Penn State vs. Boise State Prediction & Odds: College Football Playoff

The first game of the College Football Playoff quarterfinals will take place on New Year’s Eve. The Penn State Nittany Lions (12-2) and Boise State Broncos (12-1) will square off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday at State Farm Stadium.

Penn State rolled past SMU in the opening round with a 38-10 victory over SMU. The Broncos earned a bye and haven’t played since their 21-7 win over UNLV in the Mountain West title game on Dec. 6.

The Nittany Lions are double-digit favorites, but will the Broncos deliver an upset? The winner of this game will face the winner of Notre Dame-Georgia in the semifinals.

Here is a look at the latest Penn State vs. Boise State college football odds and my prediction for this CFP matchup:

Penn State vs. Boise State Odds, Dec. 31

• Point spread: Penn State -11.5 (-105)
• Total: 52.5

Penn State vs. Boise State Prediction – Tuesday, Dec. 31

Based on the latest college football betting lines at the BetMGM online sportsbook, my Penn State vs. Boise State prediction backs the over on Kaytron Allen’s rushing prop (53.5) due to the Nittany Lions’ edge in the trenches.

While the CFP has expanded, this sport will still be decided by which team has the edge up front on the biggest stage. The bigger programs have the advantage in that department.

Penn State’s offensive line ranks 12th in the country in PFF’s run-blocking grade. Starting running back Nicholas Singleton has the higher rushing prop (72.5) for the Nittany Lions, but Allen actually has one more carry over the past three games.

This backfield is too evenly split for there to be a 20-yard difference between the two backs in a game where Penn State could cruise. I project a decent edge on Allen’s rushing prop at 53.5 yards after he’s cleared this mark in back-to-back games.

Prediction: Kaytron Allen Over 53.5 Rushing Yards (-115)