Penn State Ohio State Betting – Nittany Lions Will Get Mauled In Columbus
Sports betting players know that some teams have trouble going to certain places, and Penn State Nittany Lions seems to have a problem with their bi-annual trips to Columbus. This week, they’ll try again when they head out to face Ohio State Buckeyes, where the Buckeyes are coming off a bye week. Look for OSU to dominate on both sides of the ball.
- What: NCAA football betting
- When: Saturday, November 13th, 3:30 PM ET
- Where: Ohio Stadium (The Horseshoe), Columbus, OH
- Pick: Ohio State Buckeyes -17.5
What’s On The Line
The Nittany Lions (6-3, 3-2) used a big second half to beat Northwestern Wildcats 35-21 in Happy Valley to give coach Joe Paterno his 400th win, and they’ve now won three in a row in the Big Ten after dropping their first two conference games. The No.9 Buckeyes (8-1, 4-1) went to Minnesota two weeks ago and unleashed a 52-10 beatdown to set up this showdown with the Nittany Lions, but they had a bye last week. Ohio State has won 11 in a row at The Horseshoe, but a Penn State win tightens up things at the top of the Big Ten.
Offensive Matchups: Penn State Ohio State Betting
Penn State is a balanced offense, coming in 68th in the country, and they put up 528 yards against Northwestern. The Wildcats have been lucky to be at home the last couple of weeks, and they’ve been playing defenses that aren’t really all that great (Michigan Wolverines, Northwestern). Evan Royster and Silas Redd combined for 265 yards on the ground, which takes pressure off a confusing quarterback situation. Matt McGloin and Rob Bolden may split time against the Buckeyes, but McGloin has been playing very well lately.
The Buckeyes are powered by a ground attack that is 19th in the country, and they went to town on the Minnesota Golden Gophers, racking up 263 rushing yards. Dan Herron had 114 yards and a score, while Terrelle Pryor ran for 55 yards and a touchdown, to go with 222 passing yards and two more scores, along with a pick. Thck. e bye week probably helped to freshen up Ohio State for a November run, which is good news for Pryor, who is the key to the Buckeyes’ attack.
Betting Edge: Ohio State
Defensive Matchups: Penn State Ohio State Betting
It’s not the rock-solid Penn State defense that we’re used to seeing as the Nittany Lions are 45th in the nation, but they made the plays they needed to make against Northwestern, pitching a shutout in the second half. They allowed 369 yards, and 168 yards on the ground is far too much to give up. Penn State has had problems against dual-threat quarterbacks, and they’re going up against one of the best in the country in Pryor, so if the Nittany Lions are going to keep it close in Columbus, they’re going to have to get to him early.
Ohio State has the third-best defense in the NCAA, and they held Minnesota to 232 yards while forcing three turnovers. The Buckeyes are one of the best teams in the country at forcing turnovers, and that could be a bad sign for the Penn State quarterbacks. They’ll also be getting linebacker Ross Homan back, and he’s their defensive captain and leader. Fellow linebacker Dorian Bell will also be back from a concussion.
Betting Edge: Ohio State
Notable Injuries: Penn State Ohio State Betting
Penn State defensive end Jack Crawford (foot) returned from injury against Northwestern, so NCAA football betting players should keep an eye on his conditioning.
The Buckeyes get a few players back, like Homan (foot), Bell (concussion), and tight end Jake Stoneburner (ankle), but all three will have to be watched.
Betting Edge: Penn State
Outlook and Pick: Penn State Ohio State Betting
NCAA football betting odds are favoring the Buckeyes by 17.5 points at The Horseshoe, where they are so good, last losing to USC back in the second week of the 2009 season. They’ve dominated the Nittany Lions in Columbus, going 6-1 both SU and ATS in their last seven meetings. The Buckeyes are 10-0 SU and 8-2 ATS in their last 10 as a favorite of eight points or more, and seven of those games were in Columbus. The Nittany Lions are 1-9 SU and 4-6 ATS as an underdog of eight points or more, and they already got rocked 24-3 down in Tuscaloosa by the Alabama Crimson Tide earlier this year. If they can’t control Pryor, they’re as good as sunk, and we’re not sure their offense is as good as it’s shown in their last couple of games. Ohio State will be a massive test for them, and we think they fail. Take Ohio State to cover in your online betting book.
Blake’s Pick: Ohio State Buckeyes
