Minnesota Golden Gophers vs Penn State Nittany Lions Matchup

Check out our free Penn State Nittany Lions vs Minnesota Golden Gophers pick and preview for this CFB week 13 game in Minneapolis. See who we like to win and cover the spread in this week 13 CFB matchup.

At 3:30 ET, Penn State and Minnesota will face off at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. CBS is handling the broadcast as Penn State comes in with a 9-1 record this season. The Nittany Lions are favored by -11.5 points over Minnesota, with the over/under line set at 45.5 points. The money line odds have Penn State at -461 and Minnesota at +344 for this week 13 matchup.

Nittany Lions vs. Golden Gophers Matchup At A Glance

Sport: CFB
Teams: Penn State Nittany Lions at Minnesota Golden Gophers
Where: Minneapolis at Huntington Bank Stadium
Date: Saturday, November 23rd
Betting Odds PENNST -11.5, PENNST -461 | MINNST +344 O/U 45.5

Nittany Lions Preview:

Penn State heads into Week 13 against Minnesota with a 9-1 record, ranked 7th in our CFB power rankings. They have a 100% chance of being bowl-eligible and a 1.9% chance of winning the Big Ten. However, they have an 88.9% chance of making the CFB playoff, which is the 6th highest in the country.

The Nittany Lions are 5-1 at home and 3-0 on the road this season, with an average scoring margin of +19.4 points per game. They are 5-4 against the spread, going 3-0 ATS on the road and 2-4 ATS at home.

Penn State’s over/under record is 2-7, with their games averaging 46.6 points. This week’s line is 45.5 points, the lowest they’ve faced, compared to their average over/under line of 50 points.

Nittany Lions Offense Breakdown

Penn State’s offense is averaging 33 points per game, placing them 27th in the nation heading into week 13. However, they rank 9th in our offensive power rankings. Their rushing attack is strong, averaging 201.4 yards per game on 37.1 attempts.

Kaytron Allen leads the ground game with 654 rushing yards, five touchdowns, and an average of 4 yards per carry. Quarterback Drew Allar has thrown for 2,253 yards, completing 71.9% of his passes with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions. His passer rating is 116. Penn State ranks 3rd nationally in completion percentage and third-down conversion rate, converting 52.5% of their attempts. They are 41st in passing yards per game.

Nittany Lions Team Defense

Penn State's defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 6th nationally by allowing just 13.6 points per game. They’ve also held opponents to 101.5 rushing yards per game, which is 13th fewest in the country, and 174 passing yards per game.

In their last game, Penn State gave up only 10 points to Purdue, allowing 85 rushing yards on 28 attempts and 217 passing yards. They also forced Purdue into 16 first downs.

Golden Gophers Preview:

Penn State’s over/under record is 2-7, with their games averaging 46.6 points. This week’s line is 45.5 points, the lowest they’ve faced, compared to their average over/under line of 50 points.

Golden Gophers Offense Breakdown

Minnesota’s offense is averaging 26.7 points per game heading into week 13, placing them 60th in the nation. They are ranked 62nd in our offensive power rankings. The Golden Gophers have focused on their passing game, ranking 35th in passing attempts per game and 27th in completions, averaging 228.6 passing yards per game. They are 15th in completion percentage, converting 67.2% of their passes, and 18th in third-down conversions at 46.6%.

Max Brosmer leads the team with 2,251 passing yards and a passer rating of 96. He has thrown 14 touchdowns and four interceptions, completing 67.1% of his passes. Darius Taylor leads the rushing attack with 672 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 4 yards per carry. Daniel Jackson has 712 receiving yards on 63 catches.

Golden Gophers Team Defense

Minnesota's defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 11th nationally by allowing just 17.7 points per game. They’ve given up 121 rushing yards per game and 176.6 passing yards, which ranks 26th in the country. Opposing quarterbacks have a passer rating of 63.1 against Minnesota, the 9th lowest in the nation.

In their recent game against Rutgers, Minnesota allowed 26 points in a 26-19 loss. Rutgers gained 375 total yards, including 137 rushing yards on 36 attempts and 238 passing yards. Minnesota’s defense also allowed two passing touchdowns and didn’t force any interceptions.

Nittany Lions vs Golden Gophers Betting Odds, Trends & Analysis

In their last ten games away from home, the Penn State Nittany Lions have a straight up record of 9-1 while going 8-2 vs the spread. The team's offense averaged 35 points per game in these contests.
Minnesota has a 2-3 record in their last five home games. In this stretch, they averaged 18 points per game while allowing 24. The team also performed well vs the spread at 3-2.
Going back to their last five games as the underdog, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have a straight up record of 1-4. But, their mark vs the spread was just 2-2-1.
Through their last five games as the favorite, the Penn State Nittany Lions have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 5-0.