The Penn State Nittany Lions will look to play the role of spoiler when they take on the No. 6 ranked Michigan Wolverines in a Big Ten East matchup on Saturday. The Nittany Lions (6-3, 3-3), who have won two straight against Michigan and three of four, snapped a three-game losing streak last week at Maryland with a 31-14 triumph. The Wolverines (8-1, 5-1), meanwhile, have won two of three road games and are coming off a 29-7 win over Indiana last week. Penn State won last year's meeting 27-17.
The game from Beaver Stadium at University Park, Pa., is slated to kick off at noon ET. Michigan is allowing 16 points per game this year, sixth-best in the nation, while Penn State surrenders 17, 11th-best. The Wolverines are favored by 1.5 points in the latest Michigan vs. Penn State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 48.5. Before making any Penn State vs. Michigan picks, you need to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 11 of the 2021 season on a 31-20 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Michigan vs. Penn State and just locked in its Week 11 CFB picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Now, here are the college football odds and betting lines and trends for Penn State vs. Michigan:
- Michigan vs. Penn State spread: Michigan -1.5
- Michigan vs. Penn State over-under: 48.5 points
- Michigan vs. Penn State money line: Michigan -125, Penn State +105
- MICH: The Wolverines are 7-2 against the spread this season
- PSU: The Nittany Lions have won three of the last four meetings vs. Michigan
Why Michigan can cover
Junior wide receiver Cornelius Johnson is having a solid season and leads the Wolverines in receiving. Johnson has 27 receptions for 449 yards (16.6 average) and three touchdowns. Last week against Indiana, he caught five passes for 108 yards (21.6 average), including a 50-yarder. A week earlier in a loss at Michigan State, Johnson caught five passes for 29 yards. His most efficient game was Oct. 2 at Wisconsin when he caught two balls for 47 yards for two TDs, including a 34-yarder.
Defensively, senior linebacker Josh Ross has been a difference-maker. He leads the Wolverines with 61 tackles, including 29 solo, with a half-sack for four yards. Ross also has a pair of pass breakups. In his five-year career, he has registered 191 tackles, including 96 solo, with four pass breakups, 2 ½ sacks and one interception. He has two double-digit tackle games this season, including a 10-tackle effort at Michigan State on Oct. 30. Last week against Indiana, he made seven stops, including two solo.
Why Penn State can cover
The Nittany Lions feature a one-two punch at running back, led by junior Noah Cain and sophomore Keyvone Lee. Cain tops Penn State in rushing, carrying 93 times for 293 yards (3.2 average) and four touchdowns. He also has 16 receptions for 105 yards. His best game was in a Week 2 matchup against Ball State. In that game, he rushed 20 times for 69 yards (3.5 average) and one touchdown, and caught three passes for 30 yards. In 2019, he set a Penn State freshman record with eight rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, senior defensive end Arnold Ebiketie has been a force. Last week against Maryland, he registered a sack, and has at least one tackle for loss in five consecutive games. He's tied for ninth in the country and leads the Big Ten with 12.5 tackles for loss. Ten of his 12.5 tackles and 5 1/2 of his 6 1/2 sacks have come against Big Ten opponents.
How to make Penn State vs. Michigan picks
SportsLine's model is leaning over on the total, projecting the teams to combine for 49 points. It has also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in well over 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Michigan vs. Penn State? And which side of the spread cashes in well over 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Michigan vs. Penn State spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that finished the past five-plus years up nearly $3,500 on its FBS college football picks, and find out.
