NCAA Football
2025-11-08 - Indiana Hoosiers at Penn State Nittany Lions
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : College Football Week 11
Saturday 8th November 2025 - Scheduled 12pm
5pm (British Time)
Preview
If the College Football Playoff started today, the Indiana Hoosiers (9-0) would be going in as the Number 2 Seed behind only the defending Champions Ohio State Buckeyes. Those two teams remain on a collision course in the Big Ten Championship Game and barring a couple of upsets, both Indiana and Ohio State are set to be playing in the Playoff next month.
Despite the 11-2 record in 2024, there were some who lacked belief in what Indiana could achieve this season, but they have surpassed expectations and it would be a surprise if 2025 does not end up with more wins than twelve months ago.
This is potentially the last awkward stop before the Big Ten Championship Game and the Hoosiers will have to remain cautious against the Penn State Nittany Lions (3-5) even if this has been a below par year.
Head Coach James Franklin has been fired, and the Nittany Lions have lost all five Big Ten games in what was expected to be a season where they were able to return to the Playoff and perhaps have a bigger impact. Losing Quarter Back Drew Allar to injury has not helped and the Nittany Lions were just blown out by the Ohio State Buckeyes, but this game is at home and that makes them potentially dangerous.
With all those issues, it is perhaps not a big surprise that it is going to be hard for Penn State to score a lot of points in this one.
They have not been able to run the ball with any authority in recent games and that is not going to change against a Hoosiers Defensive Line that have prided themselves in clamping down on the run.
All of the pressure will be on backup Quarter Back Ethan Grunkemeyer who has thrown just shy of 240 passing yards in his two starts for Penn State against the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ohio State Buckeyes. Playing out of third and long makes it very difficult for any Quarter Back to have consistent success and Grunkemeyer's inexperience is going to make it really challenging to have a lot of consistency moving the ball in this one.
It is going to be tough for the Nittany Lions when they have the ball, but the Defensive unit has to be respected and they can keep Penn State competitive.
A problem in recent games has been stopping the run, and that is going to be put to the test by the Indiana Offensive Line who have been helping the Hoosiers rip off some big gains on the ground.
Unlike the Nittany Lions, it could mean Fernando Mendoza has a bit of time to make his throws into the Secondary and the Indiana Hoosiers can eventually pull away and clear this mark.
Turnovers are always going to be important to the outcome of the spread, but that is another area where Indiana may have the edge and they can come away with another solid win as they continue moving towards the Big Ten Championship Game.
Prediction
Lay the points with the road favourite.
The Pick :
Penn State 10-27 Indiana Hoosiers
