College Football Pick: #7 Penn State Nittany Lions at #24 Michigan State Spartans
Will Lions or Spartans Rebound Today?
The #7 Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1 Overall, 4-1 Big Ten) play the #24 Michigan State Spartans (6-2 Overall, 4-1 Big Ten) today, Saturday, Nov 4 at 12 p.m. E.T. Penn State is coming off a very tough 39-38 loss to Ohio State last week. The Spartans also lost last week, as unranked Northwestern beat them in OT 39-31. This is a huge game for both teams. Our Penn State plays Michigan State 2017 college football pick has the Nittany Lions at -9.5 and the over/under at 47.5 points.
Penn State- Pluses and Minuses
The Nittany Lions have the seventh-ranked defense in the nation, allowing just 13.25 PPG and the 25th run D, giving up 116.67 YPG. They have 11 picks and 31 passes defended. In addition, the Lions have forced 11 fumbles, 26 sacks, and 62 TFL. This is a defense that’s tough to handle. Top performers include DE Shaka Toney (14 TCKLs, 3.5 SCKs, 6 TFL, 2 FF), LB Jason Cabinda (60 TCKLs, 2.0 SCKs, 4.5 TFL, 1 FF, 1 FR), and DE Shreef Miller (27 TCKLs, 4 SCKs, 8.5 TFL). CB Amani Oruwariye, who has three PD, leads the team with three interceptions.
The Penn State offense is scoring 39.8 PPG. They are tough to stop in the air and on the ground. QB Trace McSorely (65.9 COMP%, 16 TDs, 5 INTs) is a solid passer and runner. He has 96 carries for 303 yards and eight scores. RB Saquon Barkley (138 ATT, 801 YDs, 5.8 AVG, 9 TDs) is close to 1,000 yards for the season and a major threat as a rusher and receiver. Barkley also has 36 catches three of which he went in for TDs.
Nittany Lions Summary
- Superior defense
- Explosive offense
- Numerous quality weapons both sides of the ball
Michigan State- Pluses and Minuses
QB Brian Lewerke (61.4 COMP%, 14 TDs, 4 INTs) leads an offense that is scoring 23.8 PPG. His favorite receiver is Felton Davis III (33 REC, 12.3 YPC, 7 TDs). At the same time, Lewerke has three rushing scores and is averaging 4.6 YPC. RB L.J. Scott, who has 511 yards and four touchdowns, is averaging 4.5 YPA.
The defense is allowing 19.6 PPG and falls short in terms of standout players and pass D. The top performer against the pass, safety David Dowell (2 INTs, 2 PD, 2 FR), will need to step up today. Also DE/LB Kenny Willekes (43 TCKLs, 3 SCKs, 7.5 TFL) and LB Joe Bachie (71 TCKLs, 2 SCKs, 6.5 TFL) ste top performers. Bachie has two FF and one FR.
Spartans Summary
- QB Lewerke must play well
- Defensive standouts will need superior games
- MSU offense and defense lack depth
Three Key Takeaways
Here are three key takeaways for our Penn State plays Michigan State 2017 college football pick.
- Nittany Lions are tough to stop
- Spartans will have D tested
- Penn State is dominant on both sides of ball
Penn State at Michigan State Free Pick
We expect that the Nittany Lions will bounce back from last week’s tough loss. The Spartans will have to step up big time, and we don’t think they are quite capable of it. Home field will help MSU. Our Penn State plays Michigan State 2017 college football pick is the Nittany Lions at -9.5 and over 47.5.
Nittany Lions at Spartans Free Pick: Penn State -9.5 and over 47.5
