The Penn State Nittany Lions enter the 2025 season with National Championship aspirations, and the Big Ten on CBS schedule kicks off with the No. 2-ranked Nittany Lions playing host to the Nevada Wolfpack of the Mountain West.
The 2024 season saw Penn State advance all the way to the College Football Playoff Semifinals before falling to Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. The Nittany Lions lost two pillars of their program to the NFL Draft in Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren, but they return a majority of players on both sides of the ball, including two 1,000-yard rushers in Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Senior quarterback Drew Allar also returns, and this will serve as his third season as the starter.
Where to watch Penn State vs. Nevada
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 30
- Time: 3:30 p.m. EST
- Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
- Channel: CBS, streaming on Paramount+ with a subscription
Penn State vs. Nevada is scheduled to start around 3:30 p.m. EST from Beaver Stadium in Pennsylvania.
The game will be broadcast on CBS and can be streamed on Paramount+ with a subscription.
Penn State vs. Nevada odds, spread
- Spread: Penn State -43.5
- Moneyline: OFF
- O/U: 55.5
The Nevada Wolfpack finished the 2024 season with a 3-10 record, so it's no surprise that Penn State is a massive 43.5-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Penn State vs. Nevada prediction & best bets
The expectation is that this matchup won't be close, but games like this can be hard to predict, especially considering that if it's a blowout, the second half may feature plenty of the Nittany Lions' second- and third-string players. My prediction is Penn State will win... by a lot, but I'd be wary of the spread in this one.
It is worth noting that Penn State has won 21 consecutive games in August and September. Rather than playing with the spread or over, I'd head to the point market to find the best bet for this game.
Best bet: Over 55.5 points
Betting the game to conclude with over 55.5 points is your best bet here.
The Nittany Lions aren't going to play around with their food, and unlike some other Week 1 matchups, the offense should have no hiccups scoring. The reason I like the points rather than just taking Penn State's spread is that in the scenario that Penn State gets out to a huge lead, it might open the door for Nevada to find the end zone once or twice, which would help a lot with the over.
Player prop for value: Kyron Hudson 1+ touchdown (+100)
Hudson is a transfer receiver from USC and is expected to be Drew Allar's top wideout option. Both Penn State running backs are heavy favorites to find the end zone, but you have to think Allar is going to have a couple of moments airing out the ball, and finding a connection with Hudson may be at the top of the game plan list. It's about the best value you're going to get from a player prop in the game, and it's worth a play.