Penn State odds: Washington favored by 2.5 over the 4-4 Nittany Lions at Washington

Penn State is the underdog this week. Washington is favored by 2.5 points for Saturday's game against the Nittany Lions, on November 7, 2026. The game airs on FS1. Novig, one of the venues on our board, lists Washington at -122 on the moneyline and Penn State at +120. The total sits at 44.5. Our Penn State team page is the full guide to the Nittany Lions. This story covers where the season stands heading into the game in Seattle.

A .500 team after eight games

Penn State is 4-4. The record is lopsided in a way the overall number hides. The Nittany Lions won all three nonconference games by a combined 127-22: Marshall 45-0, Temple 27-9 and Buffalo 55-13. In Big Ten play they are 1-4. They lost 24-20 to Wisconsin, 34-13 at Northwestern, 31-23 to No. 19 USC and 21-18 at Michigan before last week's 31-17 win over Purdue, according to ESPN.

Three of the four losses were decided by eight points or fewer. The Michigan game came down to a field goal. The real gap shows up on offense. Penn State has averaged 21 points per game in conference play, compared with 42.3 against nonconference opponents. Its defense has allowed 25.4 points per game against Big Ten teams.

Coaching and quarterback picture

The season has been a reset in State College. Penn State is in its first year under the staff that replaced James Franklin, who was fired during the 2025 season. A losing conference record was not what the program planned for. Through eight games the offense has looked very different depending on the opponent. That puts the quarterback play under the most scrutiny. Penn State has topped 23 points only once in five Big Ten games, in the Purdue win. Whether the Purdue performance was a turning point or a product of the matchup is the central question in Seattle.

What the market says about Saturday

The prices across our board make this close to a coin flip with a modest lean toward the home team:

• Moneyline: Washington -122 and Penn State +120 on Novig. Those prices imply about a 55 percent chance for Washington and about 45 percent for Penn State.
• Spread: Washington -2.5 at -100 on Novig. Pinnacle has the number at Washington -2 (-110). Penn State +2.5 is priced at -104.
• Total: 44.5 on Novig, with the over at +102 and the under at -108. BetRivers lists 43.5.

Across the 12 venues, sportsbook hold on the spread runs from 3.4 to 6.8 percent. That means some books charge noticeably more than others for the same game. Line-by-line comparisons and updates every few minutes are on the Penn State at Washington odds page.

A total in the mid-40s fits how Penn State's conference games have gone. Four of its five Big Ten games finished with 48 points or fewer combined.

Big Ten and playoff odds in context

Penn State has three Big Ten losses beyond its one league win, so it is realistically out of the Big Ten title race. It also has no path to an at-large College Football Playoff berth. Searches for championship and playoff odds will find long prices, not a contender's numbers. The more relevant target is bowl eligibility. The Nittany Lions need two more wins over their final four games to reach six. A win in Seattle would leave them one victory short with three games to play.

What is legal

In Pennsylvania, sports wagering through state-licensed operators is legal for adults 21 and over who are physically located in the state. Rules differ by state, and readers elsewhere should check their own state's law. The prices above are reported as market information.