#4 Ohio State vs #3 Penn State: NCAA Football Predictions, Odds & Best Bets

Strap in and get ready, because this Saturday in the Big Ten, the Ohio State Buckeyes travel to Beaver Stadium to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. Both teams are ranked in the Top 4 of the country and their conference as they battle it out on Saturday during the first slate of games.

Penn State looks to remain perfect. They are 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play. They're defense is playing out of their minds, allowing just 14.2 points per game and just 12.2 over their last 5 games. The Nittany Lions have allowed 30+ points just once, on the road at USC but were still able to win the ball game. At home, their opponent's scoring numbers drop to just 11.25 points per contest, but this is not any ordinary offense on the other sideline.

The Ohio State Buckeyes rolled through 5 straight wins to start the season, scoring 46 points per game while only allowing 34 total across those 5 wins. However, then they went on the road and faced a very good team in Oregon and finally lost. Following a bye week, they won a tough battle at home against Nebraska, scoring a season low 21 points.

Will they be able to take down the Nittany Lions on the road? Or will Penn State stay perfect against the Buckeyes?

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#3 Ohio State Buckeyes vs #4 Penn State Nittany Lions: Can Penn State Stay Perfect?

Matchup Information – Ohio State vs Penn State

• Venue & Location: Beaver Stadium (University Park, PA)
• Date: Saturday, November 2nd, 2024
• Kick Off: 12:00pm Eastern
• Broadcast: FOX

Betting Odds

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Spread

• Ohio State -3.5 (-104)
• Penn State +3.5 (-116)

Money Line

• Ohio State -165
• Penn State +145

Total

• Over 44.5 (-110)
• Under 44.5 (-110)

Can Buckeyes Avoid 2nd Big Ten Loss?

Now, before we really get into this game, let's talk Strength of Schedule between these two teams.

Ohio State Opponent's Scoring Ranks, Offense, Defense

• Akron: 125th, 123rd
• Western Michigan: 41st, 114th
• Marshall: 58th, 90th
• Michigan State: 117th, 56th
• Iowa: 55th, 35th
• Oregon: 16th, 9th
• Nebraska: 92nd, 23rd

Ohio State ranks 6th and 2nd in the country in those categories. Now let's do Penn State.

Penn State Opponent's Scoring Ranks, Offense, Defense

• West Virginia: 70th, 91st
• Bowling Green: 74th, 43rd
• Kent State: 120th, 134th
• Illinois: 81st, 51st
• UCLA: 119th, 83rd
• USC: 31st, 36th
• Wisconsin: 61st, 20th

The Nittany Lions are 26th and 7th in the country. Essentially we have two Top 10 defenses going at it, against two very, very stacked offenses. As far as who these teams have played, obviously Ohio State has the upper hand by playing the Ducks, but I do not see Penn State underestimating this matchup at all. They know who is coming to town, and they know they'll need to not only slow down their offense, but also put points on the board themselves.

This will be an exciting matchup no matter the outcome, but here's how I see it going down.

Ohio State Buckeyes vs Penn State Nittany Lions Best Bets

Ohio State vs Penn State Prediction: Ohio State Wins, Penn State Covers, Under 45

Best Bets: Under 45.5 (-110) MyBookie

Look. Defense wins championships, and both of these teams are National Title contenders. This weekend I see both defenses stepping up heavily in a grudge match of a game.

Both defenses are Top 15 in yards per rush allowed, giving up just 3 yards per rush. Penn State's numbers officially drop from 3.2 to 2.5 yards per attempt allowed at home, while the Buckeyes jump from 2.9 to 3.6. Either way, I don't see either team having much success on the ground this weekend. That means the game will be played through the air, and to be honest, I don't trust either of these QBs to win the game with their arm.

Both Will Howard and Drew Allar rely heavily on their rushing attack and defense to lead them to victories, and this weekend I think we see more of the same. Points are going to be a premium in this matchup, and I trust both defenses to contain their opponent and keep this game in the teens or low 20s.

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