West Virginia vs. Penn State Predictions, Picks & Odds Week 1: Could Defense Star in Happy Valley?
A new era starts for Penn State with a new quarterback atthe helm. Here is our West Virginia vs. Penn State prediction based on the best college football odds.
On paper, it's a mismatch as nationally-ranked Penn State hosts a West Virginia side that many expect to finish near the bottom of the Big 12 standings.
Can the Mountaineers’ experienced, but flawed, defense do enough to slow first-year starting quarterback Drew Allar on the other side and help cash our college football Week 1 predictions?
Here is our best West Virginia vs. Penn State prediction and college football picks (odds via our best college football betting sites; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).
West Virginia vs. Penn State prediction: Week 1
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Though Penn State has not officially announced who will replace Sean Clifford at QB this season, the Nittany Lions are expected to roll with Drew Allar. If he gets off to a fast start, things could get out of hand quickly.
But it’s more likely that the Lions will lean on the running game to ease Allar into the role.
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West Virginia struggled defensively a season ago, allowing more than 35 points per game. But the Mountaineers were at least middle of the pack as a run defense and they return a number of experienced leaders throughout what should be an improved unit.
We can’t say the same about the Mountaineer offense. The quarterback battle has come down to Garrett Greene and Nicco Marchiol, but neither project as particularly encouraging options. Against a loaded Penn State defense that allowed just 18.2 points per game last year, offense could be hard to come by for West Virginia.
It’s plausible that Penn State covers the 20.5-point spread, but I’m more interested in projecting a generally low score overall for this content. The clock no longer stops on first downs in college football, and after both offenses ranked outside the FBS Top 50 in seconds per play last season, I could see this game turning into a measured affair. Take the Under with your college football best bets for Saturday.
West Virginia vs. Penn State best odds
Most of our best sports betting apps list the total at 49.5 with standard -110 odds, but there are outlier values to be found on both sides of this number. Caesars offers the best value for Under bettors, listing the total at 50 with standard -110 odds.
FanDuel is the place to go if you want to fade our pick and take Over, as it offers the number at 48.5 with standard -110 odds. We’re comfortable playing the Under down to that 48.5, but don’t do it at FanDuel unless the rest of the board drops the line, too.
West Virginia vs. Penn State odds
The Nittany Lions opened as 20.5-point favorites and have remained there across the board at our best sports betting sites. 57% of spread wagers have gone on the underdog Mountaineers.
The total opened at 52.5, but has seen a steady decline down to between 49.5 and 50.5 across our best sportsbooks. The public is taking advantage of the reduced price as 54% of wagers have gone Over.
West Virginia vs. Penn State game info
- When: Sept. 2, 2023, 7:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
- How to watch: NBC
- Weather: 74 degrees, 5 mph winds, 2% chance of precipitation
West Virginia-Penn State pick made on 08/31/2023 at 3:58 p.m. ET.
College football betting odds pages
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