Early betting odds are out for three of PSU football’s 2023 games.
These odds have PSU as a heavy underdog at Ohio State Oct. 21. The team is also a slight underdog against Michigan at home Nov. 11 and a heavy favorite at Michigan State Nov. 25, per BetOnline.ag
Ohio State is a 10.5-point favorite for the rivalry game in Columbus.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Penn State has only one win over Ohio State since James Franklin took over as head coach in 2014. PSU has also only won in Columbus twice since joining the Big Ten before the 1993 season. The most win recent came in November 2011. Ohio State went 11-2 last season and made the College Football Playoff, losing by one point to eventual-national champion Georgia in the semifinals.
Michigan is an early 2.5-point road favorite.
Penn State’s had more success against Michigan than against Ohio State under Franklin. Still, the team is just 3-6 against Michigan since 2014 and has lost the last two meetings, the latest being a 41-17 embarrassment in Ann Arbor last October. Michigan’s coming off consecutive Big Ten titles and College Football Playoff berths.
Penn State also has a losing record against Michigan State in the Franklin era, with Sparty holding a 5-4 edge since 2014. But Penn State’s won three of the last four meetings against its Land Grant rival, the most recent being a 35-16 Senior Day win at Beaver Stadium this past November.
Michigan State went 5-7 last season under coach Mel Tucker, and it looks like the team’s losing quarterback Payton Thorne to the transfer portal.
Sparty also has its top receiver from last season, Keon Coleman, in the portal.
Penn State opens its 2023 season against West Virginia at Beaver Stadium Sept. 2. The game time has yet to be officially announced, but all signs point to it being at 7:30 on NBC.
This almost confirms Penn State is opening the season in primetime against West Virginia. NBC gets the 7:30 time slot in the television deal #NittanyNation https://t.co/IV2zOUBcQy
— Ryan Risky (@rriskyyy) April 21, 2023
