Free NCAA Football Prediction: Tigers vs. Nittany Lions Odds
Looking for Auburn Tigers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions free picks? College football betting sees the Tigers taking on the Nittany Lions on Saturday, September 18th at Beaver Stadium in University Park, PA. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football game Week 3 predictions like this Auburn Penn State free pick.
College Football Handicapping Analysis: Week 3
(2-0) Auburn Tigers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0)
Date: Saturday, September 18th, 2021
Time: 7:30 pm EST
Venue: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA
NCAA Football ATS Spread Odds: Tigers +7.5, Hurricanes -7.5
NCAA Football Moneyline Odds: Tigers +200, Hurricanes -250
NCAA Betting Total Odds: O/U 53
The Penn State Nittany Lions will welcome both the Auburn Tigers and College Gameday to Happy Valley this weekend for a spicy non-conference matchup. Both schools are coming off of blowout victories, while this will be the Tigers first true test this season.
HISTORY: This will only be the third time these two storied programs have crossed paths. Penn State would win the 1996 Outback Bowl, while Auburn would take the 2003 Capital One Bowl.
Auburn Tigers
The Auburn Tigers started their regular season with a pair of home blowouts over Akron and Alabama State. They will enter a hostile Happy Valley and have to deal with fans for the first time in over a year. This will truly be their first contested contest of the season, but they do enter as a battle-tested bunch.
Junior quarterback Bo Nix has enjoyed a strong start to the 2021 campaign. The third-year starter has thrown for 383 passing yards with five touchdowns to no interceptions. He’s done well in two years of SEC play, and he will be ready for the noise the weekend.
Jarquez Hunter and Tank Bigsby have split touches well through the first two weeks of the season. Bigsby led the team in rushing last season, and he’s got 241 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns so far. Hunter is a home run hitter, and he scored on a 94-yard run last week.
Auburn hasn’t had to do much through the air so far this year, but five different receivers have caught touchdowns this season. Shedrick Jackson has caught seven passes for 90 receiving yards. Demetris Robertson has caught an identical six passes for 89 yards, and he’s scored twice.
Auburn shut out Alabama State last week at home, and made Akron go 3/14 on third downs in Week 1. Senior linebacker Zakoby McClain leads the team with 17 tackles.
Penn State Nittany Lions
The Penn State Nittany Lions have picked up two respectable wins over Wisconsin and Ball State to begin the season. Going into Madison and opening the year with a win may have just set the tone for a successful season. Penn State has won four of their last five “White Out” games, and they’ll be looking to extend that stretch.
Sean Clifford appears to putting it together in his third year behind center. After throwing for 247 passing yards and a touchdown in the road win over the Badgers, he went 21-29 for 230 yards and a score against the Cardinals. Clifford also added 66 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
Junior back Noah Cain has received the majority of the workload through the two weeks. He’s gained 117 yards on 28 carries with two rushing touchdowns. He’s also caught eight passes for 57 yards.
Wideouts Jahan Dotson and Parker Washington are one of the best tandems in the Big Ten. They both have ten catches apiece, with Dotson leading the team with 167 receiving yards. 6’6 tight end Theo Johnson caught the first touchdown of his career in the win over Ball State.
Penn State returned another stiff defensive unit and it’s showed so far this season. They forced three turnovers in the road victory over Wisconsin, and held them to ten points. They forced two more turnovers in the blowout win over Ball State.
Free Week 3 NCAA Football Pick
College Gameday will be very special this weekend. Penn State’s “White Out” will surely have an effect on this game for the visitors, but a strong Auburn run game could keep things interesting if they protect the ball. The Tigers will have to rev things up this week, and the environment will be extreme for a first test of the season.
4* Free Week 3 NCAA Betting Pick: Penn State -7.5
We’re sold on the venue this weekend. We’ve seen home field advantage be vital through two weeks, and this may be one of the best turn outs we’ll see all season. Penn State should win this game, and how well they stop the run game will determine if they cover. The Nittany Lions did really well against an experienced Wisconsin team on the road, and we feel good about them doing the same Saturday night.
Spotting Auburn eight points looks appealing, but Happy Valley will be a sea of white Saturday, and that may just overwhelm a somewhat untested Tigers team. Put Penn State’s game spread to use, and view the first half spread as well, as they may out and grab an early lead in a hostile, yet Happy Valley.
If you’re looking for more picks like this Auburn Tigers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions matchup we’ll be providing 4* free College football game predictions on the blog all season long, and check out our Experts for guaranteed premium & free CFB Football picks!
Register here for a FREE NCAA Football Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special Offers!