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NCAAF opening line report: Massive Big Ten matchup highlights Week 9

Rich Barnes / USA Today Sports

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Penn State certainly looks like the real deal in college football, but will get a chance to really prove it in Week 9. Covers checks in on the opening lines and early action for a few games, with insights from Dave Mason, brand manager for offshore sportsbook BetOnline.ag.

No. 2 Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes (-7)

Penn State was expected to get a test in Week 8, but it seemed like the Nittany Lions (7-0 SU, 5-1-1 ATS) knew all the questions in advance and certainly had all the answers. Saquon Barkley and Co. steamrolled Michigan 42-13 as a 7.5-point home favorite Saturday.

Ohio State (6-1 SU, 4-3 ATS) has won five in a row, all in huge blowout fashion, since an upset home loss to Oklahoma in Week 2. The Buckeyes had a bye in Week 8, following a 56-14 bashing of Nebraska as a 23.5-point road chalk.

“No surprise that this game is getting the most early action, by far,” Mason said. “Ohio State has been slaughtering everyone in its path recently, covering its last three games with a 48.7 average margin of victory. Penn State has been very generous to bettors all season long. Sixty-nine percent of early bettors are counting on yet another Penn State cover.”

The Buckeyes opened -7, but all that Nittany Lions early action quickly dropped the number to 5.5.

No. 15 North Carolina State Wolfpack at No. 10 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-7)

Notre Dame is absolutely in the picture for the four-team College Football Playoff, provided it keeps on playing like it did in Week 8. The Fighting Irish (6-1 SU and ATS) entered Saturday’s home game as 4-point favorites against longtime rival Southern Cal and exited with a 49-14 blowout victory.

North Carolina State (6-1 SU, 3-4 ATS) is no slouch either, peeling off six consecutive SU wins since losing its opener to South Carolina. The Wolfpack are coming off a bye week, after rolling past Pittsburgh 35-17 giving 11.5 points on the road in Week 7.

“Notre Dame’s beatdown of USC was one of the biggest winners of the weekend for the public,” Mason said. “With the easy cover over the Trojans, the Irish have ripped off five straight covers. However, 59 percent of early bettors are on North Carolina State, although I believe we will actually need the Wolfpack by kickoff.”

After the initial Wolfpack push, some Notre Dame money showed by early Sunday evening, taking the opening line of -7 up to 8.5 before it peeled back to 7.5 at BetOnline.

No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs vs. Florida Gators (+13)

Unbeaten Georgia looks to stay on track for a berth in the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs (7-0 SU, 5-2 ATS) had a bye in Week 8, after dismantling Missouri 53-28 laying a hefty 28.5 points on the road in Week 7.

Florida is on a two-game skid and finds itself at .500 halfway through the season. The Gators (3-3 SU, 2-4 ATS) are also coming off a bye, after back-to-back tight home losses to Louisiana State – 17-16 as a 1.5-point ‘dog – and Texas A&M – 19-17 as a 3-point fave.

“Early bettors got a bargain jumping on Georgia -13, before the number moved across 14 to -14.5,” Mason said. “Even though Florida covered its last four games versus Georgia, 76 percent of bettors for the ‘World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party’ are on the Bulldogs minus the points.”

No. 11 Oklahoma State Cowboys at No. 23 West Virginia Mountaineers (+7)

Oklahoma State has won three in a row SU as it tries to put its season back together following a Week 4 home loss to still-undefeated Texas Christian. In Week 8, the Cowboys (6-1 SU, 4-3 ATS) barely survived at Texas, winning 13-10 in overtime while falling short as 7-point favorites.

West Virginia (5-2 SU, 4-3 ATS) has won five of its last six, with the only setback in that stretch also against TCU. However, the Mountaineers did not look good this past weekend in the fourth quarter against hapless Baylor. West Virginia held a 38-13 lead as a 10.5-point road chalk, but got outscored 23-0 in the final frame, hanging on for a 38-36 victory.

“The public profited off of Oklahoma State big time to start the season,” Mason said, alluding to the Cowboys’ 3-0 SU and ATS start. “Since then, the Cowboys have failed to cover in three of their last four games. Despite that recent cold streak, only 37 percent of early bettors are on West Virginia.”

BetOnline opened the Pokes -7, with early action bouncing the line down to 6, then up to 8 before hitting 7.5 Sunday evening.

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