This article is part of our College Football Picks series.
College Football Picks: Washington vs. Penn State
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The Washington Huskies head east to face the Penn State Nittany Lions in a primetime Big Ten showdown. The Huskies are looking to continue the momentum of a nice win over USC this past week, while Penn State is looking to rebound from yet another loss to Ohio State.
Washington vs. Penn State Betting Odds for Week 11
Spread: Penn State -12.5 (Caesars Sportsbook); Washington +13.5 (ESPN Bet)
Total: Over 45.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook); Under 46.5 (DraftKings Sportsbook)
Moneyline: Penn State -470 (DraftKings Sportsbook); Washington +400 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
This line hasn't moved much since it opened at Penn State -14 and a total of 46.
Washington vs. Penn State Betting Picks for Week 11
We can get into the numbers all we want, but nothing will be more important this week than the state of mind of the Penn State players. They are coming off yet another crushing loss to Ohio State, and how they rebound will tell the tale of this game. It wasn't a last-second loss, but it was a game there for the taking, and when you lose year after year to the same team, it has to wear on you.
As for those numbers... Penn State enters at 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference. Within conference play, the Nittany Lions lost to OSU and had a close win over USC, but otherwise, they've won comfortably in all of the other games. This team is led by its defense, which is top-20 against both the pass and the run. The offense isn't quite as good as the defense, but it ranks top-50 in both rushing and passing yards per game.
Washington enters at 5-4 overall and 3-3 in conference. The Huskies are 3-0 at home in the conference and 0-3 on the road. They beat a then-ranked Michigan team at home by 10 and lost to Indiana by 14 on the road. Washington's numbers aren't nearly as balanced as Penn State's. The Huskies have been great against the pass, ranking 2nd in yards against, but the run defense isn't nearly as good, coming in at 72nd in the country. The same holds true for the offense; the passing offense is solid (24th), but the rushing game leaves a little to be desired, ranking 77th in the country.
Penn State has some obvious advantages on both sides of the ball, and as mentioned earlier, this game will really come down to the Nittany Lions' state of mind. If they come ready to play, they win easily. If they are still thinking about this past week, then things could get interesting.
I believe Penn State will be ready to play this week for a couple of reasons. The first is that these players and the coaching staff have been here before. They know how to handle the disappointment of losing to OSU, and usually, they've been able to bounce back. Second, this is a night game, which means even if the Penn State fans are disappointed about this past week, they'll still be hyped for this game, which should, in turn, give some juice to the players.
The final piece of this equation is Washington's home/road splits this season. The Huskies lost by two scores at Indiana, were blown out at Iowa and lost to a mediocre, at best, Rutgers team on the road. This team just doesn't bring it on the road, and now they are headed into the toughest road environment they've seen all season.
Washington vs. Penn State Expert Pick: Penn State -12.5 (Caesars Sportsbook)
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Washington vs. Penn State Predictions for Week 11
Though I do expect Penn State to win this game comfortably, there will probably be a little rust at the start of the game. The crowd will help them through, however, and pretty soon, the Nittany Lions should be running up and down the field with ease. The advantage in the run game will be the difference. The Huskies will likely see Penn State as a vulnerable team, but Washington doesn't have the weapons to pull off this upset, especially on the road.
Penn State 34 - Washington 14
