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Early Penn State betting odds: Lions are underdogs vs. Big Ten football powers

Here's an early look Penn State's betting lines in some of its marquee games this season.

Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton is lifted by offensive lineman Bryce Effner after Singleton's touchdown against Minnesota on Oct. 22, 2022.
Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton is lifted by offensive lineman Bryce Effner after Singleton's touchdown against Minnesota on Oct. 22, 2022.Read moreBarry Reeger / AP

With Penn State announcing four more games on top of its prime-time matchups against Michigan State on Black Friday and West Virginia in its season opener, the Nittany Lions’ season becomes a little clearer.

Fresh off their Rose Bowl win over Utah, the Lions have a steep September to navigate: After their opener vs. WVU, they’ll face two Big Ten West schools in Illinois and Iowa, with the latter being Penn State’s annual “White Out” game.

Later in their schedule, Ohio State and Michigan loom, two teams consistently standing in the Lions’ way of an elusive Big Ten title, one they haven’t captured since 2016.

Several sportsbook have released early lines for some of the biggest games in the 2023 season. The Penn State-Michigan State Black Friday game has the Nittany Lions listed as an early 13-point favorite.

» READ MORE: Penn State unveils four more games in its 2023 football schedule

Here’s an early look at the betting line for four of Penn State’s biggest games of the 2023 season, courtesy of Caesars Sportsbook.

Odds updated as of 9 a.m. Thursday.

Penn State vs West Virginia, 7:30 p.m. on Sep. 2, NBC (via Caesars)

  1. Point spread: Penn State -17.5

  2. Money line: Penn State: -1000; West Virginia: +650

Penn State will be facing a West Virginia team coming off a dismal 5-7 season. Both teams will feature new starting quarterbacks, with former Mountaineer J.T. Daniels and former Nittany Lion Sean Clifford both headed to the NFL. Penn State is the more talented team, while West Virginia looks to find its footing with fifth-year head coach Neal Brown.

Penn State vs Iowa, 7:30 p.m. on Sep. 23, CBS (via Caesars)

  1. Point spread: Penn State -10

A surprising spread among the early lines. The Hawkeyes struggled offensively last season but beat the Nittany Lions in 2021 at Kinnick Stadium.

» READ MORE: Penn State opens as favorite over Michigan State in Black Friday matchup at Ford Field

Penn State at Ohio State, Oct. 21 (via Caesars)

  1. Point spread: Ohio State -10

Former St. Joseph’s Prep standout Kyle McCord seems to be the leader to be the Buckeyes’ quarterback this fall. He’ll have Marvin Harrison Jr., an early projected 2024 first-round pick, to throw to as well. As always, this game will be a decider in who wins the Big Ten East, and this betting line could shrink if Ohio State takes a step back offensively this year.

Penn State vs Michigan, noon on Nov. 11, Fox (via Caesars)

  1. Point spread: Michigan -2.5

This game got ugly last season, especially late in the second half. The Wolverines return star running back Blake Corum, part of the 1-2 punch in their backfield that carved up the Nittany Lions on the ground last season. If Penn State wants to win, it’ll have to slow down Michigan’s running game, hence the low betting line in favor of the reigning Big Ten champions.

Games times announced for Penn State’s matchups with Illinois, UMass and Delaware do not have a betting lines at this time.