Penn State Nittany Lions at Indiana Hoosiers Odds & Game Pick (2020)
Having had to sit idly by and watch for roughly the last seven weeks, the Big Ten will finally get their shot to suit up this weekend. All 14 teams will be in play the first time this season.
While the PAC 12 still has to wait a few more weeks, the Big Ten will now join the ACC, SEC, and Big 12 as the fourth Power Five Conference to resume activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With winter approaching and cases spiking, how many games they play, is still anyone’s guess.
Let’s take a closer look at the best Big Ten matchup this week and attempt to cash some tickets while we can.
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.
FanDuel Sportsbook: View our review and access special sports betting offers >>
Details
- Opening Lines: Indiana +7.5; OU 57
- Current Line: Indiana +5.5
- O/U: 61
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
- Start Time: 3:30 pm ET
- Television: FS1
- Last Meeting: November 16, 2019– Indiana 27, Penn State 34
Overview
Fourth-year Indiana head coach Tom Allen followed up a trio of seven loss seasons with an 8-5 campaign last season that likely saved his job. While the eight wins were the most the Hoosiers have tallied since 1993, his 0-4 mark against ranked teams was a blemish that Allen can’t ignore.
Coming into this season, Allen returns his best team to date. It’s one that has a combined 17 starters and a quarterback with big-game experience in Michael Penix. Making appearances in six games last season, Penix threw for 1,394 yards and 1o touchdowns. He also ran for another two.
For Penn State, perhaps no team in the Big Ten has been as unexpectedly hard-hit as the Nittany Lions this offseason. Junior running back and this 2019’s team’s workhorse Journey Brown has recently been ruled out indefinitely for an undisclosed medical issue. This comes just weeks after preseason All-America linebacker Micah Parsons, one of the best in the conference, declared early for the NFL Draft over COVID-19 concerns.
With the hits to the offense and now just four returning starters on defense, seventh-year head coach James Franklin has his work cut out for him in what was otherwise supposed to be a landmark season for the Nittany Lions.
- Indiana is 4-1 ATS in their last five games as an underdog
- The Under is 9-3 in Penn State’s last 12 Big Ten games
Bottom Line
In the Hoosier’s last two games against this Nittany Lions team, both have been decided by a touchdown or less, and none have featured the caliber of team they have this season. While Penn State still might have a clear talent advantage, I think Tom Allen and this veteran team, led by an emerging star in Penix, smell bl0od in the water. Look for them to take this one outright for their biggest victory in 20 years.
FanDuel Sportsbook: View our review and access special sports betting offers >>
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TJ Perun is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from TJ, check out his archive and follow him @JohnnyCovers.