Introduction to Penn State’s Season
Penn State started the season 3-0 with easy wins against non-conference teams Nevada, Florida International, and Villanova. These wins seemed impressive but lacked the expected dominance in terms of covering the betting spread. The Lions were heavy favorites in each of those games but failed to cover, even in a significant 52-6 victory over Villanova.
Early Season Performance
The team’s performance against Oregon in its White Out game on September 27 was notable, where James Franklin’s team was a slight favorite. However, they did not cover the spread, with the Ducks winning 30-24 in double overtime. This set the stage for a pattern of underperformance against the spread.
Recent Upset
Cut to the recent game on Saturday, where PSU was a 24.5-point favorite over UCLA at the Rose Bowl. In a surprising turn of events, the Bruins shocked the Lions 42-37, securing their first win of the season. This upset marked another instance where Penn State failed to cover the betting spread.
Betting Trends
The accumulation of these results means that Penn State has had five games with zero covers. According to the website BETIQ, which tracks college football betting trends, the Lions are one of three teams who have not covered the betting spread this season. The list of teams with this distinction includes Penn State with a 0-5 record, SMU also at 0-5, and Sam Houston at 0-5.
Conclusion
Penn State’s inability to cover the spread in any of their games this season raises questions about their performance and consistency. Despite initial wins, the team’s failure to meet betting expectations, culminating in the unexpected loss to UCLA, suggests that there may be underlying issues with their strategy or execution. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see if Penn State can turn this trend around and start meeting the expectations set by the betting spreads.
