3 Best College Football Bets and Player Props for Oregon at Penn State

Week 5's game of the week in college football is a heavyweight clash between the No. 6 Oregon Ducks and No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions. Oregon carries the third-shortest odds to win the national championship (+700) while Penn State touts the second-shortest line (+650). The stakes are about as high as it gets for a regular-season matchup.

Adding to the hype, Beaver Stadium will feature the famed "White Out" for Saturday's 7:30 p.m. ET kick off. What should we expect for Week 5's most-anticipated matchup? Let's circle the best bets and player props for Oregon vs. Penn State.

All college football betting odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Oregon at Penn State Betting Picks

Under 52.5 (-110)

While we know these are two of the Big Ten's best, we still have much to learn about each squad. Oregon has faced Montana State, Oklahoma State, Northwestern, and Oregon State while Penn State defeated Nevada, FIU, and Villanova. With two untested teams meeting, Saturday's 3.5-point spread is a tough call -- especially when the number is heavily swayed by the Nittany Lions' home advantage.

Leaning on the potential pace of this game could be the way to go. Ducks' quarterback Dante Moore has played well and carries the third-shortest odds to win the Heisman Trophy (+1200) along with an 89.3 Pro Football Focus player grade. However, this will be a tough game to navigate as a first-year starter -- especially at Beaver Stadium.

With that said, I don't expect Oregon to go away from its 57.7% rush-play rate (31st-highest). This has led to the Ducks carrying the 40th-fewest plays per game and 30th-most seconds per play.

For Penn State, it likely has the nation's best running back tandem in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. According to Game On Paper, Oregon ranks 54th in expected points added (EPA) per rushing attempt allowed, compared to 14th in EPA per dropback allowed. With Oregon allowing 129.7 rushing yards per game (50th) compared to 94.0 passing yards per game (2nd), attacking the Ducks' run defense is the way to go.

With each pass D ranking among the top 17 for the fewest EPA/db allowed along with both sides featuring talented pass rushes, I expect these offenses to lean on the run. This should slow the game, leading to a bleeding clock.

Kaytron Allen Over 68.5 Rushing Yards (-114)
Kaytron Allen Any Time Touchdown Scorer (-125)

Between the two rushing attacks, I have the most confidence in Penn State's ground game. Singleton and Allen are known commodities, and Oregon's rush D is likely the weakest unit of this matchup.

Per usual, Allen and Singleton are splitting a nearly even workload. Over three games, Allen has taken 29, 37, and 30 snaps, compared to Singleton's total of 27, 39, and 36. Allen has 34 rushing attempts and three receptions while Singleton has totaled 41 carries and five catches.

Singleton has enjoyed a slightly larger workload, but Allen has been far more efficient with 8.0 yards per carry compared to Singleton's 4.4. Plus, Allen has racked up 188 yards after contact and 5.5 yards after contact per carry. Singleton is at 100 yards after contact and 2.4 yards after contact per carry.

This has led to Allen posting 91.0 rushing yards per game, compared to Singleton's per-game average of 59.7. Yet, the two have similar rushing yards props with Singleton at 64.5 while Allen holds 68.5.

If I'm expecting the Nittany Lions to lean on the run, I'd rather bank on Allen right now considering the huge difference in efficiency. Allen has enjoyed more rushing attempts than Singleton at times, including 16 carries to Singleton's 13 in Week 2. If Allen continues to provide more efficiency, there's a solid chance he gets more work against Oregon.

With Allen's odds at -125, an any time touchdown for him is a nice pairing alongside the over. He's scored one rushing touchdown in all three games.

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The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.