In a matchup between two programs ranked in the Top 18 overall nationally, the No. 17 Nittany Lions (-6) are set to welcome the No. 18 Iowa Hawkeyes to Penn State. This pivotal conference game starts at 3:30 p.m. ET and fans can catch the action by tuning in to ESPN.
Betting Preview: Iowa Hawkeyes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Iowa is a live dog here and is currently getting 6 points. The Hawkeyes are also receiving +185 moneyline odds while the Nittany Lions are -230. If one side can create a bunch of points early on it will generate a decent live betting opportunity. Vegas has placed the over/under (O/U) at 54 points.
The surprising Hawkeyes have gained 5.0 units so far and are 6-1 against the spread (ATS). The team’s posted an O/U record of 3-3.
The Nittany Lions are down 5.0 units this season. The team is 4-3 ATS and owns an O/U record of 5-2.
The Hawkeyes are 6-1 straight up (SU), including 3-1 SU against conference opponents. The Nittany Lions are 5-2 SU overall and 2-2 SU in conference play.
These two schools faced off a year ago with the final outcome being a 21-19 victory for Penn State.
The Hawkeyes are coming off a resounding 23-0 victory over Maryland last week. The passing game left much to be desired as Nate Stanley completed only 11 passes on 22 attempts for 86 yards, along with one TD and an interception. Ivory Kelly-Martin (98 rushing yards on 24 attempts) and Mekhi Sargent (54 yards on 10 carries) spearheaded the ground attack while T.J. Hockenson (three receptions, 30 yards) and Noah Fant (three catches, 14 yards) handled the receiving duties in the win.
Penn State just earned a 33-28 win over Indiana. The defense allowed the Hoosiers to pass for 330 yards while rushing for 224 yards and three scores. Stevie Scott was a force to be reckoned with, recording 138 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 attempts for Indiana. For Penn State, Trace McSorley completed 19-of-36 passes for 220 yards and one interception. McSorley (107 yards on 19 rush attempts, two TDs) and Miles Sanders (72 yards on 15 carries, one TD) spearheaded the running game as Sanders (six receptions, 54 yards) and KJ Hamler (four catches, 27 yards) led the pass-catching corps in the win.
Each of these squads sports a similar run-pass ratio on the season. Iowa has run the ball on 58.7 percent of its offensive possessions while Penn State has a rush percentage of 57.3. The Hawkeyes have produced 165.4 rush yards/game (including 159.3 per game versus Big Ten opponents) and have nine touchdowns on the ground this year. The Nittany Lions are putting up 240.7 rushing yards per game (243.0 in conference) and have 25 total rush TDs.
The Hawkeyes offensive scheme has averaged 231.9 yards in the air overall (244.0 per game versus conference opposition) and has 16 passing TDs so far. The Nittany Lions have produced 239.9 pass yards per outing (231 against Big 10 competition) and have 14 total pass scores.
Iowa appears to possess an edge in both areas of the defense. The team has allowed opponents to rush for an average of 79.6 yards and pass for 178.6 yards per game. The Penn State D has allowed 226.9 yards per game to opposing passers and 165.1 yards per game on the ground. The Hawkeyes are giving up an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 3.81 to opponents, while the Nittany Lions have allowed a 4.43 ANY/A.
McSorley has managed to complete 92-of-174 passes for 1,269 yards, 10 TDs and three INTs. McSorley’s adjusted net yards per pass attempt stands at 6.89 for the year and 5.06 over his past two games. In the other huddle, Stanley is up to 1,239 passing yards this year, and has completed 98-of-163 attempts with 10 passing touchdowns and five interceptions. Stanley has a 7.10 ANY/A, including 8.05 over the last two outings.
