Youngstown St. Penguins vs Indiana St. Sycamores Predictions October 10, 2026
Youngstown State will beat Indiana State 38-20, with the Penguins’ recent pass rush providing the strongest matchup reason to favor the visitors. Their five-sack performance against Southern Illinois points to trouble for a Sycamores offense that relies on productive passing. Still, Youngstown State -21.5 and the 64.5 total offer no compelling betting edge. The official SportsJaw recommendation is Pass.
Youngstown St. Penguins vs Indiana St. Sycamores prediction and best bet
Youngstown State gets the winner pick after a 28-16 victory at Southern Illinois on Oct. 3. The Penguins enter with stronger overall and conference records, and their defense generated both pressure and takeaways in that road win. That combination gives them the better case to control this Missouri Valley Football Conference matchup.
Indiana State has enough offensive production to complicate a large spread. Its passing yardage and red-zone scoring rate suggest the Sycamores can make Youngstown State work for separation. The forecast favors the Penguins by 18 points, but neither the underdog spread nor the Under earns an official wager. Best bet: Pass.
Odds, game time and how to watch
Game time: Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET.
Venue: Memorial Stadium in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Broadcast: ESPN+.
Records: Youngstown State is 4-2 overall and 2-1 in MVFC play. Indiana State is 2-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference, with losses in its past two games.
SportsJaw spread: Youngstown State -21.5 (-138); Indiana State +21.5 (-125).
SportsJaw total: Over 64.5 (-114); Under 64.5 (-116). Moneyline: Youngstown State -1,900; Indiana State +669.