Guessing Penn State’s 2025 Kickoff Times

Editor’s Note: As a piece of helpful advice, the Big Ten generally announces kick times 12 days (two Mondays) before the game’s scheduled date during the season. This typically happens around 1 p.m. ET. Usually, later in the season, some games are six-day windowed (announced the weekend before the game). We will update this article with confirmed kick times as they are announced. Additionally, here is a link to Penn State’s 2025 schedule.

Some take guesses at lottery numbers. Others take guesses on roulette numbers. 

But we take guesses at kick times. 

It is time for us to share our annual predictions for what time we think Penn State’s 2025 games will start and the networks they will appear on. 

Last year, we did OK. I (Darian) beat Steve and am looking to defend my crown but it will be no easy task as once again we take swings at what time we think Penn State will play in 2025. 

Once again, we’re doing this in early May because in less than a week’s time major TV networks will host their upfronts, showcasing their fall lineups. That usually brings the first batch of kick times.

Then, typically around the end of May, we get the first three weekends’ worth of kick times. It should be noted that the Big Ten announced its kick times for 2024 on May 30. 

After that, we likely won’t get kick times until early September as game times typically are announced 12 days before a game (so on Mondays) with the option for the networks and conferences to hold games for up to six days. Much like last year, once we get rolling in that process, this article will be updated below. 

A few other notes as it’s generally believed that Fox has the first three picks of weekends for the Big Ten. That’s right, we said weekends, not games. Networks pick weekends and then select which game they want to be their game. After the third pick, it’s also believed NBC will have the fourth pick and then CBS at fifth. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. Conventional wisdom suggests that Fox will pick the weekend Texas travels to Ohio State and of course, the final weekend of the season when the Buckeyes take on Michigan. The debate begins at the third pick and it will be a game that involves Penn State most likely – either the one on Sept. 27 vs. Oregon or the one on Nov. 1 vs. Ohio State. More on that below. 

From there, times are assigned to the games. Fox will typically put its centerpiece games at noon, CBS will be at 3:30 p.m. and NBC takes 7:30 p.m. Then there’s FS1, Peacock and BTN as the secondary backup channels, and all three of those networks have varying slots based on other games around the country and even other sports. 

It’s also believed, but not always followed, that the Big Ten requires a team to play two games on the Big Ten Network, one of which is a conference matchup. There have been a few exceptions and cases where this doesn’t happen and it appears that my colleague Steve thinks Penn State might be due for that treatment. 

Speaking of those picks, here they are. And as always, age before beauty. 

Aug. 30 vs. Nevada

Steve Says: 3:30 p.m. BTN

Home season opener, boring opponent, lopsided outcome. The perfect recipe for the conference network to broadcast a game.

Darian Says: 3:30 p.m. FS1

Penn State did not appear on FS1 in 2024. With playing a Mountain West team that has some connection to the Fox brand with their contract, I see an opportunity for some synergy here. 

Sept. 6 vs. FIU

Steve Says: 12 p.m. BTN

Another bad nonconference home game – none of these first three even deserve to be televised – but maybe some sanity can at least come with a noon start.

Darian Says: 12 p.m. BTN

My main request for this game is that FIU wears its Miami Vice uniforms. Other than that, good weather. 

Sept. 13 vs. Villanova

Steve Says: 3:30 p.m. BTN

OK, the likelihood of three straight home games on BTN seems slim. Still, it’s a matchup that deserves no better than the conference network – no matter how highly rated Penn State will be. Not a surprise if this one (or one of the previous two) ends up on Fox Sports 1. Just please get the exhibition games over.

Darian Says: 3:30 p.m. BTN

I struggled with this game. I know. It’s probably the game that Penn State will struggle with the least this season. However, I can see this game ending up on Peacock, much like the last time Penn State played an FCS school. Still, I feel good about the 3:30 p.m. time. 

Sept. 27 vs. Oregon

Steve Says: 7:30 p.m. NBC 

Penn State fans may finally get their night game White Out for the only home game of interest this season. With Fox Sports likely to pick other games/weekends before this one as broadcast partners divvy up the schedule, that might ensure this timeslot.

Darian Says: 7:30 p.m. NBC

Without spoiling our pick for that third Fox pick, we will continue this trend of similar picks. It just makes sense that NBC would get this game with how the chips will fall. It might be one of the biggest games in the country in 2025 and you can’t say no to that. 

Oct. 4 at UCLA

Steve Says: 3:30 p.m. CBS

West Coast trip to play a team with a highly paid QB who took the free agent route from Tennessee to UCLA. It’s an attractive matchup that should work well in the late afternoon timeslot.

Darian Says: 3:30 p.m. CBS

I am worried that Steve and I now share a brain. But it just makes sense for this game to be on this network at this time. 

Oct. 11 vs. Northwestern 

Steve Says: 12 p.m. FS1

Homecoming and the only home game in October for Penn State. Still not a strong enough opponent to merit much later of a start, though. Beautiful fall day. Fairly traditional early afternoon start time.

Darian Says: 12 p.m. Peacock

We’re bucking one trend and keeping another. Penn State hasn’t played a homecoming game at noon since 2021. (You don’t need to look up what happened that day. It’s not important.) Penn State has also had a Peacock game every season since it became an option and I think with a stronghold, particularly in the eastern part of the state by Comcast, that will continue. 

Oct. 18 at Iowa

Steve Says: 3:30 p.m. NBC

While a night game at Iowa would not be a surprise, some other Big Ten games seem sexier for that slot, so a late afternoon kick at Kinnick Stadium with fans waving to those kids in the hospital just before dark might work well.

Darian Says: 12 p.m. Fox 

I think this is a bit of a process of elimination for me. USC travels to Notre Dame so that’s going to be at 7:30 p.m. on NBC because of the Irish’s agreement with that network. Of the games that don’t feature either an East Coast team going West or vice versa, it’s the most interesting. I think Fox will want it for a multitude of reasons, including but not limited to the last time Penn State went to Iowa. 

Nov. 1 at Ohio State

Steve Says: 12 p.m. Fox

It’ll be one of the first games Fox Sports picks because it’ll draw a big TV number. Death, taxes and Penn State-Ohio State at noon. I’m a fan of the last of those three certainties.

Darian Says: 12 p.m. Fox

This is the least surprising piece of information in this post. Ohio State will outdraw Oregon if the second variable is Penn State. There’s already so much buzz around this game. It’s by far one of the three biggest games of the season in the conference. The pick is obvious. 

Nov. 8 vs. Indiana

Steve Says: 12 p.m. Fox

If you’re looking for Big Noon Kickoff to Happy Valley (and if you are you’re in the minority because that pregame show is not nearly to the level of the games at which it appears), this might be the strongest candidate. Not a fan of Fox’s work but I am a fan of noon games. So, here’s hoping.

Darian Says: 12 p.m. FS1

This would have been three straight Fox picks for me and Penn State only played on the same network on back-to-back weekends last year, not back-to-back-to-back. This is a safe pick by me but I’m looking for points here. 

Nov. 15 at Michigan State

Steve Says: 3:30 p.m. CBS

It’s not a follow-up to Michigan-Ohio State for a change, but it always seems like it’s a 3:30 p.m. start in East Lansing. So, why not again?

Darian Says: 3:30 p.m. CBS

Steve’s got sound logic here. Can’t argue with it. 

Nov. 22 vs. Nebraska 

Steve Says: 7:30 p.m. NBC

It’d be late in the season for a night game at Beaver Stadium, but Penn State should be highly rated, and a Nebraska-Penn State game might draw decent ratings and viewership if It were to happen.

Darian Says: 12 p.m. Fox

I think this will be the pick that decides the competition between us. I think the Big Ten let it slide last year for the Washington game with a late-season late-game kick. I don’t know if they will go for it here. Plus, that Washington game wasn’t too cold. This one could be. 

Nov. 29 at Rutgers

Steve Says: 12 p.m. FS1

Several other more compelling conference games on the slate this day and no matter where this game falls nobody’s watching. So, here’s hoping it gets out of the way early and Fox Sports 1 would be appropriate for the level of competition.

Darian Says: 3:30 p.m. BTN

The last time Penn State did not play at 3:30 p.m. on the final Saturday of the season was in 2010 against Michigan State. I think – even with playing Rutgers – this game will hold its usual spot and fulfill the BTN requirement. 

We’ve summed up our picks below and we will update this throughout the season. If you’re scoring at home, it’s .5 for a correct time and .5 for a correct network. If you guess NBC and the game is Peacock, it’s .25. And don’t forget to check out Penn State’s full schedule here. 

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