Penn State Nittany Lions vs Michigan Wolverines Prediction, 10/17/2026 College Football Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Penn State Nittany Lions vs Michigan Wolverines

Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026

Location: Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, MI

TV: CBS

Odds/Point Spread: Wolverines (-6.5)

Total/Over-Under: 42

Michigan Stadium is where the Michigan Wolverines (3-2) will attempt to defeat the Penn State Nittany Lions (3-3) on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Penn State is 6.5-point underdogs. The over/under is 42.

The Penn State Nittany Lions step onto the field holding a record of 3-3 this year. The last time they stepped onto the field, the Nittany Lions faced the USC Trojans and ended up losing by a score of 31-23. Overall, they had 63 plays which gave them 357 yds. The Penn State Nittany Lions ended up running the ball 31 different times and had 68 yds, earning them an average of 2.2 yds per attempt. Against the run, the Nittany Lions conceded 129 yds on 30 tries, which is 4.3 yds per run surrendered. Penn State surrendered 21 pass completions on 33 tries for a total of 301 yards, and a completion percentage of 63.6%.

The Nittany Lions have tallied 2,357 total yards this year. In terms of scoring touchdowns, Penn State has earned 11 touchdowns via the pass and 10 rushing touchdowns. They have given the ball to the opposition 4 different times. Penn State has amassed 123 1st downs offensively, and they have been flagged for 26 penalties for 256 yds. As a team they hold an average of 141.7 yards via the ground game giving them a rank of 90th in Division 1. Regarding scoring, the Penn State Nittany Lions are sitting at 30.5 points per game.

The Nittany Lions rank 32nd in the nation when it comes to team defense, allowing 18.5 PPG. They are giving up 4.7 yards per rush and 165.8 rushing yards per contest so far this year. Over the course of this year, they have allowed 995 running yards through 6 outings. Concerning passing yardage, the Nittany Lions have given up 899 yds which puts them in 21st in the country. They are allowing 149.8 yards per contest through the air in addition to giving up a completion percentage of 56.9%. During this campaign, they are conceding 315.7 yards per contest putting them 36th in Division 1. They have surrendered 5 touchdowns via the pass and 8 touchdowns pounding the rock.

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The Wolverines come into this matchup with a record of 3-2 for this season. When they last stepped on the field, the Wolverines took a defeat with a final score of 20-14 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Wolverines ended up finishing with 180 yards while running 49 plays (3.7 yards per play). Michigan ran the football for 2.8 yards per tote, finishing with a total of 79 yds on 28 attempts. Michigan conceded 40 rushing attempts for 126 yds (3.2 yards per carry). The Wolverines pass defense allowed a completion rate of 68.0%, relinquishing 136 yds on 17 for 25 passing.

Regarding their scoring prowess, the Wolverines rank 101st in D-1 holding an average of 23.0 points per contest. The Michigan Wolverines are averaging 315.8 yards per game, which is good for 120th in the country. The Michigan offense has compiled 332 penalty yards on 38 infractions, which is 58th in the nation in terms of helping out the opposition. They have tossed 4 picks while conceding 5 fumbles and they have obtained 85 1st downs. For the season thus far, the Wolverines have earned 904 passing yards along with an average of 180.8 passing yards per outing, which is ranked 117th in D-1. They maintain an average of 135.0 rushing yards per game and have run for 675 yards for the year.

Michigan has yielded a total of 473 yards via the ground game (94.6 yards per contest) and 1 touchdown by way of the ground game so far this season. They have conceded 6 touchdowns from the passing game in addition to 146.8 yards/game, which puts them in 5th in the nation. Overall, they have relinquished 79 points in total. They have totaled 1 fumble recovery and 4 interceptions this season. The Wolverines defense has been on the field for 300 plays, which has them sitting 10th in the nation. The Wolverines are conceding 15.8 points per game, which puts them 20th in the nation.

Who will win tonight's Nittany Lions/Wolverines college football game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take the Wolverines -6.5

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