The stats are very similar for these two teams. The Mustangs average 39 ppg while the Nittany Lions put up 35 ppg. SMU goes for 6.4 up play and PSU 6.8. On defense, they both give up 4.7 ypp, a mark that is tied for 8th in college football.
Why is the line 8.5 then? The level of competition they faced. The toughest teams the Ponies faced were BYU and Clemson…and they lost both.
PSU had to run a gauntlet of road games at USC and Wisconsin, along with matchups against Ohio State, Washington, and Oregon. They picked up one-score losses vs Ohio St and Oregon but won every other contest on their schedule.