Penn State begins its preparations for the Outback Bowl as a slight favorite.
James Franklin’s 7-5 Nittany Lions tangle with SEC foe Arkansas on Jan. 1 in Tampa, Fla. Kickoff is at noon at Raymond James Stadium and the game will be carried by ESPN2.
Penn State is favored on a few gambling sites that have installed betting lines. The early betting lines range from 4 points to 2.5 points, all in favor of the Lions. The total for the game is 46.
Penn State’s date with Sam Pittman’s No. 21 Razorbacks is interesting on a couple of levels. It will be the first meeting between the two proud programs. The Lions will making their fourth appearance in the Outback Bowl. PSU owns wins over Auburn (43-14) and Tennessee (20-10) and Florida beat the Lions 37-24 to conclude the 2010 season.
Penn State is trying to finish 2021 on a high note after losing five of its last seven regular-season games.
The Razorbacks won four of their final five regular-season games, the defeat a high-scoring decision (42-35) against Alabama.