Skip to main content

Penn State Stays Undefeated With Blowout Win Over Maryland; Are Nittanies a Title Contender?

  • Penn State destroyed Maryland 59-0 in College Park on Friday Night
  • The victory has prompted online sportsbooks to shorten the Nittany Lions’ National Championship odds to +3300
  • Are they a legit title contender?

While National Title favorites Alabama and Clemson were either starting out slow or barley squeaking out victories in Week 5, Penn State was making a statement. The 12th-ranked Nittany Lions destroyed rival Maryland,  59-0, in a game that was over by the half.

The undefeated Nittany Lions have won their first four games by an average of 43.25 points and have seen their National Championship odds shorten from +9000 all the way down to +3300.

2020 CFP National Championship Odds

Team Odds at BetOnline*
Alabama Crimson Tide +225
Clemson Tigers +250
Ohio State Buckeyes +700
Georgia Bulldogs +700
LSU Tigers +800
Oklahoma Sooners N/A
Wisconsin Badgers +2500
Auburn Tigers +2500
Utah Utes +2800
Penn State Nittany Lions +3300
Florida Gators +4000
Michigan Wolverines +5000
Washington Huskies +5000
Notre Dame Fighting Irish +5000
Texas Longhorns +6600

*Odds taken on 09/29/19.

Full of Firepower

It didn’t take long for Penn State to silence Maryland’s largest home crowd since 2011. Led by QB Sean Clifford, they scored touchdowns on their first four possessions and led 38-0 at the half.

Clifford threw for 398 yards and three scores, while the offense as a whole racked up 619 yards. The run game produced five touchdowns, giving them 15 in four games, and Clifford has a sparkling 9-1 TD to INT ratio in his first full season as a starter.

The Nittany Lions are one of just six teams in the Nation to average 50 points per game, and they lead the Big Ten in passing yards.

One of the Best Defenses in the Nation

As good as the offense has been, you could argue the defense has been even more impressive. They limited the Terps to just 128 total yards and a 46% completion percentage on Friday night, while forcing three turnovers.

Penn State has allowed the second-fewest points in the country, and have held opponents below 70 yards rushing in three of their first four games. They racked up four more sacks at Maryland, giving them 15 on the season, and have allowed just one quarterback in four games to exceed 200 yards passing.

This defense is dominant on all three levels and will give the Big Ten heavyweights nightmares this season.

Penn State’s Price is a Steal

It’s not often you can get a team ranked inside the top-5 in both points for and points against at such long odds. We’ll learn a lot more about the Nittany Lions true ceiling in the coming weeks when they square off against Iowa, Michigan, and Michigan State, but so far they’ve given us no reason not to believe they’re a legit National Championship contender.


They excel on both sides of the ball, are well coached, and certainly look like a team that’s going to be competing for a Big Ten title in December. Grab them now, because if they steam roll Purdue next week, this number is only going to get shorter.

The post Penn State Stays Undefeated With Blowout Win Over Maryland; Are Nittanies a Title Contender? appeared first on Sports Betting Dime.



from Sports Betting Dime https://ift.tt/2mLEqF6
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Players Championship Odds, Predictions, and Best Picks 2025

The Players Championship tees off Thursday, March 13th, 2025 Scottie Scheffler is the heavy +360 favorite to win this tournament for the third straight year See the 2025 Players Championship odds, picks, and best value bets below After Russell Henley won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, the PGA Tour’s best head to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for the “fifth major” – the Players Championship. It’s the crown jewel on the schedule, and the field is stacked as it tackles the quirky and confounding TPC Sawgrass, with Scottie Scheffler searching for a record third straight title at this tournament. 48 of the top 50 golfers in the world will be teeing it up (not Bryson DeChambeau or Tyrrell Hatton). The Players Championship Odds 2025 Golfers Odds Scottie Scheffler +360 Rory McIlroy +800 Collin Morikawa +1600 Xander Schauffele +1600 Ludvig Aberg +2000 Justin Thomas +2000 Hideki Matsuyama +2800 Tommy Fleetwood +3000 Patrick Cantlay +3...
Post a Comment
Read more

Early Indiana vs Notre Dame Prediction, Pick & Odds for CFP Playoffs Round 1

We’ve made our early Indiana vs Notre Dame prediction for the College Football Playoff first round The latest CFP odds favor the Fighting Irish by over a touchdown at home Read below for our Indiana vs Notre Dame prediction, picks, and odds The College Football Playoff kicks off with a blockbuster matchup between in-state foes, as the No. 10 seed Indiana Hoosiers (11-1) travel to South Bend to take on the No. 7 seed Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1). The Irish are laying 7.5 points at home in this one, with the total sitting at 50.5 points. This marks the first-ever meeting between these programs in the playoff, adding even more intrigue to what was already shaping up as one of the most compelling first-round clashes. The Fighting Irish are looking to reestablish themselves as a national powerhouse, while the Hoosiers are out to prove their magical season is no fluke. Oddsmakers are siding with the Irish, but the sharp money is going the other way… Indiana vs Notre Dame Odds ...
Post a Comment
Read more

SMU vs Houston Odds and Picks

#6 Houston is a 10-point home favorite over SMU on Sunday (Jan. 31st, 1 pm EST) The Cougars have won seven straight and beat the Mustangs by 14 in their first meeting See below for analysis, odds and a betting prediction This Sunday will be the first since Labour Day weekend without NFL games to sweat. But never fear, college hoops has you covered with an AAC matchup between SMU and #6 Houston starting at 1 pm EST. The Cougars (14-1, 9-1 AAC) have won seven straight, while the Mustangs (9-3, 5-3 AAC) salvaged a split in their home and home series with Memphis last time out. SMU vs #6 Houston Odds Team Spread Moneyline Total SMU Mustangs +10 (-110) OFF Over 139 (-110) Houston Cougars -10 (-110) OFF Under 139 (-110) Odds taken Jan. 30th. Houston opened up as a 10-point favorite , in a game that features a total of 139. The Cougars are fresh off a 23-point win over Tulane in their last contest, dominating the Green Wave despite missing leading scorer Que...
Post a Comment
Read more