Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin giveth and taketh. Franklin is a dynamic salesman and recruiter for the program. He has moved Penn State beyond the Joe Paterno era. While maintaining respect for school tradition and history. Franklin has delivered a Big Ten Conference championship and a Rose Bowl berth. And he has posted three 11-win college football odds campaigns. All of that success has set Penn State up for the highest expectations of fans and gamblers. But with that success comes the demand for more. And lately, that is where Franklin has failed.
Penn State Nittany Lions Future Odds at SBG
| Prop | Odds |
|---|---|
| Odds to Win National Championship | +9100 |
| Odds to Win Conference Championship | +1200 |
| Over/Under Win Total | 8.5 |
A Tradition of Greatness and Sorrow at Happy Valley
The Penn State Nittany Lions have a troubled history of triumph and tragedy. And most of it is tied to the late head coach Joe Paterno. Penn State won its only two national championships under Paterno in 1982 and 1986. Additionally, the Nittany Lions had three other unclaimed nattys under Joe Pa. Paterno won four Big Ten titles after moving his program into that league after decades in independent status.
Paterno went 409-136-3 at Penn State but was forced out in online betting disgrace. In 2011 Penn State had a sexual abuse scandal blow up on the national news. It regarded former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky raping boys. In turn, Paterno admitted he should have done more about the situation when he learned of it. Although he reported what he knew to his superiors, he did not follow up. A cover-up ensued, and Paterno’s career and reputation were ruined.
2022 Penn State Nittany Lions – SBG Odds Overview
Franklin and the Nittany Lions are coming off lackluster College football betting odds campaigns of 4-5 in 2020 and 7-6 last year. It was shocking how Penn State won its first five games and climbed to #4 in the national rankings, only to finish 2-6 down the stretch. Additionally, the Nittany Lions were dominated by a less-talented Arkansas Razorback program in a 24-10 Outback Bowl loss.
When Penn State reached its peak in 2021, Franklin was rumored to be a hot coaching prospect for the USC Trojans. Franklin infuriated Penn State fans, donors, and administrators by not denying the rumors. In fact, Penn State fans were eager for Franklin to go away.
Instead of leaving Happy Valley, Franklin stayed to get a massive extension and new contract. For many fans, it was a case of failing forward. For Franklin, it was a humbling experience. He said he never wanted to leave and was laughed at for doing so. Now Franklin and Penn State have grudgingly tied at the hip with uncertainty ahead in 2022.
At the onset of the 2022 season, Penn State is looking for redemption. Franklin’s priority is to improve the rushing attack. To illuminate, it was a surprising liability in the 2021 campaign. A reliable ground attack is necessary to recover from Penn State’s worst two-year performance since going 7–16 in 2003 and ’04.
Penn State has one of the most experienced quarterbacks in the country in super senior Sean Clifford. Certainly, he’s had his share of highs and lows, but his Outback Bowl performance was awful. Clifford has started 33 games over the past three seasons. And he is one of only three players in school history with more than 8,000 yards of total offense.