College Football Week 1 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Penn State vs. Purdue (9/1)
Let’s take a look at the College Football Week 1 odds, picks, and predictions for this week’s game: Penn State vs. Purdue.
Check out our other Week 1 game previews:
- Pittsburgh vs. West Virginia
- Louisiana Tech vs. Missouri
- Central Michigan vs. Oklahoma State
- TCU vs. Colorado
- Indiana vs. Illinois
- Western Michigan vs. Michigan State
- Old Dominion vs. Virginia Tech
- New Mexico State vs. Minnesota
- Georgia State vs. South Carolina
- Nevada vs. Texas State
- Western Kentucky vs. Hawaii
- North Carolina State vs. East Carolina
- Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
- Boise State vs. Oregon State
- Arizona vs. San Diego State
- Utah State vs. Alabama
- Middle Tennessee vs. James Madison
- Cincinnati vs. Arkansas
- Florida State vs. LSU
- Utah vs. Florida
- Colorado State vs. Michigan
- Rice vs. USC
- Oregon vs. Georgia
- Louisiana-Monroe vs. Texas
- Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
College Football Week 1 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Penn State vs. Purdue
Going 11-11 over his past two seasons, Penn State head coach James Franklin was still awarded a big contract but hasn't quite won over the fan base by most accounts. At the helm, Sean Clifford is back at quarterback for yet another season, as the senior gunslinger has turned into one of the best game managers in the country, but little beyond that.
Freshman running back Nicholas Singleton will get his first shot with the Nittany Lions and could be the spark that this offense needs after scoring just 25 points per game last season.
As for Purdue, the Boilermakers come in off of the best season of the Jeff Brohm era as he got his team to 9-4, winning big games vs. Iowa, Nebraska, and Michigan State as underdogs. Aidan O'Connell is back for his senior season, as is Purdue's leading rusher in King Doerue.
While Purdue is turning into a trendy underdog pick here, I like the more talented Nittany Lions in this one.
Bet: Penn State -3.5
What is Betting Against the Spread?
Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.
What is an Over/Under Bet?
Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.
What is a Moneyline Bet?
A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.
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