Over the first 10 years of James Franklin’s tenure at Penn State, he couldn’t find a way to get over the hump and into the four-team College Football Playoff. Then, ironically, in the first year of the 12-team CFP Franklin’s Nittany Lions finally finished the year in the top four, but instead of a spot in the semifinals, they will host ACC runner-up SMU at Beaver Stadium in the first round of the expanded playoff.
With the top four seeds and first-round byes going to the four highest-ranked conference champions, Penn State nabbed the second-best at-large spot and a fairly clear path through the postseason, hosting SMU for a shot to face No. 3 seed Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. While it’s a favorable path, Franklin’s team still must take care of business to capitalize on it and that starts on Saturday, December 21 at Noon ET in Happy Valley.
How to watch SMU vs. Penn State in the College Football Playoff
- Date: Saturday, December 21
- Time: Noon ET
- Venue: Beaver Stadium
- How to Watch (TV): TNT
- Streaming: fubo TV | MAX
- SMU record: 11-2
- Penn State record: 11-2
SMU vs. Penn State odds, spread and total
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Moneyline
- SMU +250
- Penn State -315
Spread
- SMU +8.5 (-108)
- Penn State -8.5 (-112)
Total
- 53.5 (over -114/under -106)
Penn State injury report
- Anthony Donkoh, OT: OUT (knee)
- Andrew Rappleyea, TE: OUT
- Cam Wallace, RB: OUT
- Kevin Winston Jr. S: OUT (undisclosed)
- Zuriah Fisher, DE: OUT
- Elliot Washington, CB: Questionable (undisclosed)
- Keon Wylie, LB: Questionable (undisclosed)
- Kaden Saunders, WR: Questionable (undisclosed)
SMU injury report
- Jake Bailey, WR: OUT (undisclosed)
- AJ Davis, CB: Questionable (head)
- Jaylan Knighton, RB: OUT (knee)
- RJ Maryland, TE: OUT (knee)
- Zane Minors, RB: Questionable (lower body)
- Camar Wheaton, RB: OUT (knee)
Penn State and SMU series history
Penn State all-time record vs. SMU: N/A