Penn State Nittany Lions (5-0 SU, 3-1-1 ATS) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (2-2 SU, 2-2 ATS)
College Football Week 6
Date/Time: Saturday, October 7th, 2017 12:00 PM ET
Where: Ryan Field Evanston, IL
TV: BIG TEN NETWORK
by KEITH, NCAA Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: NW +15
Over/Under Total: 53.5
The Penn State Nittany Lions will hit the road and continue their 2017-18 quest and Big Ten campaign as they meet with the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with a kick-off time scheduled for 12:00 PM ET. The Wildcats have won the last two meetings against the Nittany Lions. However, this trend emerged before PSU ascended to their current state as defending Big Ten champion and Rose Bowl qualifier.
Penn State comes into the affair off the heels of a 45-14 victory against Indiana. Penn State also owns victories against Iowa, Georgia Southern, Akron, and Pitt to comprise their undefeated run in 2017. In addition to their sparkling record, the Nittany Lions feature one of the best coaching minds in all of college football in James Franklin. Franklin has got this team playing at a high level and features a talented running back in Saquon Barkley who sits as the favorite for the Heisman Trophy at this point. Against Akron and Georgia Southern, the Nittany Lions orchestrated two shutout victories where they averaged 54 points in the scoring department.
Northwestern enters off a quality loss against Wisconsin. The Wildcats would get scrappy but come up short in a 33-24 defeat at the hands of Bucky. On the year, the Cats have played well at home as they have won both their two triumphs in Evanston in their 2017-18 campaign. On a grisly note, the Wildcats are purveyors of a nasty 41-14 loss in Duke which serves as the most alarming result for the outfit this year. The Wildcats have been long awaited to take further strides and make improvements to their program but they have failed to materialize. Dating back to last year against Western Michigan, the Cats have been derailed. Nevertheless, with Penn State coming to town, the Wildcats are positioned to make a name for themselves here and throw their hat in the ring if they can pull an unlikely upset. With the intangibles resting on the side of the Wildcats given the emotional edge of recent successes against PSU, there will be plenty of home cooking for the Cats who are more than eager to host.
In the early going, we have seen much of the consensus continue take a overwhelming liking to the Nittany Lions across all boards. Whether it be money, tickets, or public forums many are keen on Penn State given the fact they have appeared dominant in many instances they have been seen this season. Embellishing further upon this active trend, the market has moved by an additional point in favor of the boys from Happy Valley. The stock on this team is through the ceiling and thus the expectations for this team to cover bigger numbers is at its apex.
Such an affair has all the makings of a trap game. The venue features an early kick-off time and the spotlight is on a top-five ranked team that comes in off another beat down of a perceived weaker opponent. This contest will likely be found on many two-game picks as Penn State seems poised for another easy win. However, we advise all considering such a prospect to think twice. The Nittany Lions may have a resume that looks spectacular but this is a football team that has not really faced prime opposition for the most part. When they have, there has been great difficulty. The best example this year was a then undefeated Iowa team giving the Nittany Lions all kinds of trouble in Kinnick Stadium. Penn State should have lost the game but heroics in the last play of regulation separated Penn State from its first blemish. While many revel in the play of running back Saquon Barkley, the Wildcats have their own toy and his name is Justin Jackson. Jackson is also one of the most consistent rushers in America and has been for several seasons. A steady dose of Double-J will keep this Penn State defense on the field and perhaps also keep this game closer than many hope. Upset alert is on.
KEITHs Pick to Cover the Point Spread: NORTHWESTERN +15. We care about our readers! And THAT is why we promote the hell out of Intertops! Online since the 90’s, never a payout complaint, 50/100% bonus offers, live betting, fast payouts and the best player loyalty program on the web which gives you points every time you bet. Redeem these points for free bets. It’s continuous. It never expires and there’s no limit to how many rewards you can receive! Get signed up TODAY to start reaping the benefits!