First Look at Penn State vs. Minnesota: TV Time, Early Odds, Preview

Penn State brings its first Big Ten win streak home to Beaver Stadium on Saturday, when the Nittany Lions host Minnesota in Game 10 of the season. Penn State can become bowl eligible with a victory, not exactly the team's preseason goal but a positive step after a four-game losing streak.

Here's our first look at Saturday's Penn State-Minnesota game at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State (5-4) vs. Minnesota (5-4)

When: 7 p.m. ET Saturday

Where: Beaver Stadium

Series History: Penn State leads 11-6

Last Meeting: Penn State 26-25 in 2024

How to watch, stream the Penn State-Minnesota game

Game 🔟#WeAre pic.twitter.com/j3S0RaNuHe
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 9, 2026

Penn State hosts Minnesota for a rare November night game at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on FS1. This is Penn State's second straight game on FS1 and will feature the same broadcast crew as last week with Dan Hellie and Robert Smith.

The game will be available to stream online at FOX One.

What is the Penn State-Minnesota betting line?

Penn State is a 9.5-point favorite over the Golden Gophers, according to DraftKings, its biggest line of the conference season. Penn State also is a sizable -340 favorite on the money line, while Minnesota is +270. DraftKings set the over/under at a rather low 41.5.

Penn State vs. Minnesota series history

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) runs the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. — Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) runs the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the third quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Penn State and Minnesota will meet for the 18th time in their series, which dates to 1993, when Penn State joined the Big Ten Conference. The Nittany Lions lead the series 11-6, winning the last two meetings.

Three of the series' last four games have been decided by one possession, including the 2024 game in Minneapolis. Penn State put together a game-sealing drive in the fourth quarter, similar to what it did Saturday against Washington, to pull out a 26-25 victory in Minneapolis.

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About the Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Carson Hansen (21) rushes against the Washington Huskies. — Penn State Nittany Lions running back Carson Hansen (21) rushes against the Washington Huskies during the second quarter at Husky Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Penn State's run game finally looks like the product Matt Campbell and his offensive staff projected before the season. The Nittany Lions rushed for 174 yards in a 28-25 victory over Washington, one that relied on a back who had been waiting for his breakthrough.

Carson Hansen finished his season at Iowa State last year with five straight games but was slow transferring that production to Penn State. He ran for 96 yards against Purdue and then broke out for a season-high 119 at Washington.

The capstone of his day was 36-yard cutback run on Penn State's final possession that allowed the team to run out the clock with the ball. Campbell called Hansen a back who improves with more carries, but the fifth-year senior couldn't position himself there until last Saturday.

"The running game, I think we're making really good strides," Campbell said. "You continue to see that grow forward. I think you see the type of team we want to be, where we want to take this program and continue to be. That does still travel, the ability to run the football and play defense travels, and I think that's why we won the football game."

Penn State needed that late run, along with a game performance from quarterback Rocco Becht, after the defense allowed 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The second half continues to be a sticking point for Penn State's defense, which has allowed 55 fourth-quarter points.

A few injury situations to watch this week involve cornerback Audavion Collins, who was limited in the second half and played just 38 snaps, tying his low total in conference games. Left tackle Malachi Goodman missed most of the second half as he played through a lingering issue from the Purdue game.

Defensive end Yvan Kemajou also was limited in the second half. Campbell said Saturday that he didn't think any of the injuries were serious.

About the Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck celebrates during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes. — Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck celebrates during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Huntington Bank Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Minnesota arrives at Penn State following a rough three-game stretch vs. Iowa, Indiana and UCLA. All three games were close in the fourth quarter, with the Gophers beating Iowa at home three weeks ago.

Minnesota then fell to Indiana 23-16 in overtime after the teams traded 60-yard field goals in the final 20 seconds of regulation. Indiana tied the game with its long kick and then won with a touchdown pass in overtime.

And last week, Minnesota was tied with UCLA in the fourth quarter, when Bruins quarterback Ty Dieffenback threw a pair of 75-yard touchdown passes against the Gophers' secondary. That wasn't new, as Minnesota ranks 112th nationally in explosive-play defense.

“Two plays, 150 yards. That’s the story of the game,” Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said afterward.

Penn State will face another low-ranked rushing offense Saturday, as the Gophers are last in the Big Ten and 133rd nationally at 98.6 yards per game. Quarterback Drake Lindsey ranks 17th in the conference in passer rating (119.34), and the Gophers rank no better than 93 nationally in any major offensive category.

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