This weekend, the Minnesota Golden Gophers will travel to play the Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State enters this weekend with a 5-1 record, while Minnesota has a 4-2 record so far this season.
This Minnesota vs Penn State matchup will be significant to the college football standings and each team’s potential bowl game.
Ahead of this weekend’s game, here is a look at some of the key stats and some Minnesota vs Penn State best bets.
Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions
This weekend’s game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Penn State Nittany Lions has kickoff set for 7:30 P.M. ET on Saturday, October 22.
The game will take place at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Saturday’s game is set to be broadcast on ABC.
It will be an important matchup as both teams enter the second half of their schedules and will need to rack up wins to rise in the college football standings and land in the best bowl game possible.
Previous Scoreboards
Both teams enter this game after a loss. Penn State lost 41-17 against Michigan in Ann Arbor last weekend, while Minnesota was defeated 24-16 by No.24 Illinois.
Penn State is currently third in the Big Ten after last weekend’s game, with a 2-1 record so far in conference play.
Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers are 4-2 overall this season but are fourth in the Big Ten with a 1-2 conference record.
Minnesota Golden Gophers vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Analysis
One of the most important matchups of this weekend’s game will be between Minnesota’s rushing offense and Penn State’s rushing defense.
The Nittany Lions allowed 418 rushing yards against Michigan on 55 rushing attempts, an average of 7.6 yards per carry.
Minnesota’s Defense
Minnesota’s rushing offense is currently the 16th-best in the country, with 227.3 yards per game. The Golden Gophers rushed for 142 yards last weekend against Illinois.
If Minnesota has success running the ball this weekend, it could lead to an unexpected win on the road.
The two teams rushing offenses and defenses will have a significant impact on the college football odds for this weekend’s game.
NCAAF Rankings
So far this season, both teams are averaging more than 30 points per game. Minnesota currently ranks 37th in that category, averaging 34.5 points per game, while Penn State averages 31.5 points per game, 51st in the FBS.
The Golden Gophers’ defense has been phenomenal this season, allowing only 11.7 points per game, the fourth-best in the country. Penn State’s defense is the 24th-best in the country, allowing 19.2 points per game.
Both teams have played well so far this season, but the most important factor in Saturday’s game could be which team has more success running the ball.
That part of the game could determine which team wins this weekend and affect the Minnesota vs Penn State best bets.
Odds Breakdown
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Ahead of this weekend’s game, Minnesota is a 4.5-point underdog. The Golden Gophers’ moneyline is currently +175.
This season, Minnesota is 4-2 against the spread. The Golden Gophers lost last weekend despite entering the game as a nine-point favorite.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Entering this weekend, Penn State is favored to win by 4.5 points. The Penn State Nittany Lions are 3-3 against the spread this season.
Penn State’s moneyline ahead of this weekend’s game is -210. They did not cover the spread last weekend against Michigan.
Minnesota vs. Penn State Betting Pick and Prediction
One of the Minnesota vs Penn State best bets this weekend may be choosing to take Minnesota +4.5. The Golden Gophers have had substantial success running the ball this season, allowing them to win this weekend’s game.
Who to Bet On?
In addition, the game could finish with less than 45 points because of how well both teams’ defenses have played this season.
This weekend’s game will be an important Big Ten matchup that could impact both teams’ seasons. Here are some NCAAF picks for this weekend’s game.
NCAAF Pick: Minnesota +5 (-110)
NCAAF Pick: Under 43 (-110)
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