Penn State's a Big Favorite in Two Early Betting Lines

As college football's 2023 odds emerge, the Nittany Lions are a popular betting choice.

Early betting lines for the 2023 college football season are emerging, and Penn State is a big favorite in two games and an underdog to two familiar foes.

According to FanDuel, Penn State is an 18.5-point favorite over West Virginia for their Sept. 2 game at Beaver Stadium. The Lions finished last season 11-2 with a Rose Bowl victory, while West Virginia went 5-7. The Mountaineers did close the season with wins over Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in two of their last three games.

Penn State and West Virginia will play for the first time since 1992.

Elsewhere, Penn State is a 10.5-point favorite over Iowa, which went 8-5 and made offseason news by restructuring offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz's contract with curious performance-based incentives. The Sept. 23 game at Beaver Stadium is a contender for White Out consideration, as the teams have developed quite the rivalry of late.

FanDuel certainly isn't ready to make Penn State a favorite over Ohio State or Michigan, though one line is interesting. The Lions are 9.5-point underdogs in Columbus, where they have lost five straight games. The Penn State-Ohio State game is scheduled for Oct. 23.

Meanwhile, FanDuel makes two-time defending Big Ten champ Michigan just a 1.5-point favorite over the Lions for their Nov. 11 game at Beaver Stadium. This is another White Out contender, though FOX might steer this game toward a Big Noon kickoff.

According to TeamRankings, Penn State was 9-3-2 against the spread last season, including a 4-1 record as the road team.

Penn State begins year 10 under head coach James Franklin at No. 5 in the ESPN SP+ preseason rankings. Franklin noted that ranking recently while speaking to Penn State's Board of Trustees.

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AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.