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Penn State vs Indiana Prediction, Game Preview, Live Stream, Odds & Picks

Hoosiers Antagonize Lions

The No. 15 Penn State Nittany Lions are looking for a bounce-back performance on the road against the Indiana Hoosiers. Penn State comes off a 44-31 loss to No. 2 Ohio State, while Indiana fell to Rutgers 24-17 in its last game.

The Nittany Lions (6-2, 3-2) must be alert; the Hoosiers (3-5, 1-4) have had Penn State’s number in recent years. Will Indiana be a thorn in the Nittany Lions’ side once again?

Kalen King #4 of the Penn State Nittany Lions celebrates after a play against the Ohio State Buckeyes
Scott Taetsch - Getty Images - AFP

Let’s check the latest college football odds, stats, injury reports and college football lines for Penn State vs Indiana. We’ve plenty of NCAA football odds for you to consider.

Penn State Itching for Good QB Play

Under coach James Franklin, Penn State continues to fall short in big games. After the 44-31 loss to Ohio State, Franklin is 2-15 against top-10 opponents and 1-10 against top-5 teams. At this point, winning a New Year’s Six bowl game would be a successful season. Until the Nittany Lions get better quarterback play, they will fall short of Big Ten title hopes.

Quarterback Sean Clifford comes off a tough outing. He had four turnovers against Ohio State, including three interceptions. With the five-star true freshman Drew Allar on the bench, Penn State fans are antsy for better QB play.

The Nittany Lions’ offensive line has improved, especially in the run game. True freshman running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen are budding stars in the backfield. Plus, the receiving corps is in good hands with Parker Washington, who comes off 179 receiving yards.

Clifford’s mediocrity is holding this offense back. At least the unit has a bright future.

Penn State’s defense had some nice moments against Ohio State. It came out strong, holding the Buckeyes to 16 points through three quarters. Outside of a 41-yard carry, the run defense played well. Like many defenses across the country, the secondary was overwhelmed by OSU’s passing attack.

Hoosiers Searching for Signature Win

It has been a rough season for Indiana. After losing to Rutgers, the Hoosiers are officially the worst team in the Big Ten East. Taking down Penn State could help change the narrative about Indiana’s season. The Hoosiers are certainly capable; they get up for this game every season.

Indiana is a pass-heavy team, throwing the ball on 65.26% of plays (second). Penn State’s pass defense had a bad game last week, allowing over 300 yards passing. Still, throwing on the Nittany Lions will be a tall task due to their exceptional pass rush and talented players in the secondary, like cornerback Joey Porter Jr. and safety Ji’Ayir Brown. Quarterback Connor Bazelak, who has nine interceptions, must take care of the ball.

On defense, the Hoosiers need to be better against the run. Indiana’s pass defense played well last game, but Rutgers totaled 192 rushing yards. When the Nittany Lions’ run game is working, they are hard to beat. Penn State posted under 120 rushing yards in both of its losses. Led by linebacker Aaron Casey’s 65 tackles, Indiana’s run defense holds opponents to 3.7 yards per carry (38th).

Penn State vs Indiana Game Injuries

Penn State vs Indiana Head-to-Head

Penn State has won seven of the last eight matchups against Indiana. However, the Hoosiers defeated the Nittany Lions 36-35 in 2020. Indiana also lost by one score in 2018 and 2019. Penn State took care of business last season, taking down Indiana 24-0.

Penn State vs Indiana Game Information

  • Game: Penn State vs Indiana
  • Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
  • Day/Time: Saturday, Nov. 5th, 3:30 p.m. ET
  • Penn State vs Indiana Live Stream: ESPN

Penn State vs Indiana Betting Lines

Penn State vs Indiana Prediction

Indiana’s run defense has a chance to keep this one close. Rutgers’ 192 rushing yards were deceiving as it averaged only 3.8 yards per carry.

However, Indiana’s quarterback play is a problem, especially with pass-heavy, play-calling. Bazelak has posted a passer rating of under 100 in four of the last five games. Plus, he has thrown an interception in five consecutive games. Penn State’s starting cornerbacks, Porter and Kalen King, rank 13th nationally with 11 pass breakups each. The Nittany Lions will comfortably win with a cover.

The Penn State Nittany Lions are listed at -550 in our Vegas lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Penn State, you have a chance to win $18. The Indiana Hoosiers are +425, offering a chance to win $425 on a $100 wager.

The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Penn State Nittany Lions an 84.62% chance to win, with the Indiana Hoosiers at 19.05%.

Penn State vs Indiana Edge

Penn State vs Indiana Results

Penn State vs Indiana Game Summary

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