Penn State’s Saturday night meeting with Wisconsin won’t be on regular TV. The Big Ten opener at Beaver Stadium is set for a 5 p.m. ET kickoff and will stream exclusively on Peacock, NBC Universal’s platform, as Penn State welcomes Luke Fickell and the Badgers.
To watch Penn State-Wisconsin, fans need a Peacock subscription. That same setup applies to every “Big Ten Saturday Night” game through the 2026 season, with the weekly schedule and TV assignments rolling out as the conference sorts out the calendar.
Penn State enters the game as a 9.5-point favorite in the Big Ten opener for first-year coach Matt Campbell. The Nittany Lions are 3-0 in non-conference play, with wins over Marshall (45-0), Temple (27-9) and Buffalo (55-13). Their only real hiccup came in an early stretch at Temple in Week 2.
Wisconsin arrives in Happy Valley riding back-to-back wins over Western Illinois (36-9) and Eastern Michigan (54-10). The Badgers opened with a 41-13 loss to No. 4 Notre Dame at Lambeau Field.
Peacock offers two subscription tiers that include access to the game. Beyond Penn State-Wisconsin, the service carries all Notre Dame football games and streams every NFL and college game shown on NBC. Peacock is also set to stream one NFL Week 17 game, though that matchup has not been announced yet.
The platform’s broader lineup includes exclusive access to shows like The Office, 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, along with newer titles such as Love Island USA, The Traitors and Yellowstone. Its movie library also features new releases Obsession, Disclosure Day and The Endless.
In Other News...
Penn State Staffer Faces Serious Off-Field Legal Trouble
A Penn State assistant coach is now dealing with an off-field situation that is drawing attention in State College and around the program. Jordan Lucas, the Nittany Lions assistant cornerbacks coach, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of DUI and three summary traffic violations after police found him asleep in a vehicle downtown with a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit.
The stop came after officers found the vehicle illegally positioned in a crosswalk, with Lucas also listed as having a suspended drivers license and an expired vehicle registration. Penn State acknowledged the charges and said Lucas remains with the program while the legal matter moves forward, leaving the university to manage both the public fallout and the uncertainty around what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Offensive Line Just Got Thinner At The Worst Time
Penn States offensive line depth took another hit at an unwelcome time, with Will Tompkins ruled out for the season because of injury, according to coach Matt Campbell. Tompkins had played 31 snaps across the first three games after transferring in from Iowa State, giving the Nittany Lions another experienced body in a position group that can never have enough of them.
The setback leaves Penn State without a player it had hoped could help stabilize things as the year unfolded, and it also delays any chance to see how he might have fit into the rotation over a full season. There is still some long-term silver lining: Tompkins is expected to keep four years of eligibility after this season, so his Penn State story is far from over even if this one now pauses before it really got going. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States RB Battle Just Got Tougher To Ignore Entering Big Ten Play
Penn State spent the nonconference slate getting a closer look at four running backs, and the rotation did not make the answer any simpler. Carson Hansen, James Peoples, Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace all got chances to show what they can do, but the way those carries were distributed also made it clear this job is still open as Big Ten play arrives.
Martin stood out most against Buffalo, where his versatility in the passing game added another layer to his case, while Peoples continued to show growth and a knack for finding the end zone. Those two now look like the clearest candidates to head the depth chart, even if the staff has not committed to one lead option yet, and the coming conference games should tell whether Penn State leans toward the more dynamic all-purpose threat or the back who has been quickest to turn touches into points. [Read more 🡒]