Penn State
Nittany Lions
Spread
-23.5
NCAAF Predictions
Penn State Nittany Lions vs Temple Owls Predictions
Saturday, September 12, 2026 at 12:00pm EST at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA
@
Temple
Owls
1-0
Spread
+23.5
50%
50%
Spread
Penn State Nittany Lions -23.5
Temple Owls +23.5
Moneyline
Penn State Nittany Lions -3200
Temple Owls +1400
Total
Over 49.5 (-112)
Under 49.5 (-108)
Who wins this game?
Professional Picks
3 available
Professional Picks On This Game
Penn State vs. Temple Prediction: Can the Lions Cover 23.5?
Analysis updated September 11, 2026 at 5:28 AM CDT
Penn State's shutout of Marshall makes a strong first impression, but one result doesn't establish an edge at SPF's price.
What the opener tells us
Penn State opened with a 45-0 win over Marshall, according to local news outlet StateCollege.com. That result supports picking the Nittany Lions to beat Temple, but SPF's -23.5 spread requires a win by at least 24 points. One shutout doesn't show how reliably Penn State can clear that margin against a different opponent.
StateCollege.com reports that Temple also enters 1-0. Saturday's game kicks off at noon EDT at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on ESPN2.
Betting assessment
SPF lists Penn State at -3200 on the moneyline, a price that requires a win probability above roughly 97% to offer value. The opener alone doesn't justify that estimate. Without more detail on either team's personnel or Temple's opening performance, there's no clear case for laying 23.5 or taking the Owls at +23.5.
The total is 49.5, with the over at -112 and the under at -108. There isn't enough evidence about scoring pace or offensive production to support either side or a precise score prediction. The betting recommendation is Pass.
Pick
Penn State Nittany Lions
Confidence
low
Betting lean
Pass