Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Penn State Nittany Lions Odds, Spread, and Totals
The Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) will attempt to capture their biggest win of the season when they face the Penn State Nittany Lions (4-6, 1-6 Big Ten) at…
The Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten) will attempt to capture their biggest win of the season when they face the Penn State Nittany Lions (4-6, 1-6 Big Ten) at 7 p.m. EST on Saturday. Both teams have had their campaigns derailed by season-ending injuries to their starting quarterbacks, with Dylan Raiola and Drew Allar both heading to the sidelines with games left on the schedule. That turns this game into the battle of the backups, which holds extra significance for Nebraska as it tries to secure a good bowl game.
Unlike Penn State, Nebraska saw instant success when its backup quarterback took the reins. In his first game starting, TJ Lateef threw for 205 yards and three touchdowns, notching more scores than incomplete passes. Behind that effort, the Cornhuskers survived against the UCLA Bruins 28-21 to continue what has been a surprisingly good campaign from head coach Matt Rhule. Penn State, even with the litany of important injuries that have completely derailed its season, will certainly present a much larger challenge on Saturday.
It is tough to find any positives about Penn State's season. Longtime head coach James Franklin was fired mid-season, and Allar's absence has allowed for a massive slide for a team that was once expected to realistically compete for the national championship. Instead, the Nittany Lions sit at 4-6, with embarrassing losses to UCLA and Northwestern. A recent victory over Michigan State broke a six-game losing streak, providing some level of optimism as Penn State welcomes Nebraska to one of the most raucous home environments in all of sports.
Spread
- Nebraska +8.5 (-117)
- Penn State -8.5 (+100)
Money line
- Nebraska +257
- Penn State -285
Totals
- Over 44.5 (-118)
- Under 44.5 (-104)
Note: The above data was collected on Nov. 21, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Nebraska vs Penn State Betting Trends
- Nebraska is 4-5-1 ATS this year.
- Nebraska is 1-3 ATS when playing on the road.
- The over is 7-3 in the Cornhuskers' games.
- Penn State is 3-7 ATS this season.
- Penn State is 1-6 ATS when playing at home.
- The over is 6-3-1 in Penn State's games.
Nebraska vs Penn State Injury Reports
Nebraska Cornhuskers
- Dylan Raiola, QB - Out.
- Dasan McCullough, LB - Out.
- Cameron Schutt, LB - Out.
Penn State Nittany Lions
- Jaxon Smolik, QB - Questionable.
- Drew Allar, QB - Out.
- Antoine Belgrave-Shorter, S - Questionable.
- AJ Harris, CB - Questionable.
- Tony Rojas, LB - Out.
Nebraska vs Penn State Prediction and Pick
David Racey of PickDawgz writes, "Penn State comes into this matchup after snapping their losing streak with a win over MSU last week, and they will be back at home here. The Nittany Lions have played a very difficult schedule since losing their starting quarterback, but they have a solid rushing attack and a strong defense. Nebraska is also without its starting quarterback, but it managed to beat UCLA on the road before the bye week. I think we are going to see both defenses play well, and with each team relying on the run, I like the under here."
