#24 Iowa vs #7 Penn State, Prediction & Best Bets: Nittany Lions Run All Over Hawkeyes
Written by: Nate Hornung
Last Update: Fri Sep 22, 2023, 11:20 am ET
Read Time: 4 minutes
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The Iowa Hawkeyes face fellow Big Ten rival the Penn State Nittany Lions in this Top 25 matchup Saturday evening.
Penn State has already beaten Illinois in a conference battle, but this will be Iowa's first look at a Big Ten opponent this year. Unfortunately for them, they have to open up conference play in one of the toughest stadiums to play in.
Let's dive into this game at Beaver Stadium in University Park!
Iowa vs Penn State Game Information
Matchup Information
- Venue & Location: Beaver Stadium (University Park, PA)
- Date: Saturday, September 23rd, 2023
- Kick Off: 7:30pm Eastern
- Broadcast: CBS
Betting Odds
Spread
- Iowa +14.5 (-110)
- Penn State -14.5 (-110)
Moneyline
- Iowa +430
- Penn State -625
Total
- Over 39.5 (-110)
- Under 39.5 (-110)
Can McNamara Lead Hawkeyes to Road Upset?
This will be a true test for the Michigan Transfer. He actually won in this stadium with the Wolverines back in 2021, but hasn't been here with the Hawkeyes who have lost 3 of their last 4 games at Penn State.
The Nittany Lions defense hasn't allowed a team to score more than twice in a game so far, and their offense is putting up 43.7 points per game.
We know there is a narrative surrounding Iowa and their unders because of their pace of play, however, they are going to have to pass it to keep up with this Penn State offense.
Penn State loves to ground and pound the ball, averaging over 200 rushing yards per game as a team. I like their Offensive Line and think they run all over this Iowa defense who allows over 100 rushing yards per game to bad teams.
With a low total, I'm not going to lay the points with Penn State for the full game, although I think they prove they are lightyears ahead of this Iowa ball club.
I do have a bit of a cheeky pay on the 1H spread.
The Pick: Penn State 1H -9.5 (+115) Bovada
The Nittany Lions have gotten off to a hot start in all three of their games, and have left their opponents in the dust. I think they have the ability to jump out to a quick 14-3 lead by halftime by shutting down the Hawkeyes offense, and running it down their defense's throat.
Just a sprinkle for fun on this bet, but I do have a player prop that I really like.
NCAAF Player Prop Bets
Kaytron Allen over 54.5 Rushing Yards (-115) Bovada
Kaytron Allen leads the Nittany Lions with 208 rushing yards through 3 games, however he has only cleared this line once. But let me explain.
In the 1st game, he had 10 carries for 51 yards, and Penn State's leading rusher was Nicholas Singleton who received 13 carries for 71 yards.
The next game, Allen was the clear lead back with 19 carries for 103 yards and a TD. Last week against Illinois, we would've gotten hooked, as Allen had 54 yards on 13 carries, but he was still the lead rusher.
Singleton is more of a goal line bruiser, where as Allen is an elusive, every down back. Therefore I like Allen to get over this number, as I expect the Nittany Lions to run it plenty as it's a staple of their offense.
Dating back to last season, he cleared this line in 7 of his L10 games, so give me Allen to get over 60 yards and the Lions to handle business at home.
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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