Penn State vs. Auburn Picks, Predictions for College Football Week 3: Newly-Ranked Nittany Lions Laying Points on the Road

Henry John

Last Updated: September 20, 2022 2:19 PM EDT • 2 min 58 sec read. Twitter link Google News Link

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton avoids the attempted tackle of Ben Johnson of the Ohio Bobcats to score a touchdown during the second half at Beaver Stadium on September 10, 2022 in State College, Pennsylvania. Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images via AFP.

Here are our top college football picks as Penn State is set to become the first ever Big Ten team to play on the road at Auburn.

After escaping with a win over Purdue in Week 1, Penn State (2-0 ATS, 2-0 O/U) flew past Ohio in last week’s home-opener. The Nittany Lions cracked the AP Top 25 rankings this week at No. 24. PSU is a small road favorite ahead of Saturday’s game on The Plains.

Quarterback play remains a concern for Auburn (0-2 ATS, 1-1 O/U) ahead of this week’s marquee matchup.

Here are our college football betting picks for the Week 3 matchup between Penn State and Auburn (odds via FanDuel Sportsbook, PointsBet, and DraftKings Sportsbooks; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5 star scale).

Penn State vs. Auburn Picks

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Penn State vs. Auburn ATS Pick

Auburn +3.5 (-122) ★★★

Given that virtually the entire college football betting market is listing the spread at Penn State -3, the best value on Auburn as a home underdog is exclusive to FanDuel. While the extra half-point requires bettors to lay a -122 price, it's worth it because the spread sits on the key number of three.

The Nittany Lions routed Ohio last week, but the Bobcats were able to record five sacks in defeat. Penn State’s offensive line entered the 2022 campaign with only 36 starts’ worth of experience. Auburn amassed 11 tackles for loss in last year’s matchup between the two teams. Knowing that the Tigers’ defensive line is even more experienced this season, PSU quarterback Sean Clifford could very well find himself running for his life during Saturday’s game.

The Tigers returned 120 starts along the offensive front this season. Last year, Auburn rushed for more than 180 yards against the Nittany Lions.

The other wrinkle bettors must consider for Saturday’s game is the reports that Auburn might wind up playing two different quarterbacks throughout the contest. Even if the Tigers primarily utilize T.J. Finley, Penn State will be facing an Auburn QB for the first time as Bo Nix was under center for them in last year’s head-to-head matchup.

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Penn State vs. Auburn O/U Pick

Under 47.5 (-105) ★★

Many of the same premises for our ATS pick above also apply to the decision to bet the Under. If Auburn is in fact able to assert control along the line of scrimmage, this game will likely turn into a hard-hitting, physical contest.

Given the fact that Auburn lacks a surefire passing offense, it seems logical to expect a heavy dose of runs from the Tigers. The best way to attack the Penn State defense is clearly on the ground. Airing it out against the Nittany Lions is not at all easy with an NFL-caliber corner like Joey Porter Jr. blanketing one half of the field.

The potential for the Tigers to spring an upset in this spot will rely heavily on the ability of the offense to sustain drives and keep the ball away from Clifford and PSU's attack. These prolonged, clock-draining drives would certainly favor the total staying under.

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Penn State vs. Auburn Prop Pick

Singleton Under 48.5 rushing yards (-115) ★★★★

After managing 31 yards rushing on 10 carries in his collegiate debut, Penn State freshman running back Nicholas Singleton popped off last week against Ohio. He turned just 10 carries into 179 yards and a pair of touchdowns. In the process, Singleton asserted himself as the most explosive back on the Nittany Lions’ depth chart.

Unfortunately, the freshman will be hard-pressed to replicate last week’s success against the formidable Auburn defensive front. If last year’s meeting between these teams serves as any indication, Singleton will need to double up his touches to even sniff his rushing yardage prop of 48.5.

Not only does Auburn have the advantage in the trenches, but it’s also unlikely that Singleton will receive that many touches on Saturday.

Where to Bet on Penn State vs. Auburn Picks

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Penn State-Auburn picks made 9/15/2022 at 5:38 a.m. ET

Written By:
Henry John

Henry’s passion for sports dates all the way back to childhood and has ultimately led to a full-fledged career as an analyst and content creator. After getting his start penning fantasy football articles, he forrayed into the betting side of the business in early 2019. His love for sports and statistics proved to be an ideal match with the dedicated research and strategy that handicapping requires. Henry currently specializes in betting analysis and picks for college football, college basketball, and NASCAR. He counts NFL, WNBA, and NBA player props as additional leagues/markets of interest. Henry graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 2021 with a Communication Studies degree and a Psychology minor. A native of the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York, he and his pup, Harold, have since relocated to Laramie, Wyoming. Thanks to his professional goals within the sports betting industry, there has been a whole lot of steam on the odds for a move to Las Vegas in 2023! Most of Henry’s free time is spent on outdoor adventures, playing chess, snowboarding, or reading a good book. He is also a competitive powerlifter and aspires to qualify for the USAPL Nationals meet within the next 2-3 years.