Hoosiers open as 7-point underdogs vs. Penn State

Well, well, well. If it isn’t the first betting line of the season. It’s nice to see you.

Per BetOnline, Indiana has opened as a seven-point underdog in its season opener against Penn State. Though the Hoosiers have only defeated the Nittany Lions once in 23 all-time attempts, they have made a habit of keeping games close.

Across Tom Allen’s first three seasons as IU coach, only one game in the series ended up out of hand — and Saquon Barkley was supposed to be apple picking that weekend. Not fair! The last two years, it’s been a slightly different story.

The Lions came to Bloomington and squeezed out a 33-28 victory in 2018 in a game that saw Michael Penix’s freshman season abruptly end. Last November, Indiana lost 34-27 in State College. Hell, even the 2016 game in Bloomington — the game Penn State won 45-31 — was a lot closer than the score indicates.