Penn State-Minnesota Game: Kicking Off at 7? Pregame Travel, Injuries and How to Watch
Kickoff remains on schedule
Saturday’s Penn State-Minnesota game is still set for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff at Beaver Stadium. Penn State had hoped to preserve the scheduled start despite Minnesota’s travel delay.
Minnesota was among the teams affected by Friday’s FAA nationwide ground stop, described as the longest in 25 years. The Gophers’ charter flight departed Minneapolis at 10:10 a.m. ET Saturday and was scheduled to arrive in State College just before noon, according to Flightaware.
A short pregame window
The delayed arrival put Minnesota in State College about 17 hours later than originally planned. The team was expected to have about five hours at its hotel before leaving for Beaver Stadium.
The flight was scheduled to last about two hours, adding logistical and preparation challenges for a team playing on the same day it traveled. The Big Ten said officiating crews were already on-site for Friday’s games, so officials did not need to find Saturday flights amid airline cancellations and rescheduling.
Injury updates for both teams
Penn State listed defensive end Caleb Bacon, safety Jeremiah Cooper and cornerback Jahmir Joseph as questionable. Starting left tackle Malachi Goodman was probable after missing most of the second half against Washington last week.
Receiver Koby Howard was listed out for a seventh straight game. Coach Matt Campbell said Howard’s return was paused and that he would not put him back on the field before he was fully ready. For Minnesota, defensive linemen Riley Sunram and Theorin Randle were out; cornerback John Nestor was questionable, while tight end Pierce Walsh was probable.
Broadcast and other game details
FS1 will televise the game for a second straight week, with Dan Hellie and Robert Smith calling the action. The game will also be available on FOX One, FOX’s subscription streaming service.
Brian Tripp will join play-by-play announcer Steve Jones on the Penn State Sports Network, replacing Jack Ham, who continues to recover from a medical emergency at Washington last Saturday. As of Saturday morning, DraftKings listed Penn State as a 12.5-point favorite, with a 42.5-point over/under.
Key points
- The game is scheduled to begin shortly after 7 p.m. ET Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
- Minnesota’s charter flight left Minneapolis at 10:10 a.m. ET and was expected to arrive just before noon.
- FS1 will televise the game, and FOX One will stream it.
- Penn State was a 12.5-point favorite on DraftKings as of Saturday morning.