The Kent State Golden Flashes and No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions will do battle on the grass of Beaver Stadium. This crucial afternoon game is scheduled to kick off at 12:00 p.m. ET and fans can witness the action live on FS1.
Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Preview
Kent State is the noticeable underdog here and is currently receiving 34 points from bookmakers. There should be multiple good live betting opportunities for this game, and bookmakers haven’t determined what the game’s over/under (O/U) will be yet.
The opening line was originally set at -36, but has recently shifted.
The Golden Flashes have recorded 0.0 units so far and are 2-0 against the spread (ATS). The team’s posted an O/U mark of 1-1. The Nittany Lions have gained 1.0 unit for moneyline bettors this season. They’re 1-1 ATS and own an O/U record of 2-0.
The Golden Flashes have gone 1-1 straight up (SU) in 2018 while the Nittany Lions are 2-0 SU.
The Golden Flashes want to make it two in a row 54-14 victory over Howard last week. The Golden Flashes defensive unit did its part in the win, keeping the Bison to just 205 passing yards and 65 rushing yards. On the offense, Woody Barrett completed only 13-of-27 passes for 156 yards, along with a TD and an interception. Justin Rankin (147 yards on 12 rush attempts, one TD) and Jo-el Shaw (105 yards on 12 carries, three TDs) led the ground attack while Isaiah McKoy (four receptions, 74 yards, one TD) and Raekwon James (three catches, 34 yards) handled the receiving duties in the win.
Penn State is coming off of a 51-6 win over Pittsburgh. Trace McSorley completed 14-of-30 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Miles Sanders (118 yards on 16 rush attempts) spearheaded the running game while KJ Hamler (three receptions, 40 yards, one TD) and Jonathan Holland (two catches, 25 yards) led the pass-catching corps in the win.
Kent State has run the ball on 57.6 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Penn State has a rush percentage of 53.8 percent. The Golden Flashes have run for 269 yards per game and have seven touchdowns on the ground this year. The Nittany Lions are logging 208 rushing yards per game and have eight total rush TDs.
It appears that the Golden Flashes might have the edge in all aspects of the ground game. Their backfield has produced 5.7 yards per carry while their defense is allowing 3.4 YPC to opponents. The Nittany Lions have tallied 5.4 yards per carry and given up a YPC of 4.5 to opponents.
The Golden Flashes offense has logged 213 yards/contest in the air overall and has three passing scores so far. The Nittany Lions have produced 204 pass yards per contest and have four total pass TDs.
On the defensive side of the ball, Kent State has allowed 172 rush yards and 198 pass yards per game. The Penn State defense has allowed 173.5 yards per game to opposing passers and 202.0 yards per game on the ground. The Nittany Lions are allowing an adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) of only 4 to opponents, while the Golden Flashes have given up a 5.13 ANY/A.
Offensively, Barrett is up to 156 passing yards this season. He’s completed 48 percent of his 27 attempts with one scores through the air and one interception. He’s got a 4.28 adjusted net yards per pass attempt, including 4.80 over the last two games.
We’re expecting the Golden Flashes to control tempo by feeding their running backs early and often. Along with Woody Barrett (0 yards), Justin Rankin (147 rush yards, one rush TD) and Jo-el Shaw (105 rush yards, three rush TDs) have delivered in the Kent State offensive scheme.
On the other sideline, Trace McSorley has managed to complete 14-of-30 passes for 145 yards, two TDs and zero INTs. McSorley’s ANY/A sits at 5.71 for the year and 6.24 over his last two games.
The Nittany Lions also prefer to rely on their backfield. In addition to Miles Sanders (six receiving yards), KJ Hamler (32 rush yards, one rush TD, 40 receiving yards, one receiving TD) and Juwan Johnson (zero rush yards, 23 receiving yards) have gotten a multitude of looks recently.
Free Pick: Kent State Golden Flashes at Penn State Nittany Lions
SU Winner – Penn State, ATS Winner – Kent State
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Notes
Team Betting Trends
Each team has produced one pass play of 40+ yards. The Golden Flashes have have made one pass play of 30+ yards while the Nittany Lions have accounted for two such plays.
The Kent State defense has allowed two pass plays of 40 or more yards, while Penn State has given up zero such plays.
Both teams have produced six rushing plays of 20 or more yards. The Kent State offense has recorded 21 running plays of 10+ yards while Penn State has accounted for 15 such plays.
The Golden Flashes defense has allowed four rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Nittany Lions have given up three such runs.
The Kent State defensive unit has seven sacks on the year while Penn State has six.
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