Purdue Boilermakers (21-1) vs Penn State Nittany Lions (14-7)
Wednesday, February 01, 2023 at 6:30 pm
My selection is on Penn State plus the points over Purdue at 6:30 pm et on Wednesday.
While Purdue is obviously the superior team in this matchup, I'm not convinced there's as much separating the two squads as indicated by the inflated pointspread. The Boilermakers beat the Nittany Lions by 13 points in their first meeting back in early January. Purdue shot the lights out in that game while Penn State couldn't make the most of its whopping 62 field goal attempts, knocking down only 26 of them. Since yielding 31 made field goals in that defeat, the Nittany Lions have held their last five opponents to 26, 23, 23, 23 and 25 made field goals. While some might believe Penn State is in for a letdown here off a 22-point rout of Michigan last time out, I don't see it. Keep in mind, the Nittany Lions are just one game removed from a 20-point setback at the hands of Rutgers. This certainly isn't the time for Penn State to get complacent. Purdue is coming off a win and cover against Michigan State but remains just 9-11 ATS in lined contests this season. The Boilers 29 made field goals in that win over the Spartans represented a high-water mark in that department over their last six games. You would have to go back 14 games to find the last time Purdue got off 60 or more field goal attempts in a game - a big reason why it seems to have trouble covering these lofty pointspreads. Take Penn State (8*).