Penn State vs. Ohio State 2023 College Football Week 8 Odds, Preview & Pick

By Jeff Stinger • October 18, 2023

Easily the marquee game of Week 8 around college football and one of the biggest games of the regular season is from the Big Ten as No. 7 Penn State visits No. 3 Ohio State in a matchup of unbeatens Saturday, with the Buckeyes as short favorites and the loser probably not reaching the Big Ten title game.

It’s totally unfair that Penn State, Ohio State and Michigan are all in the Big Ten East Division but at least divisions will go away next year when the Big Ten adds USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington. The Nittany Lions, Buckeyes and Wolverines are all unbeaten – no other conference even has three unbeaten teams. Both these teams still have to play Michigan (obviously).

The game will match Top 25 teams for a seventh consecutive season and for the 24th time in 39 meetings. This will be the first Top 10 affair since three consecutive in 2017-19. This is the 31st consecutive year the two teams will meet on the gridiron, all since Penn State joined the Big Ten Conference in 1993. That is Ohio State’s longest active streak of years playing one opponent. The Michigan game in 2020 was canceled due to COVID.

Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Ohio State Buckeyes Game Information

What color do we need Buckeye Nation to wear Saturday in ️ The Shoe at ⏰ Noon ⁉️

OH YEAH SCARLET pic.twitter.com/POR3SGQZV8
— Ohio State Buckeyes (@OhioStAthletics) October 17, 2023

When: Saturday, October 21, 2023, 12:00 PM ET
Where: Ohio Stadium, Columbus, OH
TV: FOX
Radio: CBS SPORTS RADIO 96.5 FM (Penn State) // WBNS The Fan 97.1 FM (Ohio State)
Live Stream: WatchESPN
College Football Odds: Penn State (+3.5) // Ohio State (-3.5)

Why Bet on the Penn State Nittany Lions?

After posting 63 points against UMass on Saturday, Penn State has scored at least 30 points in 13 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation. It marks the third time in Big Ten history a team has strung together 13 or more games of 30+ points, joining Penn State (15; 1993-94) and Ohio State (15; 2014-15). The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten and rank fifth in the country, averaging 44.3 points per game.

Penn State’s 11 straight wins by 14+ points are a school record and tied for 22nd all-time in FBS. It marks the most for a Big Ten team since 1904 (Michigan – 13). PSU is 17-0 vs. teams other than Ohio State & Michigan since the start of last season. It allowed 42.5 PPG in 2 games vs Ohio State & Michigan last year I losses. PSU has lost 14 straight road games vs AP Top-5 opponents and seeking its highest AP-ranked road win since 1990 at #1 Notre Dame.

Ohio State has won six consecutive games over Penn State, 10 of the last 12 and leads the all-time series in wins, 23-14. The average margin of victory during OSU’s six-game winning streak in the series is eight points. Last year, the final score was 44-31.

Why Bet on the Ohio State Buckeyes?

In Saturday’s win at Purdue, the Buckeyes played without several key players including Emeka Egbuka, TreVeyon Henderson, Miyan Williams and Denzel Burke, but Coach Ryan Day hopes they all can play in this one – probably why OSU rested all but Burke against the Boilers. Burke left in the third quarter injured. Egbuka, a second-team All-Big Ten wide receiver in 2022 who ranked third in the league in receptions, did not travel to Purdue after sustaining a lower leg injury Oct. 7 against Maryland.

Henderson and Williams are the team’s top two tailbacks. Dallan Hayden led Ohio State with 76 rushing yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while Xavier Johnson, a wide receiver, added 39 rushing yards and five scores in Ohio State’s 41-7 victory against Purdue.

Ohio State has started for the ninth time in the last 12 seasons. It has won 39 of its last 41 home games (only losses: 2021 vs #12 Oregon, 2022 vs #3 Michigan). The Buckeyes are 15-5 in their last 20 games vs AP Top-10 opponents, and won their lone such matchup this year at No. 9 Notre Dame in September. OSU has won 6 of its past 7 home games vs AP Top-10 opponents. Coach Ryan Day is 35-0 vs Big Ten opponents other than Michigan.

This will feature two of the nation’s top defenses. The Nittany Lions enter the game leading the country in total defense (193.7), pass defense (121.2), pass efficiency defense (80.73), completion percentage (49.1), first downs allowed (67), sacks per game (4.5) and red zone attempts (7), while ranking second in the country in scoring defense (8.0) and rushing defense (72.5).

Ohio State owns the nation’s third-best scoring defense (9.7), while holding seventh in total defense (263.5), fourth in pass defense (154.3) and seventh in first downs allowed (94). On offense, Ohio State ranks third in the Big Ten in scoring (36.0 ppg; 20th nationally), first in total offense (443.0 ypg; 32nd), first in passing offense (308.0; 15th) and ninth in rushing offense (135.0; 92nd).

Penn State vs. Ohio State Betting Trends

Penn State is 7-0 ATS in the last 7 games.
Nittany Lions are 10-0 SU in its last 10 games.
The total went over in 10 of Penn State’s last 14 games.
Ohio State is 12-2-1 ATS in the last 15 games played in October.
Buckeyes are 6-0 SU in its last 6 games.
The total went under in 5 of Ohio State’s last 6 games.

Penn State vs. Ohio State Expert Betting Predictions

Ohio State 27, Penn State 24.

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