Penn State vs. Arkansas Odds
| Penn State Odds | -3 |
| Arkansas Odds | +3 |
| Over/Under | 46 |
| Date | Jan. 1 |
| Location | Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida |
The Penn State Nittany Lions are set to take on the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida.
Find our expert's projected odds, a recap of each team's seasons, plus more information on the Outback Bowl below.
Penn State vs. Arkansas Projected Odds
| Penn State Spread | -1.5 |
| Arkansas Spread | +1.5 |
| Over/Under | 58.3 |
These Penn State vs. Arkansas projections are based on Collin Wilson's college football power ratings, which help power our PRO Projections — they compare all of his projections to real-time college football odds in order to easily identify betting edges.
How Penn State Reached the Outback Bowl
The Nittany Lions placed fourth in the Big Ten East, the program’s worst finish since 2015.
Head coach James Franklin led the team to three 11-win campaigns from 2016-19, but has tallied at least five losses in back-to-back seasons.
The club started the 2021 season 5-0 before everything went downhill.
Penn State went on a three-game losing skid, then came up empty against both Michigan schools down the stretch.
There was perhaps a little bit of misfortune involved, as four of the Nittany Lions’ five losses were by four points or fewer.
Franklin has coached an even 100 games at the program, winning 67 of them.
How Arkansas Reached the Outback Bowl
We learn a lot about programs in the second year of head-coaching stints.
It’s safe to say the Razorbacks love Sam Pittman. The former Georgia OL coach has Woo Pig trending the right direction, piloting the school to its first bowl bid since 2016.
The Razorbacks were September’s top cash cow, producing four straight wins and covers out of the gates, including victories in the underdog role over Texas and Texas A&M.
Arkansas stumbled thereafter against a gauntlet — Georgia, Ole Miss and Auburn — but recouped in the second half, winning four of its final five.
The offense boasts one of the best rushing attacks in football, totaling north of 217 yards per contest.
Overall, the Razorbacks finished the regular season 7-4-1 against the number and 7-5 to the over.
Penn State vs. Arkansas Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Penn State and Arkansas match up statistically:
Penn State Offense vs. Arkansas Defense
 |  Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 127 | 46 | |
| Line Yards | 126 | 36 | |
| Pass Success | 31 | 46 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 68 | 56 | |
| Big Play | 78 | 34 | |
| Havoc | 91 | 74 | |
| Finishing Drives | 88 | 22 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Arkansas Offense vs. Penn State Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 24 | 41 | |
| Line Yards | 41 | 39 |  |
| Pass Success | 46 | 21 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 41 | 53 | |
| Big Play | 13 | 10 | |
| Havoc | 89 | 58 | |
| Finishing Drives | 93 | 4 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 56 | 48 |
| Coverage | 8 | 71 |
| Middle 8 | 50 | 33 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 29 | 39 |
| Plays per Minute | 14 | — |
| Rush Rate | 47.6% (111) | 64.3% (10) |
Outback Bowl Date, Time, TV, More Info
- Date: Jan. 1, 2022
- Time: Noon ET
- Location: Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida
- TV Info: ESPN2
