Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1 SU, 6-1 ATS) vs. Michigan State Spartans (6-2 SU, 5-3 ATS)
College Football Week 10
Date and Time: Saturday, November 4th, 2017 12:00 PM ET
Where: Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI
TV: FOX
by Keith F., Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: PSU -7.5/MSU +7.5
Over/Under Total: 48
The Big Ten will roll on with yet another pivotal conference rivalry clash featuring two of its favorite sons. The Penn State Nittany Lions will head to East Lansing, Michigan to square off with the Michigan State Spartans at Spartan Stadium in a renewal of The Battle for the Land Grant Trophy on Saturday, November 4th, 2017. The kick-off time is slotted for 12:00 PM ET and will be aired for national audiences on FOX. This contest has conference implications as well as a College Football Playoff stakes on the line for the visitors as they will need to win out to have a chance at playing for either. The Nittany Lions currently are in possession of The Land Grant Trophy as they ousted Michigan State in Happy Valley in 2016 by a score of 45-12. Previous to that, Sparty had won three in a row against PSU.
Penn State comes in off an epic defeat at The Horseshoe in Columbus, Ohio when it fell to Ohio State in what was one of the biggest matches of the year. A then #2-ranked and undefeated Nittany Lions squared off with a #6 Ohio State in a primetime slugfest between the two most prominent programs currently in the conference. Though Penn State had jumped out to a commanding lead on the heels of the play of Saquon Barkley, the Nittany Lions were stunned down the backstretch and Ohio State emerged victors in a 39-38 classic. All of America bore witness to this contest and as a result a reaction is taking place this week. We have seen this market free-fall from the off-set but as a result of what appears to be a reduced price all are back in on the Nittany Lions. PSU has been a profitable football team against the spread on the year as they have failed to cover only once. Last week, when the Nittany Lions were smothered as a dog by the public, PSU fostered yet another cover.
The Spartans enter off a hard-fought loss in overtime at Northwestern. The effects of such a defeat can be impactful for teams in the follow-up which is why many are staying clear of Sparty. Nevertheless, Michigan State will get this one at home in front of an energized crowd. MSUs sole defeat in East Lansing this season was at the hands of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Spartans also are led by a Head Coach that simply knows how to make something out of nothing. His name is Mark DAntonio. In the pre-season, many were unsure if Sparty could even qualify for a bowl game in 2017. Needless to say, the Spartans are bowl eligible and have a real chance at playing in a fairly recognized venue during Christmas week.
Currently in this market, the public have once again gravitated towards the Nittany Lions. According to consensus data, nearly all are in on Penn State. Though this market has dropped significantly from its open, there is a very good chance that such public action will again cause further movements that are favorable to those wishing to take back points with Sparty. Presently, Penn State also bears a price tag of -115 if they are taken against the spread. In Over/Under markets, we have seen the number drop by just half of a point to its current position of 48 indicating action on the Under.
The real question is how Penn State responds to the heart-breaking defeat it sustained last Saturday. While many analysts and pundits have argued that the loss will only fuel James Franklin and company further, it may also have let the air out of the Penn State balloon. As a whole, Penn State is getting into a far more rugged stretch of their schedule compared to the beginning phases of their 2017 campaign. A big query concerning the Nittany Lions was their lack of challenge and opposition in non-conference scheduling. Michigan State did not shy away when they invited Notre Dame and Western Michigan to town. As a whole, Sparty has a lunchbox mentality toward the game of football. They will play anyone, anywhere, anytime and they will give PSU all it can handle in this rivalry contest.
Keiths Pick to Cover the Point Spread: MICHIGAN STATE +7.5. – Bet this game for FREE by taking advantage of a FAT 100% bonus up to $1000 at MyBookie! (Use Promo Code: PRDCT14)
