The biggest game of the Big 10 season is finally here. The 3-0 Penn State Nittany Lions are set to take on the 4-0 Oregon Ducks in a huge top-10 September clash. Oregon is ranked sixth in the country, while Penn State enters this matchup ranked third.
Without a doubt, one of the biggest games on each of these teams' schedules, and a contest that has massive College Football Playoff implications. Penn State is fresh off a bye week, and while neither team has really played a high level of competition, Oregon has yet to win by less than 20 points this season.
As for Penn State, they've yet to lose by less than 34 points, but their opponents have been Villanova, FIU, and Nevada. This is a huge game to get into the betting market, and let's get right into some of the game information and predictions/best bets.
How to watch Oregon vs. Penn State
Time: Saturday, Sep. 27, 7:30 p.m. EST
Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
Channel: NBC, Streaming on Peacock
Oregon vs. Penn State odds, spread, O/U
This is one of the biggest college football games early on in the year, and it's finally a real test for both sides. The game is at Penn State, which is the reason the Nittany Lions come in as slight favorites.
Odds courtesy of Fanduel Sportsbook, and odds are subject to change:
Moneyline: Penn State (-178), Oregon (+146)
Spread: Penn State -3.5 (-115), Oregon +3.5 (-105)
O/U: 53.5 (-110,-110)
Oregon vs. Penn State prediction/best bet
Prediction: Oregon covers +3.5
A game like this is so hard to predict, and while I believe the crowd will play a massive factor in this one. Dan Lanning has the Ducks firing on all cylinders, and after following both teams pretty closely throughout the first month of the season, Penn State appears to be a little more stagnant on offense. +3.5 is a big number for a game like this, and the expectation is that it will be a razor-close game, likely decided by the final possession. Penn State may have a slight quarterback and running back advantage, but Oregon has been able to create more explosive plays in its first four games. Give me Oregon to keep this one within three points.
Player prop best bet: Noah Whittington anytime TD scorer (+115)
Noah Whittington is an Oregon running back, and he hasn't seen any game action in Oregon's last two contests, but they haven't really needed him. Whittington has 14 carries on the season and has had two touchdowns. He's scored a touchdown in both games he's had a carry in. This will be a game decided in the red zone, and I expect Oregon to move the ball well enough to get down in the red area several times, and look for Whittington to punch one in. If you want extra value, you can get Whittington as the first TD scorer in the game for +850.