2016 Penn State Nittany Lions Football Predictions and Season Win Total Picks

by Robert Ferringo - 8/4/2016

2015 Record: 7-6

2016 Las Vegas Season Win Total: 7.0

2016 Season Win Total Picks NCAA Football: 'Over'

I have a feeling that all of those Penn State fans that trashed Christian Hackenberg the past two seasons are going to feel a slight tinge of regret this fall. Penn State was lucky that Hackenberg honored his commitment and helped shepherd this program through the ugly post-sanctions years. But he skipped his senior season right at the time when Penn State has just about everything else to vault themselves back into the top tier of the Big Ten.

Penn State has nine returning starters, including five three-year starters, on offense. These guys haven't been very good the past two seasons, but that's mainly because most of the players were thrown into action before they were ready. The Lions have their leading rusher, three leading receivers and four offensive line starters all back. If a quarterback can emerge then this group should top last year's modest 23.2 point-per-game output.

Defense is coach James Franklin's specialty. And he's fielded two overachieving units the past two years. Franklin will have to replace five of his top eight tacklers. But this year's stop unit is chock full of upperclassmen that are now in their third year in Franklin's schemes. Also, Penn State's early-season schedule is full of teams that run more methodical, physical offenses. So Penn State's toughness will be tested more than their sophistication.

Penn State is going to have to regain its footing after a disastrous end to last season. They dumped their last three regular-season games (including a 39-point blowout) and then lost their bowl game. They open with five of their first seven games in Happy Valley, which should be a big boost.

The Nittany Lions get Ohio State, Michigan State and Iowa at home. They do have to travel to Michigan, though, and have a difficult road test at in-state rival Pitt. This is a good team. And I think that they will be poised to spring an upset that plays a major role in deciding the Big Ten. Even if they lose all five of those games that I just mentioned, they could still earn a push on this line. But I think they will bite someone, so I would play the Lions 'over'.

2016 Penn State Nittany Lions Schedule

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME (ET)	Location	Result
Sat, Sep 3rd, 2016	Kent_State	03:30 PM	Beaver Stadium
Sat, Sep 10th, 2016	at Pittsburgh	12:00 PM	Heinz Field
Sat, Sep 17th, 2016	Temple	12:00 PM	Beaver Stadium
Sat, Sep 24th, 2016	at Michigan	12:00 PM	Michigan Stadium
Sat, Oct 1st, 2016	Minnesota	12:00 PM	Beaver Stadium
Sat, Oct 8th, 2016	Maryland	12:00 PM	Beaver Stadium
Sat, Oct 22nd, 2016	Ohio_State	08:00 PM	Beaver Stadium
Sat, Oct 29th, 2016	at Purdue	12:00 PM	Ross-Ade Stadium
Sat, Nov 5th, 2016	Iowa	07:30 PM	Beaver Stadium
Sat, Nov 12th, 2016	at Indiana	12:00 PM	Memorial Stadium
Sat, Nov 19th, 2016	at Rutgers	08:00 PM	High Point Stadium
Sat, Nov 26th, 2016	Michigan_State	12:00 PM	Beaver Stadium

All Times EST

Robert Ferringo has been the top football handicapper in the country the past five years, earning nearly $13,000 in total football profit with four of six winning seasons. Robert tallied over $20,000 in football profit between 2011 and 2016, including his amazing 2013 NFL season in which he hit 62.1 percent (95-58). Robert has produced 14 of 22 winning football months and an amazing 37 of 57 winning football months over the past decade. Robert has eight of nine winning NFL preseasons and he is at nearly 60 percent winners over his last 750 totals picks. Also, Robert's proprietary KING College Football Betting System has posted three of four winning seasons and is 122-92 over the last three years (57.0 percent).

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Pick:	CHICAGO BEARS +3
Start:	November 24, 2024 @ 1:00 PM
Expert:	Doc's Sports

Analysis:

Free Play from Doc’s Sports. Take #256 Chicago Bears +3 over Minnesota Vikings (1p.m., Sunday, November 24 FOX) We used the Bears as a free play winner last Sunday and easily covered the spread and should have been an underdog outright winner. Now we will ride them for a second straight week against another NFC North rival, the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings are 8-2 on the season, yet are only around a field goal favorite. I still do not trust Sam Donald to win consistently over the course of a 17 game regular season. Minnesota is not as good as their 8-2 record would indicate and playing outdoors in Chicago on Sunday will cause issues for them on both sides of the ball. Chicago has been hit or miss this season, but they will be up to play another divisional rival and we expect them to take this down to the wire as well. Do not miss out on Doc’s Sports Weekend Card featuring top plays in college and NFL football. Read More Read Less

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