The Pittsburgh Panthers and No. 13 Penn State Nittany Lions will go head-to-head on the grass of Beaver Stadium. This crucial afternoon game is scheduled to kick off at 12:00 p.m. ET and fans can watch the action on ABC.
Betting Preview: Pittsburgh Panthers at Penn State Nittany Lions
Pittsburgh is a live dog in this one and is currently getting 17 points. If they want to take the moneyline, bettors would currently need to lay down $1,400 in order to win $100 back on the Nittany Lions (-1400). The Panthers are getting +780 moneyline odds. Vegas has placed the over/under (O/U) at 53.5 points, and if one team can create a bunch of points in the early stages, it would likely generate a worthwhile betting opportunity in-game.
The early action has slanted toward the over. The game’s O/U was initially set at only 52.
The Panthers have gained 0.0 units so far in 2019 and are 1-1 against the spread (ATS). They’ve been a good under bet and have posted an O/U record of 0-2.
The Nittany Lions have gained 0.0 units this season. The team is 2-0 ATS and has an O/U record of 2-0.
The Panthers are 1-1 straight up (SU) in 2019 while the Nittany Lions are 2-0 SU.
The Panthers just pulled off a 20-10 win over Ohio last week. The passing attack was on point as Kenny Pickett completed 26 passes on 37 attempts for 321 yards and one touchdown. A.J. Davis (89 yards on 13 rush attempts) and Vincent Davis (50 yards on 12 carries, one TD) led the running attack in the win while Maurice Ffrench (10 receptions, 138 yards, one TD) and Will Gragg (four catches, 38 yards) handled the receiving duties.
The Penn State Nittany Lions just picked up a lopsided 45-13 win over Buffalo. The defensive unit let the Bulls rush for 184 yards on 58 attempts. Antonio Nunn was a bright spot in the loss for Buffalo, recording 113 yards on five catches. For Penn State, Sean Clifford completed 16-of-22 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns. Clifford (51 rushing yards on 11 attempts) mounted the ground game in the win while Pat Freiermuth (eight receptions, 99 yards, two TDs) and Jahan Dotson (four catches, 109 yards, two TDs) led the Penn State pass-catchers.
Pittsburgh has run the ball on 46.2 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Penn State has a rush percentage of 53.9 percent. The Panthers have run for 119 yards/game and have two touchdowns via handoffs this year. The Nittany Lions are averaging 204.5 rushing yards per game and have eight total rush TDs.
It seems like the Nittany Lions may own the edge when it comes to RB efficiency. Their running backs has produced 5.9 yards per carry while their defense is allowing a YPC of 2.2 to opponents. The Panthers have rushed for 3.6 yards per carry while allowing 2.6 yards per rush attempt to opponents.
The Panthers offensive scheme has averaged 253 yards through the air overall and has two passing TDs so far. The Nittany Lions have produced 310.5 pass yards per outing and have seven total pass scores.
Defensively, Pittsburgh has allowed opponents to rush for an average of 82 yards and throw for 179 yards per game. The Penn State defense has allowed 193 yards per game to opposing passers and 94.0 yards per game to opposing runners. The Nittany Lions are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 4.15 to opposing QBs, while the Panthers have given up a 4.76 ANY/A.
Clifford has been more productive than Pickett recently. His adjusted net yards per pass attempt stands at 13.92 for the year and 13.92 across his last two outings while Pickett’s ANY/A is 8.87 (and 5.11 over the past two games).
These two teams faced off last year with the final outcome being a 51-6 victory for Penn State.
Pittsburgh Panthers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Pick
SU Winner: Penn State, ATS Winner: Penn State, O/U: Under
Betting Trends
- The Over/Under for Pittsburgh’s last game was 54.5. The under cashed in the team’s 20-10 victory over Ohio.
- The Penn State offense has lost two fumbles this season while Pittsburgh has yet to lose any.
- The O/U for Penn State’s last game was set at 57. The over cashed in the 45-13 triumph over Buffalo.
- Both teams have produced two pass plays of 40 or more yards. The Panthers have have made two pass plays of 30+ yards while the Nittany Lions have created four such plays.
- The Pittsburgh defense has allowed one pass play of 40 yards or more, while Penn State has given up two such plays.
- The Pittsburgh offense has created one rushing play of 20 yards or more, while Penn State has created four such runs.
- The Panthers defense has allowed one rushing play of 20 or more yards, while the Nittany Lions have given up two such runs.
- The Pittsburgh defensive unit has sacked opposing quarterbacks nine times this year. Penn State has registered eight sacks.
