Following Penn State football's win over Michigan State in Week 12, the Nittany Lions (4-6, 1-6 Big Ten) are favored once again. They will take the field at Beaver Stadium for the final time in 2025, honoring their seniors while hosting Nebraska.
Complete guide to Penn State v. Nebraska: How to watch, odds, weather and more
Two Penn State alum will go head-to-head at the helm. Interim head coach Terry Smith just registered his first win since taking over former head coach James Franklin's role. Cornhuskers (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) head coach Matt Rhule signed a contract extension in the midst of rumors of him being the top candidate for the open job in Happy Valley.
Line: Penn State -7.5
Money Line: Penn State -320, Nebraska +260
Over/Under: 45.5
Here are our team's predictions for how Saturday's Nittany Lions v. Cornhuskers contest plays out:
Sydney Ciano - Penn State 27, Nebraska 20
Despite coming off a win, the Nittany Lions face a tougher Big Ten opponent than Michigan State. The Spartans were also winless in the conference whereas the Cornhuskers just scrape by with a winning record heading into Saturday's contest. After Week 12's win, though, Smith emphasized that his team finally figured out how to win and how to close out games on its term. That momentum from Week 12 will carry over into Saturday, especially given it's Senior Day for Penn State.
There's a lot at stake for the Nittany Lions, even though their College Football Playoff hopes died weeks ago. Rather, they're playing for their seniors to end the season on a high note and not to finish with a losing record. If they do, they become the first team to start the preseason at No. 2 and end the season losing. Penn State got a taste of what it takes to win, and that means the Cornhuskers will have to manage running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen: two seniors playing in front of their fans at home for the last time in their collegiate careers.
Nebraska comes into Happy Valley off a bye week, previously beating UCLA 28-21 on Nov. 8. With fresh legs out of the field, the Cornhuskers will keep the game close. However, it will come down to which team out-rushes the other. Even with Emmett Johnson in Nebraska's offensive backfield, Penn State's going to get into a rhythm on the ground early and the senior-heavy team is going to give those players their time to shine.
Myles Hannak - Penn State 31, Nebraska 17