illinois last Friday night. Ohio State outgained Penn State 201-91 on the ground in last year’s meeting and 942-559 overall in the last two meetings. The home team has covered the spread in four of the last five matchups.
The Buckeyes will have to contend with Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley without star defensive end Nick Bosa, who will miss this game and perhaps several more after undergoing core muscle surgery. They will get the benefit of junior Robert Landers, who returns from an undisclosed injury to help bolster the defensive line. Also, running back Mike Weber, who had 186 yards rushing and four total touchdowns in the season opener against Oregon State, will play after leaving the Tulane win with a sprained foot. Quarterback Dwayne Haskins ranks second among FBS passers with both 16 touchdowns and a completion percentage of 75.7, while throwing just one interception.
McSorley has completed just 53.8 percent of his passes and has thrown an interception in each of the last two games. With Barkley in the NFL, McSorley has taken his talents to the ground more, gaining 235 yards – on 5.7 per carry – and six scores through the first four games. Miles Sanders had 200 of the Nittany Lions’ 387 rushing yards last week and he added three TDs after failing to reach the end zone in routs of Pittsburgh and Kent State. Penn State will be without backup running back Mark Allen (99 yards, two TDs), who is out for the rest of the year with an unspecified injury.
The Buckeyes have dominated the last two meetings between these teams, other than the scoreboard. Penn State’s defense is not as strong as last year’s squad and will have trouble slowing down this potent Ohio State offense. The home crowd will keep the Lions in it, but the Buckeyes will pull away in the fourth quarter.
Pick: Ohio State -3.5
Betting Trends:
- Buckeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Buckeyes are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall.
- Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Buckeyes are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
- Buckeyes are 37-16 ATS in their last 53 games on grass.
- Buckeyes are 36-16-1 ATS in their last 53 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Buckeyes are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Nittany Lions are 6-0 ATS in their last 6 home games vs. a team with a winning road record.
- Nittany Lions are 14-2-1 ATS in their last 17 games following a ATS win.
- Nittany Lions are 13-2-1 ATS in their last 16 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Nittany Lions are 12-2-2 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
- Nittany Lions are 6-1 ATS in their last 7 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Nittany Lions are 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Nittany Lions are 8-2-1 ATS in their last 11 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Nittany Lions are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games in September.
- Nittany Lions are 20-5-2 ATS in their last 27 games overall.
- Nittany Lions are 4-1-1 ATS in their last 6 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Nittany Lions are 11-3-2 ATS in their last 16 home games.
- Nittany Lions are 14-4-1 ATS in their last 19 conference games.
- Nittany Lions are 3-1-1 ATS in their last 5 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Nittany Lions are 15-5-2 ATS in their last 22 games on grass.
- Nittany Lions are 33-16-3 ATS in their last 52 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 8-0 in Buckeyes last 8 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 6-0 in Buckeyes last 6 games after allowing less than 275 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 8-1 in Buckeyes last 9 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Over is 7-1 in Buckeyes last 8 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Over is 6-1 in Buckeyes last 7 road games.
- Over is 14-3 in Buckeyes last 17 games after allowing less than 20 points in their previous game.
- Under is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games following a straight up win.
- Under is 4-1 in Buckeyes last 5 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 7-2 in Buckeyes last 9 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 9-3 in Buckeyes last 12 conference games.
- Over is 5-2 in Buckeyes last 7 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 7-3 in Buckeyes last 10 games on grass.
- Over is 7-3 in Buckeyes last 10 road games vs. a team with a winning home record.
- Over is 8-0 in Nittany Lions last 8 games following a straight up win.
- Over is 6-0 in Nittany Lions last 6 games following a straight up win of more than 20 points.
- Over is 4-0 in Nittany Lions last 4 games in September.
- Over is 4-0 in Nittany Lions last 4 home games.
- Over is 5-0 in Nittany Lions last 5 games on grass.
- Over is 6-0 in Nittany Lions last 6 games following a ATS win.
- Over is 6-0 in Nittany Lions last 6 games after scoring more than 40 points in their previous game.
- Over is 6-0 in Nittany Lions last 6 vs. a team with a winning record.
- Over is 7-0 in Nittany Lions last 7 games after accumulating more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 6-1 in Nittany Lions last 7 games after allowing more than 200 yards rushing in their previous game.
- Over is 6-1 in Nittany Lions last 7 conference games.
- Over is 10-2 in Nittany Lions last 12 games after allowing less than 170 yards passing in their previous game.
- Over is 17-4 in Nittany Lions last 21 games after accumulating more than 450 total yards in their previous game.
- Over is 25-10 in Nittany Lions last 35 games overall.
- Home team is 4-1 ATS in their last 5 meetings.
