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The Penn State Nittany Lions will look to defend their home turf on Saturday against the Central Michigan Chippewas at noon ET. After both teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one of them is set up to suffer a discouraging change of fortune.
You can't lose the contest if you win every quarter, and that was precisely Penn State's strategy against the Auburn Tigers last week. The Nittany Lions took their matchup against Auburn by a conclusive 41-12 score. The oddsmakers were on Penn State's side, but they didn't give the team enough credit as the margin was unexpectedly wide. Their RB Nicholas Singleton looked sharp as he rushed for two TDs and 124 yards on ten carries. Singleton put himself on the highlight reel with a 54-yard TD scramble in the fourth quarter.
Penn State's defense was a presence as well, as it embarrassed Auburn's offensive line to sack the quarterback six times for a total loss of 41 yards. It was a group effort with six guys contributing.
Meanwhile, CMU got themselves on the board against the Bucknell Bison last week, but Bucknell never followed suit. CMU put a hurting on Bucknell at home to the tune of 41 to nothing. The game was all but wrapped up at the end of the third, by which point CMU had established a 20 to nothing advantage. RB Lew Nichols III had a stellar game for the Chippewas as he rushed for two TDs and 166 yards on 30 carries.
This next contest looks promising for the Nittany Lions, who are favored by a full 28 points. They have been consistent moneymakers against the spread when favored (2-0), so they might be worth a quick bet.
The wins brought Penn State up to 3-0 and CMU to 1-2. A pair of offensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: Penn State comes into the matchup boasting the 23rd most overall offensive touchdowns in the nation at 16. The Chippewas have displayed some offensive firepower of their own as they enter the game with 317.7 passing yards per game on average, good for 18th best in the nation.
