Ohio vs Penn St Odds & Prediction
To say that Penn State has had a tumultuous offseason is a massive understatement. The criminal acts that took place on campus have taken this football program down a road no one could have ever expected. Bill O’Brien is tasked with the job of turning things around for the Nittany Lions program.
Ohio Bobcats vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
Beaver Stadium
Saturday September 1, 12:00 PM EST
College Football Betting Odds from TopBet
Moneyline: Penn State (-240) Ohio (+2000)
College Football Spread: Penn State -6.5 (-110) vs. Ohio +6.5 (-110)
Over/Under: 44.5
Ohio is coming off a ten win season, and they are the favorites in the MAC. Look for this to be a hard fought game with tons of emotion.
Ohio
Frank Solich has done a tremendous job turning Ohio into perennial contenders in the MAC. The Bobcats haven’t been able to get over the hump and win a MAC Championship just yet, but they did come up with the program’s first bowl victory last season. The team has even higher aspirations this year.
Tyler Tettleton is one of the best quarterbacks you have probably never heard of. Tettleton threw for 3,306 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2012. He also ran for 666 yards and 10 touchdowns. He is a dual-threat quarterback who can run and throw equally well, and those kind of quarterbacks are hard to find. Tettleton’s top two receivers from a year ago are gone, and the Bobcats might be a bit thin on the outside. In the backfield, Beau Blankenship and Ryan Boykin will split the carries. The Bobcats clearly have a star at the quarterback spot. The key will be the players around him, and they have to contribute consistently.
In the Bobcats preseason scrimmages it has been the defense that has dominated. Coach Solich said he believes this defense has the potential to be the best defense he has coached here at Ohio. It starts with tons of talent at the defensive tackle spot. Carl Jones, Corey Hasting, and Neal Hunyh are all great run stuffers in the middle. The secondary could be one of the best in the nation. Travis Carrie is the team’s top corner, and Gerald Moore is an NFL-caliber safety. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
Penn State
It’s nearly impossible to tell how the Penn State team will play on Saturday, but you can be sure there will be a ton of emotion on the field. The one thing this team has wanted to do for many months now is get back on the football field in a game situation.
The loss of Silas Redd certainly hurts the Penn State offense. Bill Belton and Curtis Dukes will share the carries in the backfield. Matt McGloin is the starter at quarterback. McGloin hasn’t played particularly well in his time as starter, but no one else has stepped up and taken over either. Paul Jones could get some looks at quarterback early in the season as well. The offensive line is another problem area. Four of the team’s five starters from last year are gone, and this has been a trouble area for the team for the last couple years. This offense will struggle in 2012.
The defense is certainly the strength of this team. Look for linebacker Michael Mauti to put together a terrific campaign as the leader of this defense. He missed most of 2011 with a knee injury, but he is back and ready to go this season. The defensive line isn’t full of stars, but there is more depth here than most areas. The secondary is the biggest question mark, but there is some quality talent there as well.
On both sides it seems the defenses are definitely the stronger unit. I don’t think Penn State can score much here, but I think the Nittany Lions defense will hold their own. Look for a close and low-scoring game.
Free College Football Pick: Under 44.5
Score Prediction: Penn State 20 Ohio 17
