Watch Penn State Football vs. Northwestern: TV Channel, Streaming, Game Breakdown

The Nittany Lions visit Northwestern on a short week looking to rebound from a surprising loss to Wisconsin.

Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Chase Sowell (0) runs with the ball against the Wisconsin Badgers at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Is Game 5 of Year 1 a must-win for Penn State coach Matt Campbell? Should it be? The Nittany Lions are barely into October of their first season under Campbell's transformation, and there's already restlessness among fans.

Blowing a 17-point lead over Wisconsin with a strategy the head coach himself defined as not wanting to "screw it up" was Campbell's first mistake. The Nittany Lions seek to avoid a second when they visit Northwestern on Friday night at New Ryan Field.

Can't make it to what Northwestern calls the "best place to watch football in America"? Here's everything you need to know about Friday night's Penn State-Northwestern game.

Penn State (3-1) vs. Northwestern (2-1)

• When: 8 p.m. ET Friday

• Where: New Ryan Field, Evanston, Ill.

• TV: FOX

• Series History: Penn State leads 16-6

• Last Meeting: Northwestern 22-21 in 2025

How to watch, stream the Penn State-Northwestern game

⬜️ WEAR WHITE FRIDAY NIGHT ⬜️ pic.twitter.com/tcL2w8hNKh

— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) September 30, 2026

The Penn State-Northwestern game kicks off at 8:13 p.m. ET from New Ryan Field in Evanston. FOX will televise. It's the second of three straight night games for Penn State, which hosts USC in the White Out on Oct. 10. We'll find out Monday whether Penn State's Oct. 24 game at Michigan becomes the fourth straight night game.

This marks Penn State's first appearance on FOX this season. Connor Onion and Robert Griffin III will have the call, with Alexa Landestoy reporting from the sideline. The game will be streamed on Fox One.

Penn State-Northwestern radio information

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Matt Campbell looks on from the sideline against the Wisconsin Badgers at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Steve Jones and Jack Ham are teaming for their 27th season on the Penn State Sports Network. The duo first worked together in 2000. Ham was the first Penn State football player inducted into both the College Football Hall of fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jones and Ham can be heard live on dozens of radio stations. Radio coverage of the game will be simulcast on Sirius XM channels 84 and 257 and on the XM app. The radio broadcast also will be available online via the Penn State Sports Network.

What is the Penn State-Northwestern betting line?

Despite the loss to Wisconsin, the short week of practice and helping Northwestern to open a new stadium, Penn State is a 2.5-point favorite against the Wildcats, according to DraftKings. Penn State is the money line favorite at -142. The over/under is 45.5 points.

Penn State vs. Northwestern series history

Northwestern Wildcats running back Caleb Komolafe (5) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Nittany Lions lead their series against Northwestern 16-6 but are coming off one of the most consequential losses in program history. Last year, the Wildcats turned a 75-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown drive into a 22-21 win over Penn State, the last game for head coach James Franklin.

The teams have split their last six games, with Penn State winning three straight from 2017-23. Penn State beat the Wildcats 41-13 in Evanston in 2023, their last visit to Old Ryan Field.

Penn State, Northwestern in the rankings

Penn State fell out of the AP Top 25 after losing to Wisconsin but remains ranked in the Coaches Poll. The Nittany Lions dropped eight spots to No. 22.

The ESPN College Football Power Index still thinks more highly of the Nittany Lions, ranking them at No. 15. But their playoff chances cratered to 9.1 percent after the loss to Wisconsin. ESPN'S FPI gives Penn State an 8.1-percent chance to win out.

Northwestern is a sturdy No. 28 in the FPI coming off a strong showing in a 29-23 loss to Indiana last week.

Penn State Nittany Lions to watch

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Rocco Becht (3) looks to throw a pass against the Wisconsin Badgers at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht, Friday night is a personal challenge. He admittedly had a rough night against the Badgers, to which the numbers attest. Becht's passer-efficiency rating (71.8) was the lowest of his career, and he threw for just 114 yards, the third-lowest total of his career as a starter.

Becht understatedly called the night "not great" and vowed that Penn State would be better tuned Friday. The offense still won't have its top deep threat in Koby Howard, who is out for a second straight game.

To counter, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser wants the Nittany Lions to get to their tight ends more, and not merely because he coaches the position. Penn State's legitimately believes their tight ends are game-changing on offense, particularly 6-7 Ben Brahmer, who caught four passes last week.

However, Brahmer caught only one ball in the second half and wasn't a factor. Neither were fellow tight ends Andrew Rappleyear and Gabe Burkle, neither of whom recorded a reception.

Penn State also looks to establish a run game that has been only intermittently effective this season. The Nittany Lions rank 43rd nationally in rushing offense, a number boosted by their 304-yard game against Marshall. Beyond that game, Penn State is averaging 3.7 yards per carry.

Is James Peoples the difference? The former Ohio State running back had the most pop against Wisconsin and should get the start among the four-back rotation.

Defensively, watch cornerback Daryus Dixson's status. He was listed as questionable on the midweek availability report and would be an important loss in the secondary. Dixson made an interception against Wisconsin and has the best man-coverage skills in the defensive backfield.

Northwestern Wildcats to watch

Indiana Hoosiers defensive lineman Josh Burnham (8) pressures Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Aidan Chiles (0) at Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Northwestern has a veteran transfer quarterback in Aidan Chiles and a new offensive coordinator in Chip Kelly, both of whom will frustrated the Nittany Lions. Chiles can run, and Kelly will run him. Chiles leads the Wildcats in carries (30) and rushing touchdowns (four).

He's also coming off a gem against Indiana, where he went 22-for-29 for 293 yards and three touchdowns. Chiles is the first Northwestern quarterback with three straight 225-yard passing games to start a season since C.J. Bacher in 2007.

Chiles could be without a leading target in tight end Luke Dehnicke, whom Northwestern listed as questionable. Dehnicke caught seven passes for 140 yards at Indiana, the most receiving yards by a Big Ten tight end vs. a conference opponent since Penn State's Tyler Warren went for 224 against USC in 2024.

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