Penn State football: Kent State odds, injury report, & predictions

Penn State football will look to make a statement off the bye week when the Kent State Golden Flashes roll into Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions dropped two spots in the current AP Poll, and it feels like the program could be nearing a mini early-season crossroads as it hopes to overcome several critical injuries in recent weeks.

Thoroughly outmatched, the Golden Flashes feel like the perfect “get right” game for James Franklin and his squad. Here’s the current outlook for Saturday’s Week 4 showdown.

Injury Report

Penn State:

Penn State football players out indefinitely with “significant” or “long-term” injuries:

• KJ Winston, S
• Andrew Rappleyea, TE
• Peter Gonzalez, WR
• Jaxon Smolik, QB
• Keon Wylie, LB
• Zuriah Fisher, DE

Penn State football players listed on the program’s Week 2 injury report. Please note that the Big Ten requires updated availability reports to be released two hours before kickoff:

• Ethan Grunkemeyer, QB
• Sam Siafa, DL
• Mason Robinson, DE
• Liam Andrews, DT
• De’Amdre Cook, DT
• T.A. Cunningham, DT
• Kari Jackson, LB
• Mylachi Williams, DE
• Ta’Mere Robinson, LB

Kent State:

The following players were listed on the Kent State injury report prior to the Golden Flashes’ Week 3 matchup with Tennessee. The MAC requires programs to release updated availability reports three hours before kickoff:

• Hunter Hopperton, TE
• Ali Fisher, WR
• Marques Hicks, RB
• X Cokley, CB
• Nicholas Giacolone, LB
• Kevin Toth, OL
• Tristen Bittner, OL
• Garrett Masterson, OL

Betting Odds (all via DraftKings Sportsbook):

Spread: Penn State football (-49) vs. Kent State

The Nittany Lions enter this matchup with the program’s highest opening betting line since 1995, when such data started to be tracked. Penn State is 5-2 against the spread in its last seven games against MAC opponents.

Moneyline: N/A

Penn State leads the series 5-0 since 2003. The last matchup between the programs occurred at Beaver Stadium in 2018, which resulted in a 63-10 Nittany Lion victory.

Game total: over/under 55.5

The total has gone under in four of Penn State’s last six games, and it has gone over in five of Kent State’s last seven games.

Penn State vs. Kent State Game Predictions: (2-2)

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State football had an early-season bye week to reevaluate things after its close 34-27 scare against Bowling Green in Week 2. The momentum seemingly gained from an impressive Week 1 win in Morgantown melted away in the home opener.

Kent State should be just the recipe to make everyone feel a little bit better heading into the Big Ten opener against Illinois next week. The Golden Flashes are coming off a 71-0 thrashing from Tennessee last week, a game that was 65-0 at the half.

Realistically, if Penn State isn’t up at least 35-0 at the half, that would be a bad sign. Kent State might just well be the worst team in the FBS if not proven by the 23-17 loss to FCS Saint Francis in Week 2. The Golden Flashes are in the bottom 15 in almost every major statistic on both sides of the ball.

This should be a game where Penn State can get the starters out early and give the fans a chance to see younger Nittany Lions. Live in-game reps are always better than practice, and Saturday should be no different. Expect to see a lot of Beau Pribula in the second half.

Penn State football should cover this number with relative ease, given the defense doesn’t allow Kent State to score. The Nittany Lions will likely hit the total by themselves, so if you are looking for a safer bet, take that. It should be a good weekend of betting for alumni and fans.

Prediction: Penn State 63 – Kent State 0

Big Ten bet of the week: (0-2)

Ohio State (-40) vs Marshall 12:00 pm ET FOX

It appeared that Maryland wasn’t as good as I thought it was, and a poor finish against Michigan State not only cost the spread but the outright moneyline.

An 0-2 start to the Big Ten bet of the week isn’t ideal. But the season is starting to take shape, and more trends are developing. This week, we turn to Columbus, where Ohio State welcomes Charles Huff and Marshall.

The Buckeyes are giving 40 points to the Thundering Herd, but I say lay them in this situation. Sometimes, you have to go back to old reliable, and Ohio State seems to be an absolute machine after dismantling Western Michigan 56-0 in Week 2.

If this bet doesn’t hit, it may soon be time to start fading my picks. The worst thing I can do is be around .500. So, if I can either give out winners or losers, at the end of the day, the consumer wins.

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