Against the Odds: Pitt vs. Penn State Spread

Pitt is a -4.5 point favorite on Saturday for the 97th meeting with the Pennsylvania State University. It’s considerably down from March, when Pitt opened as a 9-point favorite. It’s not too surprising, March betting odds for September football games have to fluctuate some with the way the wagers are coming in for the game.

So Pitt is the favorite at home? Makes sense to me. Pitt is coming off a solid 8-5 season, they are at home, and they have a very veteran team that starts 13 seniors. Conversely, Penn State is a bit younger and they are breaking in a new quarterback. From the outside perspective, 4.5 points in favor makes sense, at least on the surface.

So if you were in the wagering game, would you take Pitt to cover 4.5? I mean sure, Pitt has that experienced offensive line, a great stable of running backs, a senior quarterback on offense. The defense returns key guys like Jordan Whitehead and Ejuan Price. There’s a lot to like about this team, except last week was lackluster. Were they keeping it simple? Were they not interested? Or, is Pitt really not that good? It could be any of those, that’s the beauty of betting - it’s all about what you can convince yourself.

Now how about Penn State? They have a new revamped offense that could be downright scary if the offensive line improves. Saquon Barkley is probably the best running back in the country that the national media doesn’t mention with the Fournette’s and McCaffrey’s. Penn State has also recruited like crazy in recent seasons, at some point that talent is going to shine through for James Franklin.

I’ll be honest, I’d stay away from a game like this. Rivalry games are just unpredictable. If you ask me point blank who is going to win, I will say Pitt. If I had to wager on it, well I just don’t know. Maybe I’d throw a few bucks down just for the heck of it.

So what say you? Are you taking Pitt giving 4.5 points? Let’s hear below.