#8 Penn State Nittany Lions at West Virginia Mountaineers Week 1 Preview: Best Bet, Odds & Prediction
Big Ten Meets Big 12: Analyzing the Betting Lines, Key Matchups, and Predictions as Penn State Travels to West Virginia for a Crucial Week 1 Clash
Dan Karpuc - Aug 28, 2024, 4:14pm EDT
Week 1 Matchup Preview: #8 Penn State Nittany Lions at West Virginia Mountaineers
Date: Saturday August 31, 2024, 12:00 PM ET
Location: Milan Puskar Stadium (Morgantown, WV)
BetMGM Odds: Penn State -300, Penn State -8.5, O/U 51.5
The 2024 college football season kicks off with an exciting Big Ten vs. Big 12 clash as the #8 Penn State Nittany Lions travel to face the West Virginia Mountaineers. Scheduled for Saturday, August 31, at 12:00 PM ET, this matchup at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, WV promises to deliver intense action. With Penn State favored to win, both teams are poised to make an early-season impact. This preview will dive into key matchups, analyze betting lines, and provide expert predictions for this crucial Week 1 contest.
My Best Bet: Penn State -8.5
In the upcoming matchup between Penn State and West Virginia, the Nittany Lions are coming in as heavy favorites, winning 79.0% of 10,000 simulations over their opponents. Led by quarterback Drew Allar, who is averaging 235.0 passing yards and 2.38 TDs per simulation, as well as running back Nicholas Singleton projected for 79.0 rushing yards, Penn State's offense looks to be firing on all cylinders. However, they will need to be wary of West Virginia's potential to pull off the upset, as in the 21.0% of simulations where the Mountaineers emerge victorious, quarterback Garrett Greene steps up with an average of 0.99 TD passes.
In their quest to secure a victory, West Virginia will heavily rely on running back CJ Donaldson Jr., who is averaging 88.0 rushing yards and 1.15 rushing TDs in their simulated wins. However, facing a formidable Penn State defense that has a 35.0% chance of forcing more turnovers than they commit, the Mountaineers will need Greene to limit his interceptions and make smart decisions with the football.
Overall, I trust Allar (25:2 TD:INT ratio last year) and Penn State’s running backs to control the clock and expect the Nittany Lions to dominate defensively. Keep in mind that PSU ranked 12th in points scored (36.2) and third in points against (13.5) per game last season en route to a 9-3 ATS record.
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