In the regular season finale of the college football season, the 12th-rated Penn State Nittany Lions will look to continue to gain momentum heading into postseason play when they travel to East Lansing to duel it out with the Michigan State Spartans. Check out our College Football odds series where our Penn State-Michigan State prediction and pick will be revealed.

With their pair of losses coming against the cream of the crop of the Big Ten in Michigan and Ohio State, Penn State has gone undefeated against the rest of the field and are coming off a 27-6 handling of Rutgers last weekend. At 9-2 overall, the Nittany Lions have a tremendous chance to play in a big-time bowl game but they need to take care of a physical Spartans team first.

On the other hand, Michigan State's 2023 season has been a nightmare, to say the least. Whether it's been the drama surrounding ex-head coach Mel Tucker or simply not putting enough games into the win column, the Spartans are more than eager to turn the page to 2024. Nevertheless, Michigan State did happen to squeak by Indiana by a score of 24-21 and now sits with a record of 4-7 on the season.

Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

College Football Odds: Penn State-Michigan State Odds

Penn State: -20.5 (-118)

Michigan State: +20.5 (-104)

Over: 42.5 (-110)

Under: 42.5 (-110)

How to Watch Penn State vs. Michigan State Week 13

Time: 7:30 ET/4:30 PT

TV: NBC

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why Penn State Will Cover The Spread

With several positional advantages out on the football field, there is absolutely no excuse to lay an egg on the road against a much lesser squad. Most importantly, the Nittany Lions will be eagerly monitoring the availability of starting quarterback Drew Allar who suffered an undisclosed victory in the win over Rutgers a week ago. Although Allar has shown some kinks in the armor when going up against the “big boys” of the Big Ten, it is important to remember that the Nittany Lions field general is only a true sophomore and still has plenty to learn when it comes to playing the quarterback position. Regardless, Allar's playing ability and overall arm talent is through the roof and there is no question that Penn State needs their leader on offense to suit up for play a day after Thanksgiving.

Not only does Penn State hold a considerable advantage at quarterback, but one key player to be on the lookout for will be running back Kaytron Allen who happens to pack a big punch whenever the rock is in his hands. Although it seems that Allen isn't having as great of a season compared to last statistically speaking, he is still a bonafide playmaker. Most recently, Allen compiled 69 rushing yards while finding pay dirt twice versus the Scarlet Knights. Overall, the the sophomore halfback is averaging a wealthy 4.9 yards per carry and should be tough to stop especially against a lackluster Michigan State rush defense.

As a whole, Penn State is a perfect 7-0 ATS when serving as double-digit favorites this season and are also 4-0 ATS in Big Ten play under those same circumstances.

Why Michigan State Will Cover The Spread

With no bowl game in sight, the Michigan State Spartans will be playing for a hefty amount of pride on Senior Day. For starters, this offense has to show up in a big way or they could be in for another long day at the office. As it stands, the Spartans have been stagnant for most of the season as they are only averaging 308 yards per game while compiling a measly 101 yards per contest which is certainly not gonna cut it. Although giving themselves some breathing room against a suffocating Nittany Lions defense is going to be an uphill battle, but it will be vital for the Spartans to find any sort of spark offensively.

With that being said, Michigan State's passing game must be on its A game including finding opportunities to get the ball to senior wideout Montorie Foster Jr. Last week, the Spartans leading receiver abused Indiana en route to 93 yards on seven receptions including a touchdown. Out of all the players that exist on this roster, Foster Jr. is one of a few names that can take it to the house on one play. Indeed, his explosiveness cannot be taught and he could end up putting the Spartans on his back when it is all said and done.

Final Penn State-Michigan State Prediction & Pick

Anything can happen in the wild world of the Big Ten Conference, but there has been far too much controversy and distraction this season for Michigan State. Not to mention, Penn State is better coached and has more talent. Even in front of their home fans, it should be expected that the Spartans will come up short.

Final Penn State-Michigan State Prediction & Pick: Penn State -20.5 (-118)