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Penn State football: early betting odds for two pivotal B1G games updated post-spring

Las Vegas has updated its view on the two biggest games for Penn State football this season.

Published

1 month ago

May 6, 2023

Penn State Football, transfer portal, Audavion Collins

Apr 15, 2023; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin walks off the field following the competition of the Blue White spring game at Beaver Stadium. The Blue team defeated the White team 10-0. Mandatory Credit: Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

Even before the clock struck zero in its Rose Bowl victory in January, the expectations for Penn State football in 2023 were already steadily on the rise. Over the last month of the 2022 season, the young talent base of the Nittany Lions came into its own as Penn State outscored its final five opponents 200-61. James Franklin and his Lions have been firmly ranked inside the top 10 by practically every outlet this offseason and have been called a dark horse College Football Playoff contender by many. However, like every year, Penn State’s 2023 season will be defined by two games: Ohio State and Michigan. While Penn State may have its best chance in some time to beat one, or both, of these teams, early betting odds updated following spring practice indicate that the Nittany Lions still have their work cut out for them.

Early betting odds move away from Penn State football after spring practice

Ohio State and Michigan have been the class of the Big Ten for the better part of the last decade. The Buckeyes or Wolverines have won the conference every year since Penn State took home the title in 2016. As a result, James Franklin has been looking up in the Big Ten East standings for most of his time in Happy Valley.

Despite the optimism coming into the 2023 season, Penn State still opened as an underdog in both pivotal matchups. In February, Lions247 reported that FanDuel had Penn State as eight-point and 1.5-point underdogs against Ohio State and Michigan, respectively. Draft Kings updated its odds for the 2023 season following spring practice in April. Both games have continued to move away from the Nittany Lions.

Lions are now two-score underdogs against Ohio State

The first of these two pivotal matchups occurs on October 21, when Penn State travels to Columbus to take on Ohio State. According to Draft Kings, the Lions are now a 10.5-point underdog against Ohio State. It makes sense that the Buckeyes are considerable favorites, as they have recently dominated the series. Penn State is currently 1-9 against Ohio State in the last 10 years. Further, James Franklin’s current six-game losing streak against the Buckeyes is the longest in program history.

However, even in down years, Penn State has played relatively well in Columbus. The Lions have lost by an average of seven points in their last three games at Ohio State. Further, the profiles of both these teams are eerily similar this season. Both teams will be breaking in new starting quarterbacks but return strong defenses. Despite the early betting odds, I expect this game to be competitive.

Penn State in a toss-up game versus Michigan

Three weeks later, on November 11, the Lions will host the reigning Big Ten champions in Beaver Stadium. While the early betting odds for this game have moved away from Penn State slightly, it’s still considered a toss-up. Draft Kings now has Michigan as a 2.5-point favorite, up one point from February.

Overall, the Penn State and Michigan rivalry has been much more competitive recently. Since 2016, the home team has won all but two games – when Penn State left Ann Arbor with a 27-17 win in 2020 and when Michigan squeaked out a four-point victory in Happy Valley in 2021.

As much as it may hurt Penn State fans to admit it, Michigan is one of the best teams in college football and the standard in the Big Ten right now. But this game is also a favorable matchup for the Nittany Lions at home. Even if Penn State were to fall at Columbus, a one-loss team would still have all of its post-season aspirations to play for in November. If I had to pick one of these games to be at home this season, it would be this matchup for the Nittany Lions.

Is one enough?

While Penn State football does have a difficult schedule to start the year, the middle stretch of the season shapes up nicely for the Nittany Lions. After facing four Power Five opponents in September, Penn State plays UMass the week before traveling to Columbus and then faces Indiana and Maryland before taking on Michigan. This should help the Lions lick any wounds incurred through the early portion of the season.

Penn State doesn’t need to be perfect to contend for the College Football Playoff this year. Even one loss should keep the Lions’ playoff hopes alive going into the end of the season. Moving forward, the expanded College Football Playoff will increase the odds of teams with multiple losses contending for a national title. But 2023 is Penn State’s last – and potentially best – chance to make the current four-team playoff. Falling short this year will certainly leave a sour taste in the mouths of many in Happy Valley.

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New Penn State football commit says PSU can win national title

The newest Penn State football commit is gunning for a national title.

Published

22 hours ago

June 4, 2023

Chris Mangum

Penn State football, Deryc Plazz, national title, 2024 recruiting class

Jan 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin celebrates with the trophy on the podium after the Penn State Nittany Lions defeated the Utah Utes in the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Today, Penn State football made an exciting addition to its 2024 recruiting class by securing the commitment of three-star offensive tackle Deryc Plazz from Florida. Shortly after joining the team, Plazz expressed his bold aspirations for Penn State’s future, confidently proclaiming that the program is poised to claim a future national title and more.

A future national title for Penn State football?

Freshly committed to Penn State football, Deryc Plazz wasted no time in immersing himself in the pursuit of the team’s first national championship since 1986. This promising three-star prospect from Florida showcased his ambitious mindset by sharing his optimistic vision for the future of football in Happy Valley.

“The current class is amazing and it’s truly a blessing to be a part of something this special,” Plazz said, according to Steve Wiltfong. “Looking to load this class up and bring a Natty to Happy Valley.”

Deryc Plazz, Penn State gunning to go above and beyond in the years to come

Plazz doesn’t just want to win a national title during his time at Penn State football, he believes that the Nittany Lions are on track to do so in the near future.

“What’s most exciting about the program is that we’re on track to win a National Championship and that’s the purpose of playing,” Plazz continued. “The opportunity to win a National Championship was the biggest thing. Just knowing that we will constantly be competitive in the college football playoff while and with this 24 class loading up I know we will definitely win it.”

A glass ceiling that needs to break

Currently, Penn State football is showing promising signs of being a strong contender for the Big Ten title and a spot in the College Football Playoff this upcoming season. Preseason polls from various outlets consistently rank the Nittany Lions within the range of No. 5-10, which is well-deserved considering their impressive 11-2 record and Rose Bowl victory under the leadership of James Franklin last year.

However, many projections still anticipate Penn State falling short against formidable opponents like Michigan and Ohio State, which would likely result in another New Year’s Six bowl appearance for the team.

While such a season would still be commendable, as being a top 10 program is an achievement in itself, it is encouraging to see the aspirations of Deryc Plazz and the rest of the 2024 recruiting class. Their desire to strive for greater success in the Blue and White during their tenure is a positive indicator of the program’s ambitions and the determination of its players, commits, and the team’s culture in the years to come.

FOOTBALL

Penn State WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith joins PA-based sports talent firm

The Penn State WR is the third Nittany Lion to sign with the firm since May.

Published

1 day ago

June 4, 2023

Matt Thomas

Penn State WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Penn State Football, PA sports talent firm

Jan 2, 2023; Pasadena, California, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith (1) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Utah Utes in the 109th Rose Bowl game at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

On Saturday, it was announced that Penn State WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith had signed with Inch & Co. Sports, a new PA-based sports talent firm. Lambert-Smith becomes the third Penn State football player to sign with the firm in the last month. The founders of Inch & Co. Sports, John and Jeff Inch, and their larger network of PA-based companies, have become increasingly involved in Penn State’s NIL and athlete representation landscape over the last year.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith signs with PA-based sports talent firm

On Saturday evening, Inch & Co. Sports announced via its social media pages that the organization had signed KeAndre Lambert-Smith. The Penn State WR is coming off a budding end to the 2022 season, where he hauled in 8 catches for 207 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Nittany Lions’ final two games. Reporting out of spring practice indicated that Lambert-Smith had separated himself from the pack of Penn State receivers.

“He’s been really good so far this spring,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said. “We need him to be THE guy, a true number one [receiver], not just at Penn State but really in the [Big Ten] and a guy that people are talking about nationally.”

Welcome @drelambertt ! pic.twitter.com/KzF4jkbo1H

— Inch & Co. Sports (@inchandcosports) June 3, 2023

Inch & Co. Sports establishes itself in the Penn State football NIL landscape

Inch & Co. Sports is a York County, PA-based sports talent firm. The company’s founders, brothers John and Jeff Inch, are credited with starting “one of the fastest growing real estate construction companies in the U.S.” According to the firm’s website, its mission is “Representing our athletes with integrity and originality…Whether it’s giving back to the underprivileged, monetizing their image, or guiding them through a professional decision; building trust through honesty is our goal.”

KeAndre Lambert-Smith is the third Penn State football player to sign with the organization since May. The firm first signed QB Beau Pribula, who was a standout at York Central High School, on May 16. Inch & Co. added CB Johnny Dixon later in the month.

Over the last several months, the Inch & Co. network of companies has been establishing itself in the Penn State NIL landscape. In December, the company made headlines when it provided Teslas via a NIL partnership to four Nittany Lions – QB Drew Allar, LB Abdul Carter, CB Kalen King, and OT Olu Fashanu. Pribula was added to the partnership several weeks later.

Inch&Co supports Penn State football in a Big way,THANK YOU 🤘🏿 pic.twitter.com/UPLX3NaY2b

— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) December 8, 2022

FOOTBALL

New Penn State football quarterback set to enroll early next spring

New Penn State football quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer is set to enroll early next spring.

Published

1 day ago

June 4, 2023

Chris Mangum

All Blue and White fans are clamoring about new Penn State football quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer, who committed to the Nittany Lions late last month. Now, new reports are suggesting that Penn State’s new quarterback intends to enroll in the university early next spring and get extra time with the team and coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season.

Ethan Grunkemeyer set to enroll early

Ethan Grunkemeyer has been a heavily discussed topic among Penn State football fans. At first, a number of fans and talking heads jumped to conclusions, all voicing disappointment due to his three-star rating. However, upon closer observation, it becomes clear that this new 2024 QB may turn into something special as time goes on.

Grunkemeyer, like Drew Allar, committed to Penn State as a three-star but is expected to become a four-star or even better when all is said and done. In fact, Grunkemeyer earned a bid in State College last month and will be competing with the nation’s top quarterbacks at the Elite 11 finals.

“I’m just really excited to be surrounded by great people — Coach Franklin, Coach Yurcich, Coach [Danny] O’Brien,” Grunkemeyer told 247 Sports in a recent podcast interview. “I’ve built a really good relationship with all those guys. And I know Drew, and he loves his experience there so far. So I’m really happy where I landed, and I’m really excited to start to work with those guys.”

Penn State football has something special with new 2024 quarterback

According to the most recent composite rankings, Penn State football quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer remains a three-star recruit. He is currently ranked as the No. 751 recruit in the nation, the No. 46 quarterback in the 2024 class, and the No. 24 recruit in the state of Ohio. While he may not be the highest-ranked recruit in Penn State’s class, the Nittany Lions have a special player with a bright future ahead of them.