Penn State vs Auburn Opening Odds – Nittany Lions 4.5-Point Home Favorites vs Tigers in Week 3
- No. 11 Penn State opens as a 4.5-point home favorite against No. 25 Auburn
- Both the Nittany Lions and Tigers are 2-0 straight up and ATS this season
- Auburn has scored 122 points in two games under new coach Bryan Harsin
No. 11 Penn State is listed as a 4.5-point home favorite against No. 25 Auburn as the two prepare to meet for the third time, the first in the regular season. Penn State beat the Tigers 43-14 in the 1996 Outback Bowl and Auburn beat the Nittany Lions 13-9 in the 2003 Capital One Bowl.
Auburn has scored 122 points in its first two games, a 60-10 victory over Akron and a 62-0 shutout of FCS Alabama State on Saturday. Penn State opened the season with a 16-10 victory at then-No. 18 Wisconsin, the best opponent either team has faced this season.
Penn State vs Auburn Opening Spread/Odds/Line
| Team | Moneyline | Spread | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Nittany Lions | -235 | -4.5 (-114) | TBD |
| Auburn Tigers | +180 | +4.5 (-106) | TBD |
Odds from FanDuel on Sept. 12.
Penn State Back On Track
Penn State has won six consecutive games over the last two seasons after opening 2020 with five straight losses, and they have played more difficult opponents on paper than Auburn — Wisconsin in Madison and 2020 Mid-American champion and bowler Ball State.
Quarterback Sean Clifford was sharp against Ball State, completing 21 of 29 passes for 230 yards with a touchdown and also rushing for 66 yards and a touchdown, a step forward from an average outing in the 16-10 victory over Wisconsin in the opening game.
Clifford avoided what could have been a serious leg injury in the third quarter of the Ball State game when his right leg was twisted awkwardly as he was tackled late in the third quarter. Clifford rode a stationary bicycle on the sideline before returning for the next series.
The Nittany Lions’ victory over Wisconsin was hardly pretty — the Badgers committed three turnovers, including two interceptions deep in Penn State territory in the final 2 1/2 minutes. Wisconsin had three scoreless possessions inside the Nittany Lions’ 10-yard line, four inside the 25, and had a 25-minute edge in time of possession.
Harsin Makes An Entry
Harsin was known for his offensive success on the blue turf at Boise State, he has demonstrated he can get it done with a cast of more superior SEC athletes in his first two games after replacing Gus Malzahn, fired for going 6-5 last season.
The Tigers had 538 yards total offense and 364 yards rushing against Alabama State on Saturday after posting 613 yards total offense and 316 yards rushing in the opener against Akron.
Auburn running backs Jarquez Hunter and Tank Bigsly each have a pair of 100-yard games, and they gouged Alabama State for 269 yards on 19 carries. True freshman Hunter scored on a 94-yard run. Senior running back Shaun Shivers, who entered the season No. 2 behind Bigsby and had 43 yards and two touchdowns against Akron, did not play Saturday and his status is unknown.
Quarterback Bo Nix was 20 of 22 for 275 yards and three touchdowns against Akron but was not needed as much in Week 2, although he threw for two scores before Harsin went to 6’7, 246-pound sophomore TJ Finley late in the third quarter. Finley also threw for a score.
The line could continue to drop; Auburn has enough offense to give Penn State trouble.
Jack has covered college and professional sports for various Arizona media outlets since the 1980s and has written for the Associated Press, USA Today and Baseball America, among others. He staffed the 2015-17 World Series and has staffed four Super Bowls.
