Penn State vs. Minnesota Picks & Prediction

Saturday CFB Free play. My selection is on Minnesota plus the points over Penn State at 3:30 pm ET on Saturday.

Minnesota enters this matchup well-rested following its bye week, which came after a 26-19 loss at Rutgers. The Golden Gophers are sitting at five FBS wins and will be highly motivated to secure bowl eligibility with just two games remaining, the second being a tough road matchup against Wisconsin. This is a pivotal opportunity for them to notch a critical win.

Penn State is coming off a dominant 49-10 victory over Purdue, continuing its strong season. However, this matchup could be a potential letdown spot following such a high-scoring, lopsided win. While the Nittany Lions' offense has been rolling, Minnesota's defense, which has held its own for much of the season, could make it harder for Penn State to extend drives and finish with touchdowns consistently.

While Penn State won decisively the last time these teams met two years ago, Minnesota’s experience and ability to control the tempo could help keep this game competitive. Expect the Gophers to lean on their rushing attack and opportunistic defense to hang tough. The extra preparation time should also be an advantage for Minnesota in this spot.

Take Minnesota. Projected score: Penn State 27, Minnesota 20.