Penn State is favored by double digits at home despite riding a four-game losing streak heading into Halloween. Purdue brings a 3-4 record and a one-game skid into Beaver Stadium, while Penn State sits at the same 3-4 mark but has dropped four straight. Kickoff is set for Saturday, October 31, 2026 at 4:15 PM ET on BTN.
Game details
| When | Saturday, October 31, 2026 at 4:15 PM ET |
| Where | Beaver Stadium |
| TV | BTN |
| Line | Penn State Nittany Lions -10.5 | O/U 54.5 (market view) |
| Purdue Boilermakers record | 3-4 |
| Penn State Nittany Lions record | 3-4 |
The matchup
Purdue's last five games have been a mixed bag. The Boilermakers lost to Washington Huskies 26-38 in their most recent outing, but before that they beat Minnesota Golden Gophers 41-13 and edged Illinois Fighting Illini 24-17 on the road. Sandwiched in that stretch were lopsided losses to Notre Dame Fighting Irish and UCLA Bruins, so this is a team that can swing wildly from game to game.
Penn State's form tells a rougher story. The Nittany Lions have lost four in a row, falling 18-21 to Michigan Wolverines, 23-31 to USC Trojans, 13-34 to Northwestern Wildcats, and 20-24 to Wisconsin Badgers. Their lone win in that stretch of five games was a 55-13 rout of Buffalo Bulls back in September. Penn State's defense has allowed just 132 points on the season compared to 201 scored, while Purdue has been outscored overall, 226 points allowed to 219 scored.
Key matchups
No individual starters or key players were listed for either roster heading into this one, so the swing factor is which team's season-long profile shows up. Penn State's defense has been stingy relative to its own offense, keeping opponents under 132 total points this year, and that unit needs to be the difference if the Nittany Lions are going to snap this four-game skid. Purdue's offense has had its explosive nights, including the 41-point output against Minnesota, but the Boilermakers have also been prone to getting outscored, and containing whatever Penn State's offense can generate will matter just as much as moving the ball themselves.
The pick
The market has Penn State as 10.5-point favorites with a total of 54.5, and the market score sits at Penn State Nittany Lions 33, Purdue Boilermakers 22. Despite the four-game losing streak, Penn State's defensive numbers and home field give it the edge on paper. Purdue's one-game skid and its history of blowout losses this season make it hard to lean against the number, even with the Boilermakers capable of scoring in bunches.
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Purdue Boilermakers | Wk7 L 26-38 vs Washington Huskies, Wk6 W 41-13 vs Minnesota Golden Gophers, Wk5 W 24-17 vs Illinois Fighting Illini |
| Penn State Nittany Lions | Wk7 L 18-21 vs Michigan Wolverines, Wk6 L 23-31 vs USC Trojans, Wk5 L 13-34 vs Northwestern Wildcats |
Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.