This week’s game between the Indiana Hoosiers (4-1) and the Penn State Nittany Lions (4-1) promises to be a pivotal Big 10 matchup. The nation’s fifth-leading rusher, Jordan Howard (709 yards, 4 TDs), is a player to watch in this contest. It will begin Saturday, Oct 10 at 12:00 p.m. ET.
Penn State beat Army 20-14 last week. Mike Gesicki had a good game in the win, registering one reception for 33 yards and one TD. Chris Godwin finished with 66 receiving yards on four receptions. Indiana didn’t have the same success as Penn State, getting beat by Ohio State 34-27. Zander Diamont had a solid game passing the ball for the Hoosiers, completing six of 14 passes for 76 yards. He added 98 yards and a TD on seven attempts. Simmie Cobbs added 68 receiving yards on four receptions.
Penn State is an eight-point favorite in this game and the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable.
While the Nittany Lions have a good Straight Up (SU) record this season (4-1), they’ve played below expectations with a 2-3 record Against The Spread (ATS). Indiana’s pass defense has surrendered an average of 13.9 yards per pass this season. As for the Penn State defense, there are important areas to keep an eye on. Penn State is opportunistic in its run defense, allowing only 3.2 yards per rush. Indiana’s defense could make it easy on the Nittany Lions heading into halftime. The Hoosiers allow an average of 13 points in the second quarter, making them one of the worst in the country. Indiana will want to stay focused this week to avoid giving the game away to the Nittany Lions. The Hoosiers are one of the most penalized teams in the nation with eight flags per game.
Across the field, the Hoosiers have a record of 4-1 for both ATS and SU. The Hoosiers rely heavily on their run game, averaging 52 rushing attempts per game. Switching gears to the Indiana defense, there are certain areas where it measures up well against the Nittany Lions. The pass rushers for the Hoosiers have got to be excited about their matchup this week against the Nittany Lions, who rank 108th in the country with an average of three sacks allowed per game. The Hoosiers usually get a boost in the third quarter, when they average 11.6 points this year.
Predictions: SU Winner – Penn State, ATS Winner – Indiana
Notes
Penn State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games.
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Penn State’s last 5 games.
Penn State is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games at home.
Penn State is 2-6-1 ATS in its last 9 games when playing Indiana.
Penn State is 15-1 SU in its last 16 games when playing Indiana.
Penn State is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against Indiana.
Each team is 4-0 SU when leading after three quarters.
Per FBS ratings, Penn State has an advantage in the passing game. Its offensive passing game (ranked 103rd in the nation) will face the 127th-ranked pass defense of Indiana, while its 19th-ranked pass defense will look to limit the 31st-ranked aerial attack of the Hoosiers.
According to overall FBS team rankings, Indiana is rated higher in the ground game on both sides of the ball. Its 20th-ranked rushing attack will face the 31st-ranked run defense of Penn State, while its 72nd-ranked run defense will look to contain the 90th-ranked rushing game of the Nittany Lions.
Penn State has allowed 15.8 points per contest this year, which is ranked 82nd in the country. Indiana has put up 36.0 points per game this year and is ranked 27th in FBS.
