Neither Penn State nor Washington has lived up to expectations this season. Both teams entered the year with considerably higher ambitions than what they've ultimately delivered. Neither has been particularly convincing, and I don't see much separating them heading into this matchup in Seattle. This is a game that can go either direction with all things considered, and that's precisely why I'm interested in taking the plus money with the Nittany Lions. Washington is favored, but how much of that is simply down to home-field advantage?
The Huskies are spotting less than a field goal, which tells me the market isn't particularly confident about their superiority either. Then, there's the total of 44.5. We're not expecting an offensive explosion here either, and in a game where points could be at a premium, a single possession might decide the outcome. That doesn't automatically make the underdog the right side, but it reinforces my belief that this is essentially a toss-up. Take a step back and ask yourself which team is demonstrably better. You might struggle to have a convincing answer. Penn State can win this game, Washington can win this game, and neither result would particularly surprise me. When I see that kind of uncertainty, I want the side offering a return greater than even money. That's always been my position, and I'm sticking with it. That's also the Nittany Lions in this scenario.
Penn State vs. Washington prediction: Penn State Nittany Lions ML (+115) available at time of publishing. Playable to +110.
