Purdue Boilermakers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Odds, Line, Picks, and Prediction - September 1 | 2022 NCAA Football Season
The Purdue Boilermakers will host the Penn State Nittany Lions on Thursday. These two Big Ten rivals will battle it out in Lafayette to kick off the season.
Purdue was 9-4 last year, while Penn State went 7-6. Purdue had a solid season, and at one point, they cracked the top 25. They had one of the hardest schedules of all teams, so finishing where they did is impressive. Their season ended with a thrilling 48-45 overtime win over Tennesse in the Music City Bowl.
Penn State had a respectable year overall, but they have to be disappointed as they were ranked as high as fourth in the nation at one point. They ended up losing six of their last eight, including a bowl appearance. Arkansas bested them in the Outback Bowl 24-10 after Penn State led 10-7 in the first half. They'll look to put that game behind them as they start 2022 on the road.
Purdue was not strong in the run game in 2021, ranking 127th out of 130 in rushing yards. They did have success passing, though, and with Aidan O'Connell under center, they should be in line for another good passing season.
Purdue has added a couple of transfer wide receivers to pair with what was already a good receiving core. Look for this unit that ranked fifth in passing yards last season to try to pick up where they left off.
Penn St. was also a pass-heavy team, and they're led by QB Sean Clifford. Clifford amassed 3,107 yards and 21 TDs in 2021, so expect him to be a threat tonight.
Get a good night's sleep, Boilermakers. It's almost time.
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"Get a good night's sleep, Boilermakers. It's almost time. #LetsPlayFootball" - BoilerFootball
Defensively, both schools were good at limiting yards in the air, but the Nittany Lions were exceptional at forcing turnovers. They ranked 26th in the country in this category, and they have a lot of returning starters. Penn State has taken nine straight meetings, so we'll see if this streak can be kept intact on Thursday.
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Match Details
Fixture: Penn State Nittany Lions @ Purdue Boilermakers
Date & Time: Thursday September 1, 8:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette, IN
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Odds
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Prediction
The final seven games for Penn St. all went under, as well as five of their previous six conference games. For Purdue, all of their September contests last year went under too. Look for both defenses to be solid, especially the visitors.
Prediction: Purdue Boilermakers Team Total Under 23.5 Points (+100) & Game Total Under 52.5 (-110)