Iowa vs. Penn State Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 4

Last week was a bit of a stumble for the Penn State Nittany Lions and their sophomore quarterback Drew Allar, and yet, they beat Illinois 30-13. The Nittany Lions are sitting at No. 7 in the AP Poll and are 3-0 heading into the “White Out” game in Happy Valley. 

In Week 3, the No. 24 Iowa Hawkeyes played their best game of the season. Brain Ferentz’s offense scored 41 points as Cade McNamara led the team to 3-0.

This Big 10 matchup is one of the biggest in Week 4, and for a look at the college football world at large in Week 4 check out BetSided college football betting analyst Reed Wallach’s weekly column and preview. 

When you’re betting on CFB Week 4, take advantage of this great DraftKings Sportsbook promo. Just click the link below to sign up, deposit $5, bet on this matchup, then collect $200 in bonus bets and more!

Now, here are the odds for Iowa and Penn State.  

Iowa vs. Penn State Odds, Spread and Total

Penn State vs. Iowa Betting Trends

• Penn State is 3-0 ATS
• The OVER is 2-1 in Penn State games
• Iowa is 2-1 ATS
• The UNDER is 2-1 in Iowa games

Iowa vs. Penn State How to Watch

• Date: Saturday, September 23
• Time: 7:30 PM EST
• Venue: Beaver Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): CBS
• Iowa Record: 3-0
• Penn State Record: 3-0

Iowa vs. Penn State Key Players to Watch

Iowa

Erick All, TE: If Iowa is going to cover the big point spread, or pull off an upset this weekend, then they’ll need to score a lot of points to keep up. The Hawkeyes rely heavily on their tight ends and last week, All was the team’s leading receiver with one catch for 34 yards. He is second on the team in receptions this season behind fellow tight end Luke Lachey, who is now injured. All has seven grabs for 81 yards. 

Penn State

Drew Allar, QB: Through two weeks Allar looked about as good as any quarterback in the country, maybe just behind Caleb Williams and Michael Penix Jr. Then, last week, Allar only completed 16 of his 33 attempts for 208 yards and no touchdowns. He did run the ball six times for 24 yards, but Penn State didn't have much of a passing game. 

Iowa vs. Penn State Prediction and Pick

There are three teams in the Big 10 that exist on a separate plane from the rest of the conference. Well, we know for sure about Michigan and Ohio State, but Penn State is caught in between. They’re too good for teams like Iowa and Illinois to hang around, but the Nittany Lions and James Franklin haven’t proven themselves against the Wolverines and Buckeyes. 

This concept is framing Penn State’s entire season, to the point where it feels like any time they win a game, the topic immediately shifts to how they’ll perform against the top dogs in the conference. Last week, the Nittany Lions only gained 5.0 yards per play and Drew Allar played poorly, but their defense forced five turnovers and they ran the ball well enough to win and cover with ease. 

Penn State is turning into a cheat code against the spread. They run the ball so well that even when their backup quarterback, Beau Pribula, takes over they still score and extend their lead. In fact, the Nittany Lions are 10-0 against the spread in their last 10 games. 

For as good as Penn State’s offense can be, they are actually 63rd in yards per play and 23rd in rushing offense. They’re 50th in passing offense. That unit is good, but not elite. Their defense is the reason this team might be a playoff contender. On that side of the ball, they rank 28th in yards per play and 17th in yards, 13th in scoring defense, have 10 sacks, and have forced seven turnovers. 

Chop Robinson and Adisa Issac are an elite edge rushing duo, and Kalen King could be the best cornerback in the country. They have far too much talent for Iowa to score their required 25 points in this game. Cade McNamara, against Western Michigan, went only 9/19 for 103 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Give me Penn State to win big and cover 11 straight. 

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change