Penn State-Minnesota Game: Kicking Off at 7, with Pregame Updates and How to Watch
Minnesota’s delayed trip
The game remains set for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff, though Minnesota’s travel was disrupted by Friday’s nationwide FAA ground stop, described as the longest in 25 years. The Gophers left Minneapolis on a charter flight at 10:10 a.m. ET Saturday and were scheduled to arrive in State College just before noon, according to Flightaware.
The team is arriving about 17 hours later than originally planned. Its flight is expected to take about two hours, followed by roughly five hours at the team hotel before the trip to Beaver Stadium.
The Big Ten said officiating crews were already on site for Friday’s games. That meant officials did not need to find flights as airlines worked through cancellations and schedule changes. Penn State had hoped to preserve the scheduled kickoff.
Key player availability
Penn State listed defensive end Caleb Bacon, safety Jeremiah Cooper and cornerback Jahmir Joseph as questionable. Each has a significant role on defense, and Bacon has recently been among the team’s leading pass-rush threats. Left tackle Malachi Goodman is probable after missing most of the second half against Washington last week.
Receiver Koby Howard is out for a seventh consecutive game. Coach Matt Campbell said Howard’s return is paused and indicated he may not play again during the regular season. Campbell said he would not put Howard back on the field before he is fully ready.
Minnesota listed starting defensive linemen Riley Sunram and Theorin Randle as out. Sunram has 5.5 tackles for loss, second on the team, and the two linemen have three sacks combined. Cornerback John Nestor is questionable; tight end Pierce Walsh is probable.
Odds and broadcast details
DraftKings listed Penn State as a 12.5-point favorite Saturday morning, two points higher than earlier in the week. Penn State was -500 on the money line, Minnesota was +380, and the over/under was 42.5 points.
FS1 will televise the game for the second straight week, with Dan Hellie and Robert Smith in the booth. The game is also available to stream through FOX One, FOX’s subscription streaming service.
Brian Tripp will join play-by-play announcer Steve Jones on the Penn State Sports Network. Tripp is replacing Jack Ham, who is recovering from a medical emergency he experienced last Saturday at Washington. Campbell offered a positive update on Ham’s recovery earlier in the week.
Key points
- Kickoff remains scheduled for 7 p.m. ET Saturday at Beaver Stadium.
- Minnesota was expected to arrive in State College just before noon after a delayed flight.
- FS1 will broadcast the game, and FOX One will stream it.
- Penn State was a 12.5-point favorite in DraftKings’ Saturday morning odds.