Bowl season remains the best time to bet on college football. The matchups are always intriguing, the stakes are super high, and the opportunities are, by extension, almost endless.
Next up on our bowl season docket? Our 2021 college football Peach Bowl picks for the showdown between Michigan State and Pittsburgh on Thursday, December 30.
Before we break down every aspect of this championship tilt, here are the latest betting odds on the Peach Bowl, courtesy of BetOnline:
Make sure to double-check these Peach Bowl betting odds prior to settling on any Peach Bowl picks. All college football betting lines are subject to shift right up until opening kickoff, and at this writing, we still have nearly two weeks to go before Michigan State vs. Pittsburgh odds are finalized. In the meantime, we strongly suggest going through our reviews of the top online sportsbooks so that you can identify the best college football betting site for you.
2021 Peach Bowl Predictions
Please note all of our 2021 Peach Bowl predictions are accurate as of Wednesday, December 22. If you're investing in 2021 Peach Bowl odds anytime after this, you'll want to see whether the Michigan State vs. Pittsburgh betting lines remain the same.
On top of dropping our Peach Bowl winner prediction, we'll also be diving into Michigan State vs. Pittsburgh point spread betting odds as well as the Peach Bowl over/under betting odds. Let's get to it!
Michigan State Should be Heavier Favorite to Beat Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh deserves all the credit in the world for cobbling together an impressive season. Their offense under head coach Pat Narduzzi has been absurd, averaging 43 points per game, the third most in the country, while racking up more than 500 total yards every contest.
Still, Michigan State operates at a different level. Whereas Pittsburgh only faced (and beat) one top-25 school on the year, the Wolverines played three and upended two, including a wildly impressive victory over then-No. 2 Ohio State.
Michigan State's defense is also uniquely built to slow the Panthers' passing attack. They are allowing a sub-56 conversion rate to opposing quarterbacks and have given up multiple passing touchdowns on only a handful of occasions.
Though Pittsburgh could feel better about their chances if Michigan State wasn't sporting a great offense, that's ultimately not the case. The Wolverines average nearly 38 points on perhaps the nation's best rushing attack, which includes tallying three touchdowns on the ground per game.
Frankly, we're surprised Pittsburgh isn't a starker underdog. Michigan State should win this one running away.
OSB Prediction: Michigan State (-135)
Who Will Cover Peach Bowl Point Spread?
Here are the latest Peach Bowl point spread betting odds from BetOnline:
- Michigan State (-2.5): -117
- Pittsburgh (+2.5): -103
Michigan State bettors would do well to invest in them to cover the point spread. Any time these lines check in under a field goal, you're unlikely to see the winning team fail to cover.
There is higher variance in college football scores, and in this case, you're dealing with two offenses that clear 37 points per game. One of them, if not both, are bound to pop, and we can't envision a scenario in which the differential of this game is two points or fewer.
Since Michigan State is a -135 to win on the moneyline, you might as well drum up your potential return by betting on them to win by three or more points at -117.
OSB Prediction: Michigan State will cover -2.5 (-117)
Michigan State vs. Pittsburgh will Hit the Over
Check out the latest over/under betting odds for Michigan vs. Pittsburgh below:
- Over 55 points: -112
- Under 55 points: -108
This over/under marker is a testament to Michigan State's defense. Together, the Panthers and the Wolverines combine to average more than 80 points per game. This 55-point benchmark is nearly four touchdowns below that threshold.
Ambitious? Perhaps. But Michigan State's blend of consistency on the front seven and big-time playmakers in the secondary is no joke. They are forcing more than one turnover per game and have surrendered more than 30 points just once this entire season.
In the end, though, it's difficult to imagine this game finishing with a combined score below 60. The Wolverines have topped 30 points in each of their past three tilts while the Panthers have cleared 30 points in six consecutive outings. By our estimation, Michigan State-Pittsburgh will be closer to 70 total points than 55.
OSB Prediction: Over 55 points (-112)
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one to use for all your college football betting:
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