Notre Dame vs. Penn State: Nittany Lions will win outright according to bettors

Notre Dame vs. Penn State is one of the bigger games of the week despite a 7 1/2 point line that favors the Fighting Irish.

The general betting public often wagers heavily on the favorite and more than usual on the wrong side - hence the reason online sportsbooks hold such a high winning percentage over players.  With Notre Dame vs. Penn State, the action betting the spread is relatively even heading into Saturday.
 
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
But sharp bettors can be found chomping away at money lines and in this game we find that nearly three quarters of the action is on Penn State.  That is a mighty impressive piece of news, which indicates that the sharper gambling base not only believes Penn State can beat the spread, but that they can also win outright. 

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Penn State and Notre Dame have a lot in common. Both started playing football in 1887. Both wear old-fashioned uniforms recognizable to the most casual of fans. Both boast strong academics and student sections that take pride in game-day T-shirts. Both play in small towns that would be little more than dots on a map if not for their storied football programs.

On Saturday, for the first time in 14 years, they play each other.

"It's a nice, natural rivalry, but it's been a long time," Irish coach Charlie Weis said.

Notre Dame has the second-most victories in NCAA history. Penn State coach Joe Paterno has the second most victories in NCAA Division I-A history and enters the College Football Hall of Fame in South Bend this year.

Notre Dame has eight national championships and seven Heisman Trophy winners, one of whom will be honored at each home game this season as the school hopes to add an eighth in Brady Quinn. Penn State has five perfect seasons since 1966, two national championships and one Heisman winner.

But both have been through tough times lately. Each wants to show that last year's turnaround was no fluke. Whoever wins Saturday's game between the No. 4 Fighting Irish (1-0) and the No. 19 Nittany Lions (1-0) will take a major step in that direction.

Tickets for the game were the most sought after in Notre Dame history and some were selling for more than $1,000 each. Some hotel rooms were going for more than $600 a night - with a minimum three-night stay.

About the only thing missing is a real rivalry. The schools are about 475 miles apart and have long histories as independent powers - until Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1993. Yet, they have met just 17 times, with series tied at 8-8-1.

The last time they played was in 1992, a November game that's become known as the Snow Bowl because snow covered the grass at Notre Dame Stadium. Rick Mirer threw a 4-yard TD pass to Jerome Bettis and a 2-point conversion with 20 seconds left for the win. Irish fans voted it the fifth-greatest home victory.

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Tyrone Black, www.sports911.com

Originally published September 8, 2006 5:25 pm ET