Peach Bowl 2023: Penn State vs. Ole Miss predictions, odds for Saturday's game
Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart (2) throws against Mississippi State during the first half of the Egg Bowl at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville, Miss., Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023.
The 2023 Peach Bowl features two programs from powerhouse conferences: the No. 10-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions and the No. 11-ranked Ole Miss Rebels.
Penn State finished third in the Big Ten East for the second consecutive year. Again, the Nittany Lions couldn’t get past Ohio State or Michigan, losing both games by a combined 17 points. By comparison, Penn State outscored opponents 419-93 in their other 10 games. Quarterback Drew Allar stepped up in his first full season as the starter, throwing 23 touchdowns to just one interception in 12 games.
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Penn State boasts the third-best scoring defense in the FBS but will be without top pass-rusher Chop Robinson, who opted out of the game with the NFL Draft in mind. Offensive tackle Olu Fashanu, another projected top NFL Draft pick, is in Atlanta for the Peach Bowl but has not decided on whether or not he’s playing in the game.
Ole Miss similarly fared well against the rest of their schedule outside of losses to SEC powers Alabama and Georgia. The Rebels worked their way up to edge of the top 10 thanks to one of the better offenses in the FBS. Junior quarterback Jaxson Dart had the best season of his career in 2023 with a career-high 161.9 rating as the Rebels’ offense finished the regular season 14th in the FBS in yards per game. Only one big name has opted out of the game for the Rebels: Defensive end Cedric Johnson, who’s declared for the NFL Draft.
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This is the first time the two programs will meet on the football field. Penn State’s looking for a second bowl game victory in three seasons; Ole Miss hasn’t won a bowl game since the 2020 Outback Bowl.
2023 Peach Bowl: Penn State vs. Ole Miss predictions
Sportsbook Wire: Penn State 32, Ole Miss 21
Payton Shanks writes: “Both Penn State and Ole Miss are very good offensively as both squads averaged north of 34 PPG this season. Both teams can score via either the rushing or passing attack… This is only a lean because Penn State’s defense is good enough to hold the Rebels to under 20 points, and the Rebels did struggle offensively in 2 of their last 3 regular season games.”
Mississippi Clarion-Ledger: Ole Miss 24, Penn State 20
David Eckert says: “Interestingly, for a program built on the transfer portal, the Rebels might have the continuity advantage given Penn State’s coaching staff turnover. They’re more explosive on offense, too, and have the edge at the quarterback position with Jaxson Dart.”
Sports Illustrated: Penn State 24, Ole Miss 20
James Parks writes: “While the Nittany Lions will struggle to move the ball consistently in the air — quarterback Drew Allar hit under half his passes in three games, two of them losses — they have the backfield duo in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen to grind out longer drives against the Rebels’ 71st ranked run stop.”
Action Network: Penn State -4.5 or better
Collin Wilson says: “The loss of Cedric Johnson on the defensive line takes out the best pass-rusher for Ole Miss after he created a team-high 34 pressures during the season. Allen and Singleton will have plenty of success in creating short third-down distances, while Allar will continue to take advantage of the quarters coverage look used by Ole Miss.”
NOLA.com: Penn State 28, Ole Miss 21
Corey Long writes: “Much has been made of Penn State’s struggles against Ohio State and Michigan under James Franklin, but Ole Miss is just 3-5 against the spread vs. Top 10 teams under Kiffin. Both programs are looking for a signature win, and while this game won’t exactly provide that, it will be a nice springboard going into 2024.”
2023 Peach Bowl: Penn State vs. Ole Miss odds
The Nittany Lions are favorites to defeat the Rebels, according to the BetMGM NCAA odds. Looking to wager? Check out the best mobile sports betting apps offering NCAA betting promos in 2023.
Betting odds, as of Friday afternoon:
- Spread: Penn State (-4.5)
- Moneyline: Penn State (-200); Ole Miss (+165)
- Over/under: 50.5
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