Penn State football opens as MASSIVE favorite over UMass

The 2023 schedule was built in favor of the Penn State football team. Not having to play a Big Ten opponent coming out of the bye week is a massive win. The Nittany Lions have struggled over the past several years right after the bye week. It typically takes the team an entire half to find its groove following the bye week. But Penn State will face one of the worst teams in the FBS this weekend when the UMass Minutemen come into Beaver Stadium.

Penn State football opens as MASSIVE favorite over UMass

James Franklin recently spoke about how the team was preparing for the bye week. He even went as far as saying that they studied other programs and coaches this summer to learn how to improve in this area. Regardless of how Penn State plays following this week, Vegas doesn’t seem to care. The opening line has been released for Penn State’s next game against UMass. According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Penn State will be a 42.5-point favorite over the Minutemen this weekend.

This shouldn’t be a surprise as UMass is 1-6 on the season. They are allowing 453.9 yards per game and will struggle to move the ball against Penn State. The Nittany Lions need to start quickly to show improvement out of the bye week. But they also need to show that the offensive has found rhythm and chemistry. This team is fortunate that the schedule ended up this way as they will get a tune-up game ahead of the massive matchup against Ohio State on October 21st.

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