Ohio State-Penn State Betting Odds

Writing about Penn State-Ohio State betting odds at this point is just depressing.

Because I firmly believe that the Nittany Lions would be in a spot where they could win a national title if it wasn’t for Sean Clifford getting injured.

Remember, early in the second quarter against Iowa, Penn State was up 14-3 when Cliff was driven into the ground, left the game and couldn’t return? That was the end of the Nittany Lions being able to move the ball that game. It was the end of them having a chance to be able to beat teams like Illinois at home.

“But Rob,” you ask, “why don’t they have a backup quarterback for a situation like this?”

They did.

He’s currently sitting at 6-1 in the SEC while starting in Lexington.

The problem for Penn State boils down to the fact that this team was built around being able to throw the ball, to run quick offense, to play hurry-up. That’s why they brought in a new offensive coordinator. That’s how they built this team. That got blown up because Clifford’s ribs were turned into sawdust, and since their backup quarterback was a victim of the transfer portal, there is no other option.

They have to try and reinvent themselves with personnel that don’t fit, and it has not worked.

Longtime college sports writer Rob Dauster, the co-founder of The Field of 68 and The Field of 12 Network is here to break down the tantalizing matchup and provide the Penn State-Ohio State betting odds for Week 9 of the college football season.

Until then, as a NCAA fan, you can check NFL betting odds and get ready to place a bet at BetRivers.

WEEK 9 BETTING ODDS: WEEKEND GUIDE

PENN STATE-OHIO STATE BETTING ODDS:

PENN STATE (5-2) at OHIO STATE (6-1)
GAME: 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
MONEYLINE: Ohio State (-1250), Penn State (+600)
SPREAD: Wisconsin (-18.5)
TOTAL: 60

PENN STATE-OHIO STATE PREDICTION:

Well, it hasn’t worked yet.

And it damn sure isn’t going to work against an Ohio State team that is peaking at the right now.

There is nothing that you can do to convince me to back Penn State in this spot short of giving me all of Cliff’s medical records and proving that he is back to full health. Because you cannot tell me that a guy who was obviously playing hurt two weeks after his initial injury is going to magically be better seven days later. He’s not.

Which means that the Nittany Lions are going to be playing shorthanded once again, and this is not the opponent — nor the building — where you want to be doing that. This, to me, feels like it is going to be a statement game for the Buckeyes. This, to me, feels like a spot where they run over their Big Ten East “competition” with a 42-7 win. I’m not sure how much more analysis I can give you than that. Penn State is broken, their coach is looking for a move and they face arguably the third best team in college football.

Fun!

What I will say is this: If you think Penn State is going to be able to move the ball somehow, the play here is probably the over. If Penn State is going to cover, they are going to do so because they are able to keep pace with the Buckeyes. If they cover, it’s because this ends up being a 42-24 game.

I’m not convinced that happens.

Which is why I’m on Ohio State in a blowout.