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2018 Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Odds
NCAA Football Betting: The roar is back in Happy Valley and the Penn State Nittany Lions are ready to contend for the Big Ten title in 2018. The production from Saquon Barkley needs to be replaced, but James Franklin has plenty of talent to work with after winning 11 games for the second straight season. Back to back losses to Ohio State and Michigan State by a combined four points were the only blemishes on the 2017 slate, leaving many to wonder what might have been. Even without the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft, Penn State has weapons on offense. But the defense must regroup after losing a number of starters, and if it can the Nittany Lions will be right near the top.
2018 Penn State Nittany Lions at a Glance
Nittany Lions National Championship Odds: +1925
Nittany Lions Odds To Win Big Ten: +488
Nittany Lions Regular Season Win Total: 9.5
Another 11-win season has put the scandal that rocked the program behind the Nittany Lions. But they must continue the work Franklin has done without the services of Barkley, who earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors by scoring 21 touchdowns. The return of quarterback Trace McSorley, who led the conference with 274.6 passing yards per game last season, will certainly help the group continue to churn out the yards and points.
Finding a replacement for Barkley isn’t going to be easy. Miles Sanders averaged 6.2 yards per carry last season in limited attempts and will compete for reps in the backfield with Mark Allen, Johnathan Thomas and Journey Brown in a running back-by-committee approach, at least at the start of the season. Even with Barkley the Lions ranked 59th in the FBS in rushing in 2017, so there is room for improvement. Juwan Johnson gives McSorley a big target to throw to. The 6-4 wideout placed second on the team with 54 catches for 701 yards last season.
Just how good the Lions are going to be in 2018 depends on the growth of a defensive unit that lost nine starters from last year. The middle of the group needs to be rebuilt with new tackles up front and linebackers. Several freshmen are competing for playing time and how quickly they grow up will tell us a lot about the club. There is a potential superstar at end in Shareef Miller, who led the team with 5.0 sacks last season. John Reid, who started at corner in 2016, is back after missing last season with an injury and will help solidify the secondary.
2018 Penn State Nittany Lions Betting Schedule
Week 1: Penn State vs. Appalachian State, Saturday, September 1
Week 2: Penn State at Pittsburgh, Saturday, September 8
Week 3: Penn State vs. Kent State, Saturday, September 15
Week 4: Penn State at Illinois, Friday, September 21
Week 5: Penn State vs. Ohio State, Saturday, September 29
Week 6: OFF
Week 7: Penn State vs. Michigan State, Saturday, October 13
Week 8: Penn State at Indiana, Saturday, October 20
Week 9: Penn State vs. Iowa, Saturday, October 27
Week 10: Penn State at Michigan, Saturday, November 3
Week 11: Penn State vs. Wisconsin, Saturday, November 10
Week 12: Penn State at Rutgers, Saturday, November 17
Week 13: Penn State vs. Maryland, Saturday, November 24
List of Penn State Nittany Lions Seasons
| YEAR |
RECORD |
BOWL GAME |
| 2017 |
11-2 |
W – Fiesta Bowl |
| 2016 |
11-3 |
L – Rose Bowl |
| 2015 |
7-6 |
L – TaxSlayer Bowl |
| 2014 |
7-6 |
W – Pinstripe Bowl |
| 2013 |
7-5 |
|
| 2012 |
8-4 |
|
| 2011 |
9-4 |
L – Ticket City Bowl |
| 2010 |
7-6 |
L – Outback Bowl |
| 2009 |
11-2 |
W – Capital One Bowl |
| 2008 |
11-2 |
L – Rose Bowl |
| 2007 |
9-4 |
W – Alamo Bowl |
| 2006 |
9-4 |
W – Outback Bowl |
| 2005 |
11-1 |
W – Orange Bowl |
| 2004 |
4-7 |
|
| 2003 |
3-9 |
|
| 2002 |
9-4 |
L – Capital One Bowl |
| 2001 |
5-6 |
|
| 2000 |
5-7 |
|
| 1999 |
10-3 |
W – Alamo Bowl |
| 1998 |
9-3 |
W – Outback Bowl |
| 1997 |
9-3 |
L – Citrus Bowl |
| 1996 |
11-2 |
W – Fiesta Bowl |
| 1995 |
9-3 |
W – Hall of Fame Bowl |
| 1994 |
12-0 |
W – Rose Bowl |
| 1993 |
10-2 |
W – Citrus Bowl |
| 1992 |
7-5 |
L – Blockbuster Bowl |
| 1991 |
11-2 |
W – Fiesta Bowl |
| 1990 |
9-3 |
L – Blockbuster Bowl |
| 1989 |
8-3-1 |
W – Holiday Bowl |
| 1988 |
5-6 |
|
| 1987 |
8-4 |
L – Citrus Bowl |
| 1986 |
12-0 |
W – Fiesta Bowl |
| 1985 |
11-1 |
L – Orange Bowl |
| 1984 |
6-5 |
|
| 1983 |
8-4-1 |
W – Aloha Bowl |
| 1982 |
11-1 |
W – Sugar Bowl |
| 1981 |
10-2 |
W – Fiesta Bowl |
| 1980 |
10-2 |
W – Fiesta Bowl |
| 1979 |
8-4 |
W – Liberty Bowl |
| 1978 |
11-1 |
L – Sugar Bowl |
| 1977 |
11-1 |
W – Fiesta Bowl |
| 1976 |
7-5 |
L – Gator Bowl |
| 1975 |
9-3 |
L – Sugar Bowl |
| 1974 |
10-2 |
W – Cotton Bowl |
| 1973 |
12-0 |
W – Orange Bowl |
| 1972 |
10-2 |
L – Sugar Bowl |
| 1971 |
11-1 |
W – Cotton Bowl |
| 1970 |
7-3 |
|
| 1969 |
11-0 |
W – Orange Bowl |
| 1968 |
11-0 |
W – Orange Bowl |
| 1967 |
8-2-1 |
T – Gator Bowl |
| 1966 |
5-5 |
|
| 1965 |
5-5 |
|
| 1964 |
6-4 |
|
| 1963 |
7-3 |
|
| 1962 |
9-2 |
L – Gator Bowl |
| 1961 |
8-3 |
W – Gator Bowl |
| 1960 |
7-3 |
W – Liberty Bowl |
| 1959 |
9-2 |
W – Liberty Bowl |
| 1958 |
6-3-1 |
|
| 1957 |
6-3 |
|
| 1956 |
6-2-1 |
|
| 1955 |
5-4 |
|
| 1954 |
7-2 |
|
| 1953 |
6-3 |
|
| 1952 |
7-2-1 |
|
| 1951 |
5-4 |
|
| 1950 |
5-3-1 |
|
| 1949 |
5-4 |
|
| 1948 |
7-1-1 |
|
| 1947 |
9-0-1 |
T – Cotton Bowl |
| 1946 |
6-2 |
|
| 1945 |
5-3 |
|
| 1944 |
6-3 |
|
| 1943 |
5-3-1 |
|
| 1942 |
6-1-1 |
|
| 1941 |
7-2 |
|
| 1940 |
6-1-1 |
|
| 1939 |
5-1-2 |
|
| 1938 |
3-4-1 |
|
| 1937 |
5-3 |
|
| 1936 |
3-5 |
|
| 1935 |
4-4 |
|
| 1934 |
4-4 |
|
| 1933 |
3-3-1 |
|
| 1932 |
2-5 |
|
| 1931 |
2-8 |
|
| 1930 |
3-4-2 |
|
| 1929 |
6-3 |
|
| 1928 |
3-5-1 |
|
| 1927 |
6-2-1 |
|
| 1926 |
5-4 |
|
| 1925 |
4-4-1 |
|
| 1924 |
6-3-1 |
|
| 1923 |
6-2-1 |
|
| 1922 |
6-4-1 |
L – Rose Bowl |
| 1921 |
8-0-2 |
|
| 1920 |
7-0-2 |
|
| 1919 |
7-1 |
|
| 1918 |
1-2-1 |
|
| 1917 |
5-4 |
|
| 1916 |
8-2 |
|
| 1915 |
7-2 |
|
| 1914 |
5-3-1 |
|
| 1913 |
2-6 |
|
| 1912 |
8-0 |
|
| 1911 |
8-0-1 |
|
| 1910 |
5-2-1 |
|
| 1909 |
5-0-2 |
|
| 1908 |
5-5 |
|
| 1907 |
6-4 |
|
| 1906 |
8-1-1 |
|
| 1905 |
8-3 |
|
| 1904 |
6-4 |
|
| 1903 |
5-3 |
|
| 1902 |
7-3 |
|
| 1901 |
5-3 |
|
| 1900 |
4-6-1 |
|
Notre Dame is perhaps the most iconic and one of the most successful college football programs. The Fighting Irish have been recognized for 13 national championships by the NCAA and produced a record seven Heisman Trophy winners. NBC has televised Fighting Irish home games since 1991, the only school to have such a deal.
The game dates back to the late 1800s at Notre Dame, but the Irish didn’t enter the national consciousness until 1918 when Knute Rockne, at the age of 30, was named coach. During his 13 seasons the Irish went 105-12-5 with five undefeated seasons and three national championships. Notre Dame earned its first title in 1919 by going 9-0. Another national championship followed in 1924 when the Irish went 10-0 and won the Rose Bowl. Rockne’s coaching career ended with back-to-back unbeaten seasons and national championships in 1929 and 1930.
Success followed the program. The Irish claimed four national championships in the 1940s under Frank Leahy and returned to the pinnacle of college football in 1966 under Ara Parseghian. The Irish would produce their ninth unbeaten and untied season in 1973, claiming another national title. Another would follow under Dan Devine in 1977, but it would take Lou Holtz to revive the program after several forgettable seasons under Gerry Faust. Holtz would engineer Notre Dame’s last perfect season and national championship in 1988.
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