The Nittany Lions have the better quarterback, Trace McSorley, and an even better running back than the excellent Myles Gaskin: Saquon Barkley, a possible top-five pick in next year’s NFL Draft.
Pointspread | +3 +100 |
Moneyline | +140 |
Over / Under | o +55 |
Pointspread | -3 -120 |
Moneyline | -165 |
Over / Under | u +55 |
The Washington Huskies complained about not getting fair shake in the national spotlight all season long. In their only real opportunity – on the road at Stanford – they fell short. Now they get another shot to prove that they were overlooked when they face a quality Penn State team in the Fiesta Bowl.
Huskies vs. Nittany Lions Spread and Betting Analysis
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time | fav | line | total |
---|---|---|---|
Opening 9 Dec 7:26pm | WASH | -2 -110 | O +55 -110 |
Closing 30 Dec 5:18pm | WASH | -3 -120 | O +54 -110 |
Penn State opened up as a 2.5-point favorite and that’s where they sit now, but the line did dip as low as -1. Bettors seem to like the Nittany Lions. According to the Sports Interaction betting trends, 82% of the action is on Penn State. The Nittany Lions were 10-1 straight up and 7-4 ATS as a favorite. Washington wasn’t a dog all season but is 1-4 SU and 2-3 ATS in their last five in that role.
Washington Huskies
The Penn State passing game versus the Huskies secondary is one of the key storylines going into this game. The Huskies had a very strong defense this year, but their secondary got heavily injured in November – especially before their big game against Stanford. Washington was not able to stop Stanford’s mediocre passing offense and that cost them. The health of Washington’s secondary could very well be the biggest factor in this game. If the secondary is able to play at a high level, it can contain Penn State receiver DaeSean Hamilton and tight end Mike Gesicki, who are both so good at winning balls in traffic. If it can’t play well, Penn State will be able to throw all day on the Huskies’ back line of defense.
On other side of the ball, Washington is shorthanded at receiver where Chico McClatcher’s absence constrained what the passing game was able to do this year. The Huskies need to run with Myles Gaskin in order to set up the pass. They averaged 189.8 rushing yards per game this season but totaled just 225 in their two losses.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Saquon Barkley is so good at catching passes out of the backfield. That’s why it’s not surprising to see that this team finished seventh in the country in points per game (41.6). That will be hard for Washington to deal with. On the other hand, Penn State might be limited by the fact that former offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead took the head coaching job at Mississippi State. The Nittany Lions lost a very creative play caller who revived the offense early in 2016 and transformed the fortunes of the program.
The Huskies are known as a team that thrived on defense this season but that’s not fully accurate. They allowed 14.5 points per game (sixth in the nation) but they had a cupcake schedule. They still allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 63.8% of their passes (113th in the nation). This is the best quarterback and best offense they’ve faced all year. They’ll have to do better than that
Injuries
Lavon Coleman (RB)
Dante Pettis (WR)
Azeem Victor (LB)
Quinten Pounds (WR)
Hunter Bryant (TE)
Trey Adams (OL)
Jordan Miller (DB)
Chico McClatcher (WR)
Byron Murphy (DB)
DJ Beavers (LB)
Irvin Charles (WR)
Troy Apke (S)
Manny Bowen (LB)
Ryan Bates (OL)
Ryan Buchholz (DE)
Andrew Nelson (OL)
Torrence Brown (DE)
John Reid (CB)
Injuries
player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
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Lavon Coleman (RB) | Prob Sat | Ankle - 19 / 12 / 17 | 1-0 | 1-0 | + - |
Coleman is nursing an ankle injury but is expected to play in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Penn State. |
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Dante Pettis (WR) | Prob Sat | Leg - 13 / 12 / 17 | 1-0 | 1-0 | + - |
Pettis is expected to line up against Penn State in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl despite a leg injury. |
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Azeem Victor (LB) | Out indefinitely | Suspension - 15 / 11 / 17 | 1-2 | 3-0 | + - |
Victor will miss an undetermined length of time due to an indefinite suspension for an off-field incident. |
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Quinten Pounds (WR) | out for season | Knee - 05 / 11 / 17 | 3-2 | 4-1 | + - |
Pounds is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to an knee injury. |
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Hunter Bryant (TE) | Ques Sat | Leg - 29 / 10 / 17 | 3-2 | 4-1 | + - |
Bryant has a leg injury and it is unknown if he will play in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Penn State. |
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Trey Adams (OL) | out for season | Knee - 16 / 10 / 17 | 3-3 | 4-2 | + - |
Adams will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL. |
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Jordan Miller (DB) | out for season | Ankle - 16 / 10 / 17 | 3-3 | 4-2 | + - |
Miller suffered a broken ankle, ending his season. |
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Chico McClatcher (WR) | out for season | Ankle - 25 / 09 / 17 | - | - | + - |
McClatcher is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to a broken ankle. |
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Byron Murphy (DB) | Late Nov | Foot - 23 / 09 / 17 | - | - | + - |
Murphy is expected to need six-to-eight weeks to recover from a broken foot. |
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DJ Beavers (LB) | Out indefinitely | Foot - 29 / 08 / 17 | - | - | + - |
Beavers has a foot injury and it is unknown as to how long he will be out. |
player (position) | status | ats*current | o/u* | notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Irvin Charles (WR) | Out Sat | Suspension - 27 / 12 / 17 | 1-0 | 1-0 | + - |
Charles has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules and will not be available for the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Washington. |
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Troy Apke (S) | Ques Sat | Suspension - 25 / 11 / 17 | 1-1 | 2-0 | + - |
Apke has been suspended for the first half of Saturday's game against Maryland due to a targeting violation. |
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Manny Bowen (LB) | Out Sat | Suspension - 14 / 11 / 17 | 1-2 | 2-1 | + - |
Bowen has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules and will not be available for the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Washington. |
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Ryan Bates (OL) | Ques Sat | Ankle - 30 / 10 / 17 | 2-3 | 4-1 | + - |
Bates has missed the last three games with an ankle injury and it is unknown if he will suit up Saturday against Maryland. |
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Ryan Buchholz (DE) | Ques Sat | Foot - 30 / 10 / 17 | 2-3 | 4-1 | + - |
Buchholz missed the last three games dealing with a foot injury and it is uncertain if he will play Saturday against Maryland. |
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Andrew Nelson (OL) | Ques Sat | Undisclosed - 15 / 10 / 17 | - | - | + - |
Nelson missed the last four games due to an undefined injury and it is unclear if he will play Saturday against Nebraska. |
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Torrence Brown (DE) | out for season | Knee - 17 / 09 / 17 | - | - | + - |
Brown is expected to sit out the rest of the season due to a right knee injury. |
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John Reid (CB) | out for season | Knee - 13 / 08 / 17 | - | - | + - |
Reid suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and is likely to miss the entire 2017 season. |
Fiesta Bowl Prediction
-
HUSKIES
23 -
NITTANY LIONS
26
Score
Prediction
-
Line History
Sports Interaction customers are placing their bets on:
time fav line total Opening 9 Dec 7:26pm WASH -2 -110 O +55 -110 Closing 30 Dec 5:18pm WASH -3 -120 O +54 -110 -
Injuries
Lavon Coleman (RB)
Prob Sat Ankle - 19 / 12 / 17Dante Pettis (WR)
Prob Sat Leg - 13 / 12 / 17Azeem Victor (LB)
Out indefinitely Suspension - 15 / 11 / 17Quinten Pounds (WR)
out for season Knee - 05 / 11 / 17Hunter Bryant (TE)
Ques Sat Leg - 29 / 10 / 17Trey Adams (OL)
out for season Knee - 16 / 10 / 17Jordan Miller (DB)
out for season Ankle - 16 / 10 / 17Chico McClatcher (WR)
out for season Ankle - 25 / 09 / 17Byron Murphy (DB)
Late Nov Foot - 23 / 09 / 17DJ Beavers (LB)
Out indefinitely Foot - 29 / 08 / 17Irvin Charles (WR)
Out Sat Suspension - 27 / 12 / 17Troy Apke (S)
Ques Sat Suspension - 25 / 11 / 17Manny Bowen (LB)
Out Sat Suspension - 14 / 11 / 17Ryan Bates (OL)
Ques Sat Ankle - 30 / 10 / 17Ryan Buchholz (DE)
Ques Sat Foot - 30 / 10 / 17Andrew Nelson (OL)
Ques Sat Undisclosed - 15 / 10 / 17Torrence Brown (DE)
out for season Knee - 17 / 09 / 17John Reid (CB)
out for season Knee - 13 / 08 / 17Injuries
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Lavon Coleman (RB) Prob Sat Ankle - 19 / 12 / 17 1-0 1-0 + - Coleman is nursing an ankle injury but is expected to play in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Penn State.
Dante Pettis (WR) Prob Sat Leg - 13 / 12 / 17 1-0 1-0 + - Pettis is expected to line up against Penn State in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl despite a leg injury.
Azeem Victor (LB) Out indefinitely Suspension - 15 / 11 / 17 1-2 3-0 + - Victor will miss an undetermined length of time due to an indefinite suspension for an off-field incident.
Quinten Pounds (WR) out for season Knee - 05 / 11 / 17 3-2 4-1 + - Pounds is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to an knee injury.
Hunter Bryant (TE) Ques Sat Leg - 29 / 10 / 17 3-2 4-1 + - Bryant has a leg injury and it is unknown if he will play in the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Penn State.
Trey Adams (OL) out for season Knee - 16 / 10 / 17 3-3 4-2 + - Adams will miss the remainder of the season due to a torn ACL.
Jordan Miller (DB) out for season Ankle - 16 / 10 / 17 3-3 4-2 + - Miller suffered a broken ankle, ending his season.
Chico McClatcher (WR) out for season Ankle - 25 / 09 / 17 - - + - McClatcher is likely to miss the remainder of the season due to a broken ankle.
Byron Murphy (DB) Late Nov Foot - 23 / 09 / 17 - - + - Murphy is expected to need six-to-eight weeks to recover from a broken foot.
DJ Beavers (LB) Out indefinitely Foot - 29 / 08 / 17 - - + - Beavers has a foot injury and it is unknown as to how long he will be out.
player (position) status ats*current o/u* notes Irvin Charles (WR) Out Sat Suspension - 27 / 12 / 17 1-0 1-0 + - Charles has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules and will not be available for the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Washington.
Troy Apke (S) Ques Sat Suspension - 25 / 11 / 17 1-1 2-0 + - Apke has been suspended for the first half of Saturday's game against Maryland due to a targeting violation.
Manny Bowen (LB) Out Sat Suspension - 14 / 11 / 17 1-2 2-1 + - Bowen has been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules and will not be available for the Playstation Fiesta Bowl against Washington.
Ryan Bates (OL) Ques Sat Ankle - 30 / 10 / 17 2-3 4-1 + - Bates has missed the last three games with an ankle injury and it is unknown if he will suit up Saturday against Maryland.
Ryan Buchholz (DE) Ques Sat Foot - 30 / 10 / 17 2-3 4-1 + - Buchholz missed the last three games dealing with a foot injury and it is uncertain if he will play Saturday against Maryland.
Andrew Nelson (OL) Ques Sat Undisclosed - 15 / 10 / 17 - - + - Nelson missed the last four games due to an undefined injury and it is unclear if he will play Saturday against Nebraska.
Torrence Brown (DE) out for season Knee - 17 / 09 / 17 - - + - Brown is expected to sit out the rest of the season due to a right knee injury.
John Reid (CB) out for season Knee - 13 / 08 / 17 - - + - Reid suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and is likely to miss the entire 2017 season.