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The biggest game of the college football weekend will take place in Iowa on Saturday afternoon. This matchup between 3rd ranked Penn State, and 4th ranked Iowa will be a battle of undefeated teams in Big Ten college football action. With that said, it's a good time to check out our college football odds series, which includes the Penn State-Iowa prediction, odds, and pick we have laid out below.
Penn State is coming off a 24-0 shutout victory against Indiana as Iowa dominated Maryland in their last outing, resulting in a 51-14 blowout victory. Both teams sit at the top of their conference.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the Penn State-Iowa odds:
College Football Odds: Penn State vs. Iowa Odds
Penn State: +1 (-105)
Iowa: -1 (-115)
Over: 41 (-115)
Under: 41 (-115)
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Why Penn State Could Cover the Spread
The Penn State Nittany Lions look like a complete football team this year. The offense has been producing when they need to, and the defense has been outstanding. The Nittany Lions are second nationally in red zone defense, with opponents scoring only 53.3% of their trips inside the 20-yard line. They are yielding just 10.8 points per game, which is 2nd in the nation behind the Georgia Bulldogs. Penn State is coming off their best defensive performance of the season, forcing eight punts, two turnovers, and a blocked field goal.
Offensively, Penn State is averaging 395.8 yards per game and 28 points per game. They are led by quarterback Sean Clifford, who has completed 67.3% of his passes for 1,336 yards and 11 touchdowns. Wide receiver Jahan Dotson leads all Nittany Lion receivers with 35 catches for 446 yards and six touchdowns. Penn State is 8-1 against the spread in their last nine overall and 5-1 against the spread in their last six after an against the spread win.
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Why Iowa Could Cover the Spread
Iowa will have an extra day of rest after beating Maryland in a Friday night contest. The Hawkeye defense picked off Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa five times in that game.
Iowa leads the nation with 12 interceptions and 16 takeaways on defense. They are 3rd in opponent points per game with 11.6 as well. Iowa is on an eleven game winning streak dating back to last season. In their previous victory, Iowa was dominant, putting up 51 points on 428 yards and controlling the clock for 39:10 minutes.
The Penn State defense will provide a nice challenge for Iowa, yet they gain the advantage at home, where they have won comfortably so far this season. Quarterback Spencer Petras has thrown for 943 yards and seven touchdowns in 2021. He does an excellent job of taking care of the ball, throwing just one interception. The offense moves through running back Tyler Goodson, averaging 4.3 yards per carry on 99 attempts and five rushing touchdowns. Tight end Sam LaPorta leads the receiving group with 263 yards on 22 catches and two touchdowns.
Final Penn State-Iowa Prediction & Pick
Iowa will have a packed house for this game, and their offense will take care of the football. Aside from their opener against Wisconsin, Penn State has not faced as dominant of a defense as Iowa has this year. The Hawkeye offense was impressive in their win against Maryland and should put up some points on Penn State as long as their defense can get the Nittany Lions off the field. Take Iowa to win this game outright in front of a rowdy crowd at Kinnick Stadium.
Final Pick: Iowa Moneyline -125
