College Football ATS Picks - Akron at Penn State Game Preview

The Penn State Nittany Lions enter the season with high expectations and one of the best running backs in the game. They will look to improve upon last year’s breakout season this year, starting the season off with a home game against the Akron Zips.

The Zips won just four games last season after going 8-5 in 2015. The team will be tested right out of the gate in this season opener. Akron knows it will take its lumps in this game, and hopes to simply remain competitive for as long as possible and at least come away with some positives against a team that has a big-time advantage in personnel.

Penn State feels like it has the ability to challenge Big Ten powerhouses Ohio State and Michigan for the conference crown, and a strong start will strengthen that belief.

Kickoff for this regular season Week 1 game is set for Saturday, September 2, 2017 at Beaver Stadium.

NCAA Football Opening Odds at BookMaker.eu

Akron +30.5
Penn State -30.5
Over/Under 63.5

Odds Analysis

Despite the huge spread, more of the early action is coming in on Penn State to cover, although it’s a pretty even split. The Nittany Lions are currently getting approximately 54 percent of the action on the spread.

The betting public is envisioning a lot of points as the “over” is the more popular choice even though the scoring total is pretty high.

Player to Watch

Saquon Barkley -- Penn State’s premier running back is poised for another big season. As a sophomore, Barkley rushed for 1,496 yards and 18 touchdowns.

He was catapulted onto the national stage with his performance in last year’s Rose Bowl which included a jaw-dropping 79-yard touchdown run. This year, likely his last before he enters the draft in 2018, he will look to prove that epic run wasn’t just a fluke.

Barkley’s speed and ability to make defenders miss are among his biggest strengths in the backfield. He accounted for 55 missed tackles last season alone and is huge returning piece for Penn State this season.

Key Stat

11. That’s how many wins Penn State had in the 2016 season. The Nittany Lions surpassed most people’s expectations last year after having captured just seven wins in each of the three previous seasons.

The team started the season 2-2 before winning the next nine games in a row. Included in that stretch were wins over Ohio State, Michigan State and Wisconsin. Few could have envisioned it happening, but Penn State started rolling and never looked back.

The Nittany Lions snagged an appearance in the Rose Bowl where they team fell 52-49 to USC. They will enter this season in ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press preseason poll.

Free ATS Pick

The expectations for Penn State are higher than they have been for a while, and they want to get off to a fast start. There’s almost no chance whatsoever Akron pulls this upset, but for Nittany Lions it won’t be simply about getting the win but how they look in doing so.

A strong running game will lead the way as Penn State should gradually start to pull away. Akron isn’t expected to put up much resistance defensively, and the final score should get really lopsided. The Nittany Lions seem primed to start the season quickly, rewarding the faith of the pollsters who ranked them highly in the preseason.

Don’t be scared off by the high spread or the scoring total in this one. It’s going to take a lot to get Penn State to cover and to hit the “over” but they are both going to happen. This is going to be a big-time rout for the Nittany Lions, who will give their fans plenty to cheer about in the regular season opener.

College Football Odds: Penn State 52, Akron 13

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