Penn State Sets Kickoff Time for Nov. 1 Game at Ohio State

Penn State's 2025 freefall hasn't prevented it from getting the prime FOX time slot at Ohio State. The Big Ten announced kickoff times for its Nov. 1 football schedule, and the Penn State-Ohio State game will air during the FOX Big Noon broadcast window. Kickoff is set for noon ET at Ohio Stadium.

Both teams have off this week, meaning they will enter the game in familiar positions. Penn State visits Columbus looking for its first Big Ten win of the season and also its first win over a Power 4 opponent. The Nittany Lions have lost four straight games for the first time since 2020.

Penn State's 25-24 loss at Iowa made program history, though not in a positive way. Penn State has lost back-to-back games by one point for the first time in 136 years of playing football. The Nittany Lions, 0-4 in the Big Ten, have lost those four games by a combined total of 13 points.

Penn State also is conducting a coaching search to replace James Franklin, who was fired after the team's 22-21 loss to Northwestern. Franklin appeared last Saturday on ESPN College GameDay, saying that he intends to get another coaching job as soon as next season.

Ohio State, meanwhile. is 7-0 and the nearly unanimous No. 1 pick in the AP Top 25. The Buckeyes received 60 of 66 first-place votes in this week's poll. Indiana, which Penn State hosts a week after playing Ohio State, is second and received the other six first-place votes.

Ohio State ranks No. 1 nationally in scoring defense, having allowed just four touchdowns in seven games, and second in total defense (216.9 yards per game). In ESPN's College Football Power Index, Ohio State ranks first in defensive efficiency and sixth in offensive efficiency.

Meanwhile Penn State, once a top-three team in the FPI, has plummeted to 46th. The Nittany Lions rank 51st in offense and 67th in defense. Penn State does hold an edge in special teams, though, ranking first in the FPI. Ohio State is 123rd.

Penn State Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith enters Kinnick Stadium before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Terry Smith, Penn State's interim head coach, said that the Nittany Lions played with hard at Iowa but continued to demonstrate the same shortcomings. He was particularly critical of Penn State's passing game, which generated 93 yards against the Hawkeyes.

"It was obviously a very disappointing loss," Smith said. "It was very disappointing the way we lost. I don’t feel like we made them earn it at the very end. All three areas need improvement. In our special teams, we continue to have problems handling punts and kicks.

"Offensively, we continue to not be able to throw the ball down the field or even throw the ball in the intermediate zone. We have to get that fixed. Defensively we can’t get stops when we need stops. It’s glaring. I have to get it fixed. We’re going to take the bye week and try to get those three areas cleaned up and better before we go to Ohio State."

Penn State has not won at Ohio Stadium since 2011, when it did so with an interim head coach. Tom Bradley led the 21st-ranked Nittany Lions to a 20-14 win over unranked Ohio State, which also had an interim head coach in Luke Fickell. Ohio State has won eight straight games over Penn State.

Week 🔟 is set. pic.twitter.com/CPx2hC7aUr
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 20, 2025

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