This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Ohio State vs. Penn State
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Ohio State travels to Happy Valley for a No. 3 versus No. 4 matchup. Two of the nation's top -10 most winningest programs of all time will meet for the 40th time, with Ohio State holding a 25-14 record, including a current seven-game winning streak. Penn State is off to their 20th 7-0 start in program history, while Ohio State is 6-1 with their lone loss coming to Oregon in Eugene. Despite the seven-game winning streak, this matchup has created a lot of drama with six one-score games over the last eight years; this year's matchup is equipped to bring just that.
Ohio State vs. Penn State Betting Odds for Week 10
Spread: Ohio State -3 (Caesars Sportsbook); Penn State +3 (ESPN Bet)
Moneyline: Ohio State -150 (FanDuel Sportsbook); Penn State +140 (Caesars Sportsbook)
Total: Over 46.5 (ESPN Bet); Under 47.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Ohio State vs. Penn State Betting Picks for Week 10
As expected in a top-5 showdown, both teams grade out very well when looking at performance numbers. Ohio State, to this point in the season, ranks first in the Big Ten in defense and fourth nationally, allowing 11.9 points per game. They are also first in the Big Ten and second nationally in total defense, allowing just 254.4 yards per game. On Offense, Ohio State is second in the Big Ten and ninth in the nation with 471.9 yards per game. They are also second in the Big Ten and 10th nationally in points per game with 40.3. The Buckeyes offense is led by Will Howard; Howard is currently second in the Big Ten in passing touchdowns with 17 and third in the Big Ten in completion percentage at 74.0 percent. Ohio State features a two-headed monster in their backfield with Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. Judkins has 520 yards rushing with six touchdowns on the year, while Henderson has 449 yards rushing and four touchdowns. On the outside, Ohio State has a pair of talented wide receivers in Jeremiah Smith, who may be the most talented wide receiver in the country, and Emeka Egbuka. Smith leads the Buckeyes with 623 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, while Egbuka is second with 546 yards and six touchdowns.
Penn State, on the other hand, ranks second in the Big Ten and fourth in the nation's total defense, allowing 267.6 yards per game. They are also third in the Big Ten and eighth in the nation in points per game, allowing an average of 14.3 points. On offense, Penn State is third in the Big Ten and 13th in the nation in total offense with 463.7 yards per game. They are also fourth in the Big Ten and T-29 nationally, scoring an average of 33.3 points per game. The Penn State offense is led by Drew Allar, who is 12th in the Big Ten with 1,640 yards passing and tied for eighth with 14 passing touchdowns. Much like Ohio State, Penn State also has a two-headed monster in the backfield with Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Allen, for the year, has 509 yards rushing and four touchdowns, while Singleton has 483 yards and three touchdowns. Penn State doesn't have the same kind of talent on the outside as Ohio State. However, they are led by big tight end Tyler Warren, who has 559 yards receiving and four touchdowns on the year.
Ohio State vs. Penn State Expert Pick: Under 47.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Ohio State vs. Penn State Predictions for Week 10
Despite the seven-game winning streak held by Ohio State, this may be the best chance Penn State has had in recent seasons to take down the Buckeyes. Since last season, Allar has progressed and looks much more comfortable running the offense. On the defensive side, the Nittany Lions are stout up front with the ability to cause havoc with defensive tackle Zane Durant and edge defender Abdul Carter, who has racked up four sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss on the season. Ohio State is thin at left tackle after losing starter Josh Simmons for the season. Ohio State replaced Simmons with Zen Michalski who struggled last week against Nebraska and eventually left the game in the fourth quarter with an injury, Ohio State has not made a decision on whether he will play on Saturday or not. Despite Allar's progression on the season, the Buckeyes also have a very good defensive front led by JT Tuimoloau, who has racked up seven tackles for loss and four sacks. The Buckeyes lead the Big Ten in rushing defense, showing an ability to slow Penn State and the third-ranked rushing team in the Big Ten. If the Buckeyes can get pressure they can make Allar uncomfortable and cause problems for the offense.
With the strength of both teams' defensive lines and the injury issues for the Ohio State offensive line, I can see this game becoming a defensive battle. I like the under in a tightly contested game.
