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So much scandal over these past few weeks has resulted in the Penn State Wisconsin line sitting at -14.5 despite both these teams having identical records. You can bet this one at Sportsbook.com here and receive up to $250 in FREE CASH. Please use promo code GAMBLING911.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Wisconsin -14.5 & 49
Opening Line & Total: Badgers -15.5 & 49.5
The champion of the Leaders Division will be decided on Saturday afternoon in Madison, when No. 16 Wisconsin hosts No. 19 Penn State.
To gain a berth in the inaugural Big Ten Championship game next week, the Nittany Lions will have to topple a Badgers team with 15 straight wins at Camp Randall Stadium. This game features two of the nation’s top-8 teams in both scoring defense and total defense. The Nittany Lions won their last trip to Camp Randall in 2008, crushing the Badgers 48-7, and they are a perfect 4-0 SU outside of Happy Valley this season.
Penn State took a big step forward last week in the process of healing from the child sex-abuse scandal that rocked its campus. The Nittany Lions rushed for 239 yards at Ohio State in their 20-14 road victory last Saturday, the first win since Joe Paterno was forced out. Stephon Green ran for 93 yards and 2 TD as neither school scored a point in the second half. Green, who has had his share off off-field troubles this year, has 164 rushing yards and 4 TD in two games under interim head coach Tom Bradley. Green’s increased workload has come as a result of top RB Silas Redd being slowed by an injured collarbone. Penn State’s passing defense has been stellar in the past three weeks, holding opposing quarterbacks to 33-of-68 completions for 320 yards, 2 TD and 2 INT in the past three weeks combined. PSU has six games with at least three takeaways this year.
Badgers RB Montee Ball rumbled for 224 yards and 2 TD in a 28-17 win at Illinois last week, giving him a nation’s-best (and Big Ten record) 30 TD this year. The 28 points were actually their lowest point total of the year, as Wisconsin’s 44.8 PPG ranks fifth-best in the country. QB Russell Wilson leads the nation in passing efficiency (199.27), completing 74% of his passes for 2,506 yards (228 YPG), 26 TD and 3 INT. In addition to its gaudy national rankings, Wisconsin’s defense has also done a great job creating turnovers. In the past eight games, the Badgers have tallied 17 takeaways. Considering Penn State’s offense has 3 TO in four different games this year, this could be a huge factor in Saturday’s game.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
