Penn State vs Ohio State Odds: Can Buckeyes Continue Big 10 Dominance?
Penn St. Has Lost Six Straight in Series Dating to 2016

Highlighting the Week 8 college football slate is a showdown between Big Ten Conference powerhouses Penn State and Ohio State. Kickoff is slated for noon ET Saturday at Ohio Stadium.
Third-ranked Ohio State opened as a 7.5-point favorite, but with injuries to two key offensive starters, the NCAA football line is now down to -4 (-105). The Buckeyes are also -180 on the moneyline, while the seventh-ranked Nittany Lions are +4 (-115) on the spread and +160 to win outright. The projected points total, meanwhile, has dropped from 52.5 to 46.5 (-110 Over, -110 Under).
Who has the edge in this matchup of top 10 NCAAF teams? Read on as we dive into the matchup and break down the Penn State vs Ohio State odds in our college football game preview.
Penn State Nittany Lions at Ohio State Buckeyes 
Day/Time:
Location: Ohio Stadium; Columbus, Ohio
Streaming: ABC
Betting Trends
The Penn State Nittany Lions have won all six games against the spread this season and are 7-0 dating to last year. The Nittany Lions are also 6-1 ATS in their last seven games against Ohio State. Notably, the total has gone Over in 10 of the Nittany Lions’ last 14 contests. The Ohio State Buckeyes, meanwhile, are 3-2-1 ATS this season. The total has gone Under in five of the Buckeyes’ last six games. That’s important to remember when assessing the Penn State vs Ohio State odds.
Nittany Lions in Title Hunt
The Penn State Nittany Lions are off to a blistering 6-0 start, making it a three-team race atop the Big Ten East. The Nittany Lions sit No. 7 in the AP Top 25 poll after their latest win on the college football schedule, a 63-0 wipeout of UMass on Saturday. They’re one of four ranked teams from the Big Ten, joining No. 2 Michigan, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 24 Iowa.
Drew Allar threw for 162 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, helping the Nittany Lions cover the 42-point spread with ease. They’re now 6-0 ATS this season, one of four FBS teams — UNLV, Oregon, Oklahoma — with a 100% cover rate. They also hit the Over (55) for the second straight NCAAF game.
At minimum, a Big Ten title is in reach. The Nittany Lions have gone from +550 to +300 to win the conference, leaving them close behind Michigan (+105) and Ohio State (+250). They’re also +250 to make the College Football Playoff and +1200 to win the national championship, the sixth-best price on the board.
Much of their fate rests in Allar. The sophomore has been a revelation at quarterback, with a 65.2% completion rate and 12 touchdowns over his first six games. More importantly, he’s now gone 241 attempts without an interception dating to last season. Unsurprisingly, the Nittany Lions have been one of college football’s most efficient offenses, ranking fifth in the country in scoring (44.3 points per game).
At the same token, don’t overlook Penn State’s defense. The Nittany Lions have allowed the fewest yards in FBS (1,162) and the second-fewest points on average (8.0 per game). They’re also second in FBS in sacks, with 27. Two of their last three wins have been shutouts. Keep that in mind when analyzing the Penn State vs Ohio State odds.
Bucking the Competition
The Ohio State Buckeyes are right where most expected them to be: in the mix for a national championship. The Buckeyes are 6-0, including 3-0 in the Big Ten, after hammering Purdue 41-7 on Saturday. A 17-point favorite, the Buckeyes covered the spread for the second straight week and third time this season.
Marvin Harrison Jr. — the son of NFL Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison — led the Buckeyes with six catches for 105 yards and one touchdown. Harrison Jr. is now +8000 to win the Heisman Trophy, the second-best price of any non-quarterback behind Michigan running back Blake Corum (+5000). With uncertainty surrounding the statuses of running back Treyvon Henderson (undisclosed) and receiver Emeka Egbuka (leg), the Buckeyes will remain heavily dependent on Harrison Jr.
The Buckeyes are currently priced +250 to win the Big Ten and +170 to return to the CFP for the third time in four seasons. They’re also +900 to win the NCAA title, matching Washington for the fourth-best price on the board.
The Key to the Buckeyes’ fate is the emergence of junior Kyle McCord. In his first year as the full-time starter at quarterback, McCord has thrown for 11 touchdowns compared to only one interception. The Buckeyes are averaging a healthy 36 points per game, with a win over then-No. 9 Notre Dame already under their belt.
But like Penn State, they’ve also been dominant defensively. They rank top 10 in FBS in both average yards (263.5) and points (9.7) allowed. The Buckeyes have yet to give up more than 17 points.
Handicapping the Game
Ohio State has won six straight games against Penn State, including five in a row at home. The Buckeyes could very well extend that streak, but injuries to two of their top playmakers in Henderson and Egbuka have complicated things.
Knowing that, the Nittany Lions are well-positioned to keep this close. If both NCAAF players remain out, it’s worth taking Penn State down to +3 on the road.
For NCAAF betting news, college football betting lines, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
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