Trent Reinsmith
- What: Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 10) vs. Michigan Wolverines (No. 5)
- Date: Saturday, October 15, 2022
- Location: Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Time: 12 p.m. ET
- How to Watch: FOX
A showdown between two of the three Big Ten football programs ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll Top 25 takes place on Saturday. In that game, the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are ranked at No. 10, head to Ann Arbor to face the No. 5 ranked Michigan Wolverines. Both teams have opened the 2022 NCAA Football Season with unbeaten records. Penn State is 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big Ten. Meanwhile, Michigan sports a 6-0 overall record and a 3-0 conference mark heading into Week 7 of the 2022 NCAAF season.
Penn State is coming off a bye week. In Week 5 of the NCAA season, the Nittany Lions topped Northwestern 17-7. Penn State stayed in the No. 10 spot in the AP Poll during their week off.
Despite a win in Week 6, the Wolverines dropped one spot in the Week 7 NCAA Football AP Poll. Michigan is coming off a 31-10 win over Indiana last week.
Before we look at the Week 7 NCAAF matchup between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Michigan Wolverines, check out the current NCAAF betting opportunities and our guide to betting on the 2022 NCAAF National Championship.
Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 10) vs. Michigan Wolverines (No. 5) picks
| Teams |  |  |  |  |  |
| Penn State Nittany Lions (No. 10) | +220 | +215 | +220 | +230 | +206 |
| Michigan Wolverines (No. 5) | -260 | -260 | -260 | -270 | -259 |
Penn State breakdown
Penn State quarterback, senior Sean Clifford, is coming off a less than stellar performance in Week 5. Clifford had a 50 percent completion percentage against Northwestern for a season-low 140 yards in the air. As for the 2022 NCAA season, Clifford has a 62 percent completion rate and 1,030 passing yards. He has thrown for nine touchdowns. Clifford has been intercepted twice on the year.
The Nittany Lions offense ranks fifth in the Big Ten in total yards per game, averaging 443.6. The team’s passing yardage is seventh in the conference, with an average of 251 yards per game, while the team is fifth in rushing yardage, with an average of 192.6. Penn State averages 34.4 points per game.
On the defensive side of the ball, Penn State is below average this year. The Nittany Lions rank ninth in total yards surrendered per game, with an average of 341.9. Penn State is 10th in passing defense, giving up an average of 262 yards per game in the air. The club is much stronger defending against the run, where it ranks second in the Big Ten with an average of 79.8 yards per game.
Michigan breakdown
Michigan has sophomore J.J. McCarthy running the offense. McCarthy is tenth in the Big Ten in passing yards with 1,152. However, he is the No. 2 ranked QB in the conference when it comes to his completion percentage. McCarthy is 94 for 120 through the air, connecting on 78.3 percent of his passes. He has connected on nine touchdown passes and thrown a single interception during the 2022 NCAAF season. McCarthy went 28 for 36, with a season-high 304 yards in Week 6 against Indiana.
Michigan has the fourth-best offense in the Big Ten, averaging 458.7 yards per game. The team’s passing yardage is, on average, 246.3 yards per game, which is ninth in the conference. However, the team makes up for its low passing number with a strong rushing game. Blake Corum is second in the Big Ten in rushing yards with 735 on the season. He leads the conference with 11 touchdowns on the ground. Overall, Michigan’s run game is third in the Big Ten. Only the Ohio State Buckeyes score more points per game than the Wolverines, who average 43 points per outing.
The Wolverines have a sound defense. The team is third-best in the conference, giving up an average of 247 yards per game. Michigan ranks fifth on passing defense and fourth in rushing defense.
Our pick
This game should be close and competitive, but I expect picking the Michigan Wolverines to defeat the Penn State Nittany Lions is the best bet for this Week 7 NCAAF matchup. Michigan is the better team and will best Penn State in every aspect of this game.
Pick: Michigan Wolverines to beat the Penn State Nittany Lions in Week 7
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