With three-and-a-half months until the 2022 season starts, early betting lines are already set for Penn State’s most notable games.
Two of the lines might surprise some people. Penn State is a double-digit home underdog against Ohio State and is favored on the road at Auburn.
The released betting lines, per FanDuel, are as follows.
Sept. 1: Penn State is a three—point favorite at Purdue.
Sept. 17: Penn State is a one-point favorite at Auburn.
Oct. 15: Penn State is a six-and-a-half-point underdog at Michigan.
Oct. 23: Penn State is a nine-point favorite at home against Minnesota.
Oct. 29: Penn State is a 13-point underdog at home against Ohio State.
Nov. 28. Penn State is a six-and-a-half-point favorite against Michigan State.
Here is a breakdown of each game mentioned above.
PURDUE
Purdue has an explosive offense, although the Boilermakers lost their top returning receiver in Milton Wright. Purdue was 9-4 last season and hopes to challenge in the Big Ten West this year.
Penn State won the last four meetings against Purdue and beat the Boilermakers 62-24 in their last meeting at Ross-Ade Stadium in 2016.
AUBURN
The Nittany Lions will visit Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time Sept. 17. Penn State won 28-20 last season at home. Some believe Auburn’s football program is in a messy state amidst a buyout standoff with coach Bryan Harsin and a transfer portal exodus.
MICHIGAN
Michigan may not be as good as last season Big Ten championship squad, but the Wolverines have quarterback Cade McNamara and running back Blake Corum returning and are rated seventh in ESPN’s Football Power Index. Michigan has been 6-2 against the spread against Penn State since 2014. Penn State beat Michigan 27-17 in its last trip to Ann Arbor in 2020.
MINNESOTA
Penn State will take on the Golden Gophers on Homecoming. Minnesota, like Penn State with Sean Clifford, has a sixth-year senior quarterback in Tanner Morgan, who is reunited with former Penn State offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Kirk Ciarrocca, who has worked at both schools within the past three years.
OHIO STATE
This contest is projected to be the “White Out” game that fans always look forward to. Depending on the results of the previous four games mentioned this could be a potential top 10 matchup. Betters are probably looking to the fact that Ohio State has won the last five meetings in this series. Look for this line to shrink as the game approaches. Ohio State was 17.5 favorites in 2016, but Penn State won that game and, eventually, the Big Ten championship.
MICHIGAN STATE
It is always tough to gauge a line in the spring for a game in late November, but Vegas likes Penn State. Mel Tucker must find a way to replace the production of running back Kenneth Walker III and hope that sophomore Payton Thorne takes the next step. Michigan State has been very up and down ever since making the College Football Playoff in 2015, so the bettors need to let the season take place before they have a true sense of the spread.
Twitter: @bwalkerdadon
