Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley
In 2007, Appalachian State went into Ann Arbor and stunned the Michigan Wolverines in one of the biggest upsets in college football history.
It almost happened again last week, but luckily No. 13 Penn State (1-0) held off for a 45-38 overtime win, and now a tough road date against in-state rival Pittsburgh (1-0) awaits.
The game is scheduled to start at 8:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally on ABC. If you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can still watch a live stream of the game (or DVR it) on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu also offers a bundle of 50-plus live TV channels, including ABC (live in select markets, but even if it isn’t included in your market, you’ll be able to watch the game on the ESPN digital platforms with your Hulu credentials).
You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and if ABC is live in your market, you can then watch a live stream of the game on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app. If ABC isn’t live in your market, scroll down to the “ESPN Platforms” section to see where you can watch.
If you can’t watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials).
Although ABC isn’t technically part of the Sling TV package, you can sign up for a free 7-day trial of the “Sling Orange” bundle, which includes ESPN3, and you’ll then be able to watch a live stream of the game on the ESPN digital platforms (see next section).
ESPN Platforms
You can watch a live stream of the game on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. Games on ABC (labeled as ESPN3) can be watched for free without cable if you have a participating internet service provider (ISP), but even if you don’t have a participating ISP, you can still sign use your Hulu or Sling TV (or other cable TV) credentials to sign in and watch the game on the ESPN digital platforms.
Preview
Despite the obvious hype for the Pennsylvania game, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin is proclaiming this is just like any other game.
“I hear people saying this is a big game, and anybody that says this isn’t a big game is kidding themselves. This is the biggest game in the world. This is the Super Bowl for us. It is the most important game on our schedule. Why? Because it’s the game we’re playing this week.”
The most surprising thing about Penn state’s narrow victory last week is how long it took senior quarterback and leader Trace McSorley to get going. Following a 12-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, the Nittany Lions’ offense went predominantly cold until the second half when they emerged for 28 points, which was offset by the 28 points the Mountaineers scored in the fourth quarter alone.
McSorley finished 20-for-35 for 229 yards and a touchdown, with 53 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, but his best play came late – a 15-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver KJ Hamler with 42 seconds remaining to force overtime.
Pittsburgh used a 33-7 victory against FCS Albany as a tune-up before this game and will look to use its homefield edge to power its way to an upset and go on to improve upon a disappointing 5-7 finish last season. Panthers head coach S Pat Narduzzi and sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett have a tall task ahead of them.
Penn State leads the all-time rivalry 51-43-4, and this will be the first night game between the two programs since 1987.